Ottawa Bad Diesel - Petro Canada

armycanuck

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Location
Ottawa
TDI
2011 Golf Highline
I am posting this in hopes someone may have some advice or a similar instance that would help me decide where to go from here.

On 20 Oct, I filled my tank (from nearly empty) at a Petro Canada (PC) in Ottawa. I always buy diesel and gas here, and have never heard of any issues. Drove car home (2kms) and parked it for the weekend.

22 Oct, drove to work, hard start in am, ODB errors, CEL and limp mode within 5kms of leaving. Codes were for misfire on all cylinders. Drove car home in afternoon; hard start again, persistent limp mode, limited to 2500rpm. "limped" car home and called VW for service appt.

23 Oct attempted to start car to get it to dealer (about 6 kms); hard start, terrible idle and very unresponsive pedal. Decided not to chance-it and had it towed to dealer that night after work.

Techs had a look at it that week, confirmed bad diesel. Diesel in tank was clear like water and had a turpentine smell. No water present (mixed perfectly with good diesel).

I had them do their thing, pump tank and drain lines... replace filter.. etc.

I contacted PC who after about 10 days let me know that it wasn't their fuel. They had completed the investigation, and found nothing abnormal with the fuel.

So, I'm out around $400, lost car for 2 weeks, insurance would cover it, but deductible is $500...lol. So now I don't really know where to go.

I have all transaction records and corresponding mileage records for the last year of fuelling (mostly at the station in question). I have a sample of fuel that dealer pulled from tank.

The kicker is, PC won't disclose if they have actually tested the fuel in the tanks, only that their investigation procedures were followed. If they have in-fact tested the tanks, they won't provide the report to me; illogical to me since I thought they would love to share proof that they're not at fault.

Second kicker is that on 22 Oct, the station in question closed for maintenance and will be for a while apparently. I'm a logical man, and know if I'd be closing a service station; I'd make damn sure that the tanks were as empty as possible to mitigate as much as possible, fuel spoiling while stagnant in the tanks. I may have been one of the last customers to use that tank before it closed.

Am I way off-base here to think that there isn't something fishy going on?

1. PC won't disclose if they have tested the tanks.
2. It became very obvious that since "no-one else has reported bad fuel", its not on them.
3. Station closed for maintenance /construction two days after I fueled.
4. PC won't accept sample from dealer because "who knows what the mechanic could've done". (Yes, they really said that)
5. It's $400, not worth any lawyers time, and at the end of the day; maybe they're banking on that too.
6. Does the fact that this has now happened, give VW an out for warranty work down the line on let's say a HPFP?

If anyone is still reading, let me know what you think. I'm not one for waging a social media campaign against "the man"... But it seems like they honestly don't care at all about this - "sorry for your luck".

I'd love for them to make this right, otherwise I'll be hard pressed to spend another dime on their products.

Thanks in advance for any advice....

#LiveByTheLeaf





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TDI smile

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Jul 11, 2012
Location
Edmonton, Alberta (b4 BC - LOWER MAINLAND = Chilli
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2002 TDI (ALH) with 513,000 km. First Owner and very happy... No Problems, never left us stranded on the Highway. Average useage is about between under 4 ltr. and 5 ltr. Normal longdistance travel: 4.1/100
Just buy your Diese/Gas at SHELL or ESSO.....Do not go back to that Station for NOTHING!!!!
 
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Powder Hound

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Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
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'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
I don't know what the procedures are for small problems like this in Canada. In your southern neighbor you have small claims court.

As it is, the corporate legal mentality is delay, delay, delay. They won't do a <bleep>ing thing until forced to do so, and then they will delay everything as much as possible. It is basically ignore and the injured party will go away. So either you pursue with all the evidence you have and do it with blood thirsty zeal wishing to slice their jugular vein and rejoice in public over the blood letting, or get over it and accept the loss like a practical coward (or spineless one) and move on.

Your choice. Good luck!

Cheers,

PH
 

belome

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 8, 2010
Location
Mid MI
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS TDI 5-speed
I know I'd certainly be concerned about future HPFP problems. Even to the point of putting a filter on after the HPFP to mitigate any future grenading ruining your entire fuel system.
 

The Tortoise

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2017
Location
Ottawa
TDI
2015 GSW Trendline - White
Which Petro Canada? I was topping my tank off last night (Merivale & Baseline) and noticed that the pump was super slow. I only put in 8L to get it to ~7/8 full.

Were you dealing with the station or corporate PC? If the former maybe escalate it. If the latter, do you know any lawyers who would be willing to write you a letter?

