A Tiverton man is facing a repair bill of nearly £3,000 after mistakenly filling his diesel car with petrol due to a fault at a Morrisons petrol station in Devon. Forklift driver Graham Stevens filled his Vauxhall Insignia estate at the station, operated by Motor Fuel Group (MFG), on 26 September. Without his knowledge, the pump had been incorrectly dispensing unleaded petrol instead of diesel.
Mr Stevens said: 'I put in £50 of what I thought was diesel. I live just a minute away, so I didn't notice anything wrong at first. But, when I set off for work early the next morning, the car started spluttering and eventually died.' He managed to nurse the vehicle 18 miles to work at Dunkeswell, where it broke down completely. A mechanic later confirmed the fuel injectors were likely blocked due to petrol contamination.
The car was temporarily repaired at a cost of £300, but a full fix, including new injectors and a high-pressure diesel pump, was estimated to cost £2,800. According to Mr Stevens, MFG admitted the fault, saying the pipes had been connected incorrectly during installation. 'They told me not to contact them again and that their insurance company would be in touch. But I've heard nothing since,' he said.
Mr Stevens is one of many affected by the error, having 'heard of nearly 40 people with the same problem'. He added: 'It's appalling. There's been no empathy, no support. I was lucky I had £400 in my pocket to get the car going again, but I can't afford the full repair.' Other victims include Fergus Alexander, 65, who put £70 of what he thought was diesel into his car, and Jamie Wilson, 24, who faced £200 in repairs after his car broke down. MFG has been approached for comment, and Morrisons declined to comment.
