Who thinks a fill-up job will end in a tow truck? All through the Denver metro region, hundreds of drivers were caught in a sudden engine malfunction after they had apparently poured what they thought was regular unleaded gasoline into their cars, only to discover that it had been spiked with diesel. The repair shops have informed the customers that the bills will begin at around 1,500 dollars and are likely to go higher up to 3,000 dollars or possibly more, depending on the extent of fuel that passed through the system, and the parts that will need to be replaced.
Lance Strait, a Colorado motorist who had his vehicle damaged when he fueled his vehicle at a King Soopers gas station in Parker, reported that he is already looking at a repair bill that has swarmed to 3,200 dollars. Strait said that he had placed his faith in them, and expected that they would supply gas that was not contaminated with diesel, that is, a fundamental assumption on the part of fuel distributors not to supply gas that is contaminated with diesel. His vehicle was towed to a garage and he was anticipating that the amount might escalate with the mechanics dismantling the engine. Strait claimed that he called the store and was informed that an insurance company would get in touch, but did not get a reply. But the insurance company has not said anything on what they intend to do, he said.
Such uncertainty has become a stressor by itself. People usually require an operational car to commute to their workplaces and delays may incur extra expenses in regards to towing and the use of other means of transportation. Strait mentioned that he wishes that someone would pay those expenses as well. It caused me to feel that they are not assisting us, he said.
The state regulators have urged customers to start with the retailer where they purchased the fuel and, in case required, request help of the state by filing a complaint with the Division of Oil and Public Safety. The agency has reported over 200 complaints after the situation came into the limelight and it has collaborated with the station operators to sample the situation and identify the affected retailers. Mechanics have outlined the essence of repair work in simple terms: empty the tank, wash fuel lines, and change the parts in case of diesel which has clogged filters, injectors or pumps.
In most instances, it takes a short period of time to realize problems when fueling. The regulators have indicated that drivers who had bought the contaminated gas during the concerned time would normally exhibit symptoms of performance problems near the time of purchase, and in some instances, this can be experienced several minutes after leaving the pump. Such immediacy may assist drivers and shops in documenting what occurred, yet this does not necessarily make reimbursements easy in cases where responsibility is divided among the suppliers, distributors, retailers and insurance companies.
King Soopers, owned by Kroger, said it regrets the disruption. “We sincerely regret the inconvenience and disruption this has caused our customers. We understand how important reliable fuel service is, and we are committed to working directly with any impacted customers to resolve their concerns,” the company said, encouraging customers to contact their local store for assistance.
For drivers, the practical burden often comes down to records. Repair invoices, towing receipts, and documentation of where and when the fuel was purchased can determine how quickly a claim moves. Until that process is clear, many remain stuck in a familiar limbo: a damaged car, mounting costs, and waiting for a call back.
