In Hamburg, customers experienced nasty surprises at a gas station in the past week: After they had filled up their cars on Thursday, the vehicles started to stink and smoke. The engines sputtered and would not start. Many drivers turned to a nearby garage in the north of the metropolis, as reported by the "Hamburger Morgenpost".
Because, according to several local press reports, there were a lot of people affected, the suspicion finally arose that the mistakes had not happened during refueling, but beforehand.
It actually turned out: the operator of the Shell gas station had the mishap while filling the underground tanks. The tankers would have mixed them up and poured in the wrong fuel. "Mopo" and "Auto-Bild" report this. The cause is assumed to be human error, it is said. Due to the incorrect filling, Super came out of the diesel pistols and diesel came out of the petrol pistols at the petrol pumps. The customers assumed that they were filling up properly - but in reality their cars were sometimes suffering considerable damage.
Shell therefore blocked the affected pumps and promised help, according to the reports. Because such damage can be significant. "We will replace vehicle damage caused by product mixing against appropriate proof," a Shell spokeswoman quoted "Auto-Bild".
The "Mopo" also asked the ADAC what to do if the fuel was mixed up. The motorists' club warns that fueling diesel vehicles with petrol can cause costly damage. Because the entire injection system may have to be replaced. These systems require a special lubricating film that is contained in diesel but is wiped off by petrol.
If you fill diesel into a petrol engine, it could end up being less severe. You should switch off the engine immediately and see what the operating instructions advise in such a case. With some vehicles, it is possible to drive on carefully and refill petrol again and again. In some cars, however, the tank has to be pumped dry, and after-treatment may also be necessary.
Sources: "Hamburger Morgenpost", "Auto-Bild"
Take a look at our photo gallery: Film star, advertising icon, loyal companion: the era of Beetle construction in Germany ended 45 years ago
