Motor Vehicles Suffer After Negligent Operation of Northern Territory Petrol Stations
Tuesday March 3, 2009
Motorists in the Northern Territory are up for large costs to have their fuel systems replaced as accounts of water is found in their tanks.
A Northern Territory car dealer reported that motorists have had to fork out $15,000 to have their fuel tanks replaced as water found in the systems are damaging pump pressure and pump restriction valves.
"Once the water goes through the system and through the pump, that's it, she's finished," the car dealer reported to the Northern Territory News.
Motorists in Darwin and beyond have told how their cars have run into engine problems because of the contaminated fuel.
Tourist Allan Cooper had nearly half a litre of water drained from the tank of his motorhome after he topped it up with diesel from a service station on the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory.
"It's running like a tractor at the moment," he told the Northern Territory News.
Mr Cooper now faces a $3,000 bill to fix his vehicle.
Another motorist had up to five litres of water drained from his petrol tank after his car broke down after filling up with unleaded petrol from a station in Darwin.
"I was pumping water into my car - I wasn't pumping petrol," he told the paper.
The petrol station involved offered to pay for the damage if he signed a statement of confidentiality.
