'Misfuel' - Misdiagnosis? Who is to blame?

sabz3008

Hoping somebody can help!...

I bought a used VW Golf on the Das Welt Auto used car scheme about a month ago. I broke down last Saturday so I called VW Assist (they sent out the AA).

The AA patrol diagnosed it as 'misfuel' saying there is petrol in the tank. He said it will need to be recovered to a VW garage but won't be covered under warranty and may well be expensive, but that the AA fuel drainage service won't come out because the car has been driven. I was 100% certain I did not put petrol in the car - I had filled up just 3 miles / 20 mins before breaking down at a Shell garage, so I telephoned them and they checked CCTV and had a copy of my receipt confirming I did fill it with diesel!

I called a company called Fuel-Fix to come out, they drained the tank and then told me I need something called 'Sysco HQ Gold' engine treatment, all costing £680.80! (£419+VAT for the 'treatment' and £140 + VAT for call-out)

Then, I get going for about 0.8 miles and break down AGAIN. I had to call the AA to recover, the patrol couldn't diagnose what was wrong with it so it was recovered to VW.

The VW garage was very quick to sort it out and replaced a faulty fuel pump under the VW used car warranty. I did tell them what VW Assist / the AA said about misfuel, but they could find no evidence of petrol and said it wouldn't have been covered under warranty if they did.

I've complained to Shell who is investigating, but now I'm thinking perhaps the AA misdiagnosed it and Fuel-Fix pulled a fast one (Yes, I've been told £680.80 is extremely excessive - I don't even know what this Sysco HQ Gold is!).

Also VW told me it would be impossible for me to put petrol in the car as the nozzle wouldn't go in as the car has a misfuel prevention device installed.

I'm fuming is an understatement... But, who is responsible?!

- Shell? (the AA and Fuel-Fix say it's mis-fuel - & unfortunately, I didn't ask for a sample of the 'contaminated fuel' to be kept - was too stressed from waiting around all day broken down on a busy road)
- The AA / VW Assist?
- Fuel Fix?

Very grateful for any input!

Strider590

You don't say whether it broke down just after leaving the garage, did it gradually start making strange noises? Was it behaving strangely at all before filling?

I put dirty fuel in my car a few months ago, almost instantly the fuel injectors started making a racket, like a faint ticking sound that wasn't there before, it took several weeks to clear out, fortunately mine is a petrol and a little more forgiving of bad fuel.

You may have got some bad fuel, either the garage mixed it up or the tanker had just been and stirred up all the junk in the bottom of the underground tanks, of course the garage is never going to admit to this, even if 50 people come back with complaints.

sabz3008

Thanks for your reply,

The car was completely fine before filling, no problems whatsoever. Was about 3 miles after filling at Shell that it just lost power completely.

Yes, as you say... The Shell filling station's response was "Impossible, otherwise 2-300 people would complain, you're the only one"

neilmcl

Did you not confirm with these Fuel-Fix guys at the time whether you had petrol or diesel in the tank?

I don't understand why you didn't simply contact VW again once you'd had "proof" that you'd filled up with the correct fuel or simply get the AA to tow you to the nearest VW dealer.

neilmcl

sabz3008 wrote: »

Yes, as you say... The Shell filling station's response was "Impossible, otherwise 2-300 people would complain, you're the only one"

Well they do have a point. If you believe Shell are wrong and you were incorrectly dispensed the wrong fuel then the onus is on you to prove this.

sabz3008

Yes, the Fuel-Fix guy said it was petrol in the diesel tank (as the AA patrol did too)... Then again, for £680.80... I'm thinking, of course, he would say it if the AA patrol diagnosed that too.

missile

It seems very unlikely that you miss fueled AND fuel pump needed replacing. Sounds like it was coincidence that fuel pump broke shortly after refuel.

Because you broke down shortly after refuel, AA man may have jumped to the wrong diagnosis, but it will be very difficult to prove. I would complain to AA.

takman

sabz3008 wrote: »

The AA patrol diagnosed it as 'misfuel' saying there is petrol in the tank. He said it will need to be recovered to a VW garage but won't be covered under warranty and may well be expensive, but that the AA fuel drainage service won't come out because the car has been driven. I was 100% certain I did not put petrol in the car - I had filled up just 3 miles / 20 mins before breaking down at a Shell garage, so I telephoned them and they checked CCTV and had a copy of my receipt confirming I did fill it with diesel!

I called a company called Fuel-Fix to come out, they drained the tank and then told me I need something called 'Sysco HQ Gold' engine treatment, all costing £680.80! (£419+VAT for the 'treatment' and £140 + VAT for call-out)

This doesn't make much sense. You had a copy of your receipt stating you put diesel on and you then went on and called out a company to drain your fuel tank?. Why didn't you just get him to recover you to a trusted garage the first time, even if it did need draining that would have cost a lot less at a garage.

forgotmyname

£680... To drain and tank and refill it. Wow thats some expensive fuel.

Engine treatment? Claims to aradicate evidence misfuelling? Does it convert petrol into diesel? Or does it somehow remove the petrol from a diesel fuel system?

Breaks down sediment? What has that got to do with misfuelling?

But as well as breaking down sediment it prevents blockages, with all that sediment being broken down i would think its more likely to cause blockages.

Reduces the chilling temperature of diesel? Why is that relevant to misfuelling?

Smells of snake oil to me.

missile

I would suggest OP should educate him/herself. Unfortunately, those with little knowledge are easy prey for the less reputable "mechanics".

Stoke

All sounds very dodgy to me, but I wouldn't have been putting any snake oil rubbish into my tank either. This reminds me of RAC breakdown and their miracle fix, which involved spraying easy start into your air intake.

Nah y'alright thanks.