Drivers continue to report issues with cars due to ‘contaminated fuel’ at Morrisons petrol station in Strood, with Motor Fuel Group getting insurers involved

Drivers caught up in a “contaminated fuel” furore after filling up at a supermarket petrol station are being referred to the forecourt operator’s insurers.

Dozens of motorists have experienced problems with their vehicles after buying unleaded at Morrisons in Knight Road, Strood, last week - with the total repair bills running into several thousands of pounds.

Tyler Clarke-Wolfe was among those whose car started experiencing “serious mechanical issues” having filled it up with petrol at the branch, which is managed by Motor Fuel Group (MFG), rather than the supermarket.

He says mechanics told him the cost to repair it, as well as to fix a previous problem with an engine warning light, would total around £1,000.

Tyler also had to pay a £200 breakdown cover and is spending money daily on hiring a car.

He said: “The repair costs are insane and it's frustrating knowing this could have been avoided.

“After noticing the problems, I turned to social media and found posts from others who had similar experiences after visiting the same petrol station.

“It's clear that this isn’t an isolated incident, as drivers have reported breakdowns, strange engine noises, and even being stranded after refueling at Strood.”

Stacey Peters says her car broke down after she put £45 worth of petrol into it.

She then had to pay £40 to get it towed to her mechanic and hasn’t been told how much the bill is going to be yet.

Cliff Russell put £68 of petrol into his vehicle at the petrol station last week and got his car drained yesterday after problems began.

David Abernethy put £65 of fuel in his Range Rover at around 5pm on Wednesday before noticing something was wrong the next morning.

The 64-year-old had to get 65 litres of fuel drained from his car, which cost him £360.

He previously told KentOnline: “The AA then advised me to fill up with unleaded premium which I did for £90 – so in total this has all cost me more than £500.”

He also got a sample of the fuel which he said was “a third water”.

Earlier this year, Morrisons announced all its petrol stations had been taken on by another company, MFG.

Is supermarket fuel different to normal fuel?

- Petrol bought from supermarkets such as Morrisons tends to be cheaper than branded fuels as they set their prices to compete with each other.

- While supermarket fuels have to meet certain British and European safety standards, they may not contain the same additives as branded fuel, which can negatively impact engine performance and fuel efficiency.

- Branded fuel is usually of better quality and more beneficial for cars in the long run, however it depends on the type of vehicle.

- But, there is usually no downside to filling your car up at a supermarket and it should not damage your car

After initially not hearing anything back from MFG, David received an email from the forecourt operator yesterday morning.

In the email, seen by KentOnline, the company said: “We are very sorry to read of the incident which occurred at the Morrisons Strood service station.

“Thank you for providing all information regarding this incident.

“Due to the nature of your incident we have now passed your file over to our insurers. The claims handler will be in contact in due course to resolve your claim.

“Please be advised that once the claim handler has made contact with you, all enquiries will need to be raised directly with the handler involved.”

However, a number of drivers say they have heard nothing back from the company.

Chris Loraine spent £48 putting petrol into his car at the Morrisons on Friday and said: “Within one mile of the garage the car started juddering, a warning light came on and smoke was coming out of the exhaust.”

He claims it has cost him around £240 to get the car drained and for the fuel system to be cleaned. He is still yet to hear back from the company.

Melanie Agnew is also waiting for correspondence from MFG after her brand new car stopped working following a refuel at the petrol station.

She said: “I have had no response as of yet but Morrisons has said that they have nothing to do with the matter which is madness as I got the fuel from there.”

Melanie put £62 in last Wednesday and has had to spend £350 so far getting it repaired.

When KentOnline contacted Morrisons previously, a company spokesman said: “We don't own or operate the petrol sites anymore – they are all managed by MFG”.

MFG has been repeatedly contacted for more information but, while the approach has been acknowledged, it has failed to provide any comment or explanation.