Audi Q7 Owner Faces 4 Lakh Repair Bill After Filling Watery Petrol At HPCL Fuel Station

Sometimes, a small decision such as refueling a vehicle can also turn into a mechanical nightmare. Recently, an Audi Q7 owner reported that after he got his vehicle completely refilled at a fuel station in Mangalore, Karnataka, it turned out to be a huge disaster which is now costing Rs 4 lakh to fix. It was mentioned by the owner of this particular Audi Q7 that the fuel station’s petrol was contaminated by water, which resulted in his vehicle getting filled with more water than actual petrol.

The owner of this Audi Q7 has shared the entire incident on Team BHP's forum. As per the owner, this incident took place on May 23, when he was in Mangalore, Karnataka, with his family for an event. The owner stated that when he turned on his vehicle, he noted that it had zero km of range as his fuel tank was completely empty. So, in order to avoid getting stranded, he went to the nearest HPCL fuel station to refuel with Power Petrol.

Audi Q7 filled with water-contaminated petrol

Soon after, this vehicle was filled with 80 litres of Power Petrol. However, after driving the vehicle for around 1.3 km, the vehicle suffered from loss of power. It also failed to accelerate, and a “Drive system failure” warning appeared on the dashboard. Just after this, the car stalled in the middle of the road.

The owner highlighted that somehow they started the vehicle with difficulty and moved it to the roadside. But after that, it completely refused to start again. As a result of this, he immediately contacted Audi Roadside Assistance (RSA). They then arrived within 20 minutes and towed the Q7 to the Audi Mangalore Service Centre.

What was the issue?

During the diagnosis at the Audi service centre, it was reported that there were water bubbles mixed with the petrol in the fuel tank. Soon after this, the service centre staff collected a fuel sample and sealed it as proof. It was observed that there was clear visual evidence from fuel jars, dip rods, and tank manhole pictures supporting the diagnosis. It was then confirmed that the malfunction was directly related to contaminated fuel.

Action by owner

Following the diagnosis, on the same day, the owner of the Audi Q7 reached the HPCL fuel station. He then asked the station manager to pump petrol from the same dispenser into a 5-litre canister. After which, it was found that the fuel was visibly contaminated with water, which then confirmed the owner's claim.

The fuel pump manager then confirmed that only the Power Petrol was contaminated and not the regular petrol. As a result of this, the owner of the vehicle lodged a complaint in the station’s complaint register. Soon after this, the owner of the pump was contacted, who acknowledged the issue and stated he has a liability insurance policy to cover such cases.

Current situation

At the moment, the owner of the Audi Q7 has been given an estimate of Rs 4 lakh for the complete repair. The vehicle's high- and low-pressure fuel pumps, metal fuel distribution lines, all fuel injectors, and all necessary parts will have to be replaced to avoid future issues or warranty conflicts.

As for the owner of the fuel pump, he has accepted responsibility in writing. He has also forwarded Audi’s estimate to his insurance provider and filed a claim for his own stock of 3,000 litres of contaminated Power Petrol. Presently, he is awaiting approval and settlement from the insurer.

Now coming to the vehicle, currently, the repair on the vehicle is halted as the parts needed to finish the repair are not available in India. So, they are being imported. The owner, in the meantime, has also filed an official complaint via the Central Government’s Consumer Grievance Portal.

Unfortunately, currently, the insurance approval is pending for the Audi repair estimate. Also, a loaner vehicle has not yet been arranged by Audi. Also, no confirmation from the HPCL corporate team has been given. Lastly, the fuel station owner's insurance is yet to disburse any compensation to the owner or the Audi service centre.