Let me start off by saying this isn't a case of me putting the wrong fuel in my 2010 Jetta. I fueled up Monday evening at the same Mobil station I have used since I bought my Jetta on 5/29/10. The car ran perfectly until Thursday evening when the car went into limp-home mode. It had no power and it took a couple miles just to get up to 55. I had the car towed to the dealer that night.
I called the dealer the next morning and told the service guy what it was doing. I told him I did notice when I pulled off the road and opened the hood that the cooling fan was not running despite it being 90+ degrees out. I figured maybe a temp sensor may have been malfunctioning and causing the engine to overheat ant trip the computer into limp mode.
Later that morning they called me at work and said I have gasoline in my diesel fuel. Now I know I filled up at the same pump using the correct nozzle that I always do. In fact, I have the receipt showing that I put in over 14.1 gallons of diesel and the car only holds 14.5. This leads to only two possibilities. The gas station somehow got gasoline in their diesel tank or the mechanic has made an incorrect diagnosis. The problem is now the dealer won't cover the repair under warranty because of bad fuel!
There is metal shavings in the fuel system due to the fuel pump failing and they told me the entire fuel system will need to be replaced. They said the bill would probably exceed the $5300.00 they had tabulated so far. Ouch!
Knowing I had not put in the wrong fuel I visited the gas station that afternoon and talked to the manager. The last fuel delivery was Sunday, the day before I filled up and the department og agriculture had been out the prior day and tested their pumps and fuel and they were given the all OK. So leaves the question, where did the gasoline in my diesel fuel come from?
To detect the gas the mechanic did a styrofoam cup test. They put some fuel from the car in a styrofoam cup. Diesel fuel won't harm the styrofoam while gas will melt the styrofoam. This seems like a bit of backyard science that they are denying the warranty claim on! What I am wondering is if some other fluid from the car got into the fuel that also melts styrofoam. coolant perhaps?
Something doesn't add up here but I don't know what it is. Any TDI engine experts on this forum have any ideas?
I love my Jetta and the war it drives so the thought of what has transpired over the last few days is just killing me.
Bryan
I called the dealer the next morning and told the service guy what it was doing. I told him I did notice when I pulled off the road and opened the hood that the cooling fan was not running despite it being 90+ degrees out. I figured maybe a temp sensor may have been malfunctioning and causing the engine to overheat ant trip the computer into limp mode.
Later that morning they called me at work and said I have gasoline in my diesel fuel. Now I know I filled up at the same pump using the correct nozzle that I always do. In fact, I have the receipt showing that I put in over 14.1 gallons of diesel and the car only holds 14.5. This leads to only two possibilities. The gas station somehow got gasoline in their diesel tank or the mechanic has made an incorrect diagnosis. The problem is now the dealer won't cover the repair under warranty because of bad fuel!
There is metal shavings in the fuel system due to the fuel pump failing and they told me the entire fuel system will need to be replaced. They said the bill would probably exceed the $5300.00 they had tabulated so far. Ouch!
Knowing I had not put in the wrong fuel I visited the gas station that afternoon and talked to the manager. The last fuel delivery was Sunday, the day before I filled up and the department og agriculture had been out the prior day and tested their pumps and fuel and they were given the all OK. So leaves the question, where did the gasoline in my diesel fuel come from?
To detect the gas the mechanic did a styrofoam cup test. They put some fuel from the car in a styrofoam cup. Diesel fuel won't harm the styrofoam while gas will melt the styrofoam. This seems like a bit of backyard science that they are denying the warranty claim on! What I am wondering is if some other fluid from the car got into the fuel that also melts styrofoam. coolant perhaps?
Something doesn't add up here but I don't know what it is. Any TDI engine experts on this forum have any ideas?
I love my Jetta and the war it drives so the thought of what has transpired over the last few days is just killing me.
Bryan