KEY POINTS:
Drivers are fuming over a service station blunder which saw the wrong fuel pumped into the cars.
Drivers got the wrong fuel when diesel was pumped into an underground petrol storage tank at Caltex Otumoetai in Tauranga.
The vehicles soon coughed and spluttered, lost power and chewed through the gas after the tank was filled with diesel instead of 91 octane petrol, the Bay of Plenty Times reported.
Customer Elaina Pope put $48.92 of what she assumed was 91 octane petrol into her car at 11.20am on Friday and drove to Waihi.
"As I went through the major intersection, it (the car) spluttered and died," she said.
On Saturday morning, Mrs Pope called the AA and was told her 2000 Honda Odyssey had been running on diesel.
She called Caltex Otumoetai and staff told her they were aware there was a problem and that a mechanic would flush out her car and give her replacement petrol.
Mrs Pope said no compensation was offered. The fuel filter was only cleaned rather than replaced as recommended by the AA. At Mrs Pope's insistence, a new filter was ordered and fitted in the car this morning.
Sharon Buckland, of Caltex, said customers were being reimbursed for the fuel and any mechanical costs associated with the mix-up.
She was unable to say how many vehicles were affected.
- NZPA