Seems like a waste to go to small claims court. But, would be gratifying to beat them in court.
 
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The Tortoise

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2017
Location
Ottawa
TDI
2015 GSW Trendline - White
Just buy your Diese/Gasl at SHELL or ESSO.....Do not go back to that Station for NOTHING!!!!
It could be in my head, but I find that my car doesn't drive as well when using Esso diesel. Shell and Petro-Can are my two go-tos.
 

armycanuck

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Location
Ottawa
TDI
2011 Golf Highline
Which Petro Canada? I was topping my tank off last night (Merivale & Baseline) and noticed that the pump was super slow. I only put in 8L to get it to ~7/8 full.

Were you dealing with the station or corporate PC? If the former maybe escalate it. If the latter, do you know any lawyers who would be willing to write you a letter?

Seems like a waste to go to small claims court. But, would be gratifying to beat them in court.
It was the Hunt Club Rd location, near Uplands Dr.

I've spoken only to corporate. Escalated as far as they say they can take it.

Small claims is likely a waste of my time for $400....but still an option.

I think there'd be more complaints if the station was still open. I may have been one of the last fill ups prior to them closing.

I'm giving myself a bit more time to cool off and figure things out.

They are definitely hoping I just go away....

Cheers


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armycanuck

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Location
Ottawa
TDI
2011 Golf Highline
I don't know what the procedures are for small problems like this in Canada. In your southern neighbor you have small claims court.

As it is, the corporate legal mentality is delay, delay, delay. They won't do a <bleep>ing thing until forced to do so, and then they will delay everything as much as possible. It is basically ignore and the injured party will go away. So either you pursue with all the evidence you have and do it with blood thirsty zeal wishing to slice their jugular vein and rejoice in public over the blood letting, or get over it and accept the loss like a practical coward (or spineless one) and move on.

Your choice. Good luck!

Cheers,

PH
Well said...

I'm looking into what to do next... I'm not rolling over yet.

Cheers

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FiveFilter

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Location
Louisiana
TDI
2013
To pursue it further, it seems to me you could get that fuel sample analyzed by some professional outfit to answer the question: Just what was in that clear, turpentine-smell, water-free concoction? (Of course, the cost of such an analysis is potentially lethal to this suggestion.?.)

If you know what the substance is, and if it is indeed the type of stuff that would cause the problems you described, then a registered letter sent to the company's president at their HQ with a copy to whoever is in charge of protecting consumers and assuring fuel quality, stating all that you have posted here along with the fuel analysis, should do some good.

In the letter, I would ask for my 400 bucks back and the cost of the fuel analysis. If you were to get them to pay these expenses, that fact could be used against them should your fuel pump die within a reasonable time in the future, because they have effectively admitted to their failure whether they say so or not. However, it is likely they would want you to sign a promise not sue them for any future damages as a condition of your settlement, which to me is unreasonable but is common practice.

If the company still refuses to accommodate you, and if the public servants who are supposed to serve the public by protecting against bad behavior also profess to be powerless to help, then I would post all this on social media to recognize them all for their unreasonableness.

Further, if you were to have future related problems with the car, all the documentation might be helpful in a court of law to recover the substantial expenses that you then might face.
 
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armycanuck

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Location
Ottawa
TDI
2011 Golf Highline
To pursue it further, it seems to me you could get that fuel sample analyzed by some professional outfit to answer the question: Just what was in that clear, turpentine-smell, water-free concoction? (Of course, the cost of such an analysis is potentially lethal to this suggestion.?.)

If you know what the substance is, and if it is indeed the type of stuff that would cause the problems you described, then a registered letter sent to the company's president at their HQ with a copy to whoever is in charge of protecting consumers and assuring fuel quality, stating all that you have posted here along with the fuel analysis, should do some good.

In the letter, I would ask for my 400 bucks back and the cost of the fuel analysis. If you were to get them to pay these expenses, that fact could be used against them should your fuel pump die within a reasonable time in the future, because they have effectively admitted to their failure whether they say so or not. However, it is likely they would want you to sign a promise not sue them for any future damages as a condition of your settlement, which to me is unreasonable but is common practice.

If the company still refuses to accommodate you, and if the public servants who are supposed to serve the public by protecting against bad behavior also profess to be powerless to help, then I would post all this on social media to recognize them all for their unreasonableness.

Further, if you were to have future related problems with the car, all the documentation might be helpful in a court of law to recover the substantial expenses that you then might face.
Very good points and advice.

I'm sending the sample in for analysis.

Thanks....

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