Help! I filled up at a Shell gas station on a Friday night a few weeks ago. I drove home (about 10 miles). During the last mile or so of my ride, the car started running 'rough'. The next morning, the car drove VERY rough; in fact, if wouldn't go over 20 miles an hour.
Monday morning I had to call the tow truck and have it towed (!) to the dealership. The car was diagnosed, and they said that the Shell station gas actually put 1/3rd water (my tank was 1/3 water, 2/3rd gasoline). It cost me over $800 to get it fixed (tank was taken out and drained, etc. etc. etc.).. Yikes!
I contacted Shell headquarters (I tried to speak to the actual owners of the local station where I got the gas, but they were never there, and I couldn't get a straight answer on how to contact them, etc.). So I called Shell headquarters in Texas. They were very professional and took my claim info over the phone.
They supposedly sent a contamination specialist to figure out what happened. A week later, they said that they were very sorry, but couldn't pay my claim because the contamination specialist said that the gas was clean!!
All I can think of is that the Friday night that I got the gas, others had the same experience and complained to the store. They probably fixed it that weekend.. Anyway, so now I am out $800 (and the $50 for the gas!! ).. I am really upset. Any suggestions?

It will be very difficult to prove where it came from. Can you get a group of the people that also had problems and sue in small claims court (the clerk can tell you)? I don't know if you can put all the parties one suit or maybe one complainant and the rest witnesses? Maybe put an ad somewhere to find others? You would have to be careful about putting the specific name of the gas station in the ad. But a big "WATER IN GAS??" heading might bring some people out. Maybe just the threat of small claims court might bring some action.
I'm out of ideas. Good luck

Do you have proof that the so called shell gas is the only fuel in your tank? Do you have a sample of the gas from your tank, as well as a sample right out of the pump? I don't think you will have much luck here.

Help! I filled up at a Shell gas station on a Friday night a few weeks ago. I drove home (about 10 miles). During the last mile or so of my ride, the car started running 'rough'. The next morning, the car drove VERY rough; in fact, if wouldn't go over 20 miles an hour.
Monday morning I had to call the tow truck and have it towed (!) to the dealership. The car was diagnosed, and they said that the Shell station gas actually put 1/3rd water (my tank was 1/3 water, 2/3rd gasoline). It cost me over $800 to get it fixed (tank was taken out and drained, etc. etc. etc.).. Yikes!
I contacted Shell headquarters (I tried to speak to the actual owners of the local station where I got the gas, but they were never there, and I couldn't get a straight answer on how to contact them, etc.). So I called Shell headquarters in Texas. They were very professional and took my claim info over the phone.
They supposedly sent a contamination specialist to figure out what happened. A week later, they said that they were very sorry, but couldn't pay my claim because the contamination specialist said that the gas was clean!!!
All I can think of is that the Friday night that I got the gas, others had the same experience and complained to the store. They probably fixed it that weekend.. Anyway, so now I am out $800 (and the $50 for the gas!!!).. I am really upset. Any suggestions?


I'd be upset, too, but I don't think you can prove that that is where the water came from - I don't know how the dealership can say that the Shell station put 1/3 water (2/3 gas) in your tank. They might be able to say that "somebody" put water in but I don't know how they can blame Shell.

Do you know who tested the gasoline still in the pump? Was it a Government agency or Shell?

At any rate I don't think you can meet the burden of proof, unless you can locate other people who used the same underground tank and had the same experience. Problem with that is if you run an ad that you got gas at X station and it was 1/3 water you could get sued.