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What did they say was bad about it? Does it have anything to do with the "up to 10% ethanol?" If they persist in telling you to pay, I would get walmart involved.
My wife's 6 month old car wouldnt start this morning. I called toyota, and they sent a tow truck out to get it.
the service guy calls me this afternoon to tell me, we have bad gas in the car. Even though we get gas every time at the same walmart, we drove on this apparent bad gas for 5 days without a problem, i got gas at this walmart the same day, and have no problems....
They want us now to pay 300 bucks to fix the car.
I dont know what my recourse is. Doesnt make any sense to me, that it would be bad gas, but it is their word against mine.
Any ideas?
What did they say was bad about it? Does it have anything to do with the "up to 10% ethanol?" If they persist in telling you to pay, I would get walmart involved.
That's kind of what im thinking. My wife is talking to them now. They didnt say what was bad, only that "its definately bad gas sir!"
I dont even think Walmart uses Ethanol in the gas yet. I tried calling Walmart, but just got put on hold for 10 minutes. If it would have been bad gas, it would have not worked from the get go, not 5 days later. And if Walmart was selling bad gas, wouldnt it have affected more than me?
Yeah, I would definitely try to get a little more detail than "bad gas."
Did the gas have too much alcohol content? Was it contaminated with water? Was there debris or corrosion, and was it from the gas or the fuel tank itself? Do they simply have to drain the gas and put clean gas in, or do they have to replace parts?
"Bad gas" sounds like a scam job to me. Cheap gasoline can cause performance issues and misfiring and such, but I wouldn't think it would lead to a whole repair job.
And if there is actually something wrong with the gasoline WalMart sold you, then I'd take them up on that.
I say either get more information from this mechanic, or have it looked at by someone else.
They want you to pay 300 bucks to have them drain the gas tank? Get the car back and do it yourself. Otherwise "bad gas" is not a diagnosis. If your rings are shot or your fuel pump is ruined or if your injectors are clogged then they need to tell you that.
I have heard that Manny has bad gas.
I agree. They are "looking into it" and are going to call me back. This is North Park Toyota i am dealing with.
I am going to question them specifically when they call back and ask what exactly is bad.
I just feel like it is going to be a he said she said battle. I cant prove it isnt bad gas, and i dont think they need to prove to me it is.
This almost sounds like something a lawyer should be involved in, but i dont want to get involved in all that cost, i just want this car to work.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/us10325.htm
This site can at least arm you with some information. Check out the "Dirty Gas" section at the bottom.
Thanks for the information. Is there any reason the car wouldnt start at all due to bad gas?
The engine turns over repeatedly, and it smells like electrical smoke coming from the engine as you turn it over...but it doesnt start.
Well all the walmarts that I have been to lately have little stickers on all their pumps with a picture of corn on it and it says "gas may contain up to 10% ethanol." Once you find out what is wrong specifically with the gas, I would call walmart and complain. If that doesnt work, the call the trouble shooters or something.
Oh i didnt notice that, but then again i guess i dont look for it.
Good point though, ill look into that.
The service guy at Toyota asked me if i put ethanol in the car. I told him, i had no idea where you wuold even get ethanol, so no.
hey you drive a prius?
mines havin problems also....unleaded petrol down here has %10-12 ethanol bland into it....but it supports it, so i see no reason whats wrong with it every time i turn on the engine is like a jet engine.....it use to be dead silent....who cares 130k km tuneup coming up this weekend anyway i hope......
210-697-9600.
If Steve Guehrlein can't fix it, it ain't broke!
I'm probably not the most automotively inclined person in here. I know how to fill my car with gas and drive it.
But I've never ever heard of 'bad gas' before. And the fact that they can't give you specifics right off the bad seems a little su ious, as well.
After they called back, they said it looks watered down. They got a cup and put it next to good gas from a tank, and from another car...the tank and another car look the same, ours looks almost like water.
My wife is calling Walmart now.
from my experience, it's watered down gas, not ethanol, and usually hoses your fuel filter. my experience being twice with a 95 s10 blazer.
A friend of mine got a new Mazda 929 once, because he bought gas at Diamond Shamrock and it was bad. Rather than fight the case, they just bought him a new car.
The problem with ethanol isn't immediate, it's long term. As I understand it, you can run 85-15 ethanol in a '79 Buick, if you wanted to, and it would run...but the solvent properties of the alcohol would dissolve the lubricants and it would dry out the gaskets.
If it's watered down it's possible that the water settled to the bottom overnight and that's what the fuel pump picked up in the morning. That's the only scenario where I can see the car working the night before and then suddenly not starting. Like others have said, ethanol cooks parts over a long period of time. And like I said before, I think you just need to drain the tank and maybe put a new fuel filter in just for grins. They shouldn't need to charge you 300 bucks for that.
You got a receipt for the gas you bought ? Take that receipt and the Toyota detailed repair report to Wal-Mart and file a complaint. If they blow you off here is how to complain---http://consumerist.com/consumer/comp...omb-259713.php
If its 6 months old, shouldnt it be under warranty?
do you have any enemies that might put water in your tank?
and somehow i really wouldnt be shocked if walmart watered their gas down in the first place.
That was my first thought-- either that or someone who stole your gas and added water. I remember someone having sugar added to their tank.
dont use the green pump
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