Dec 26, 2024
A few Tallahassee gas station pumps have reopened following stop-sale orders for water-contaminated gas. Mechanics say repairs for cars impacted by diluted fuel can cost up to thousands of dollars. Watch the video to learn why the recent contaminations have left neighbors feeling anxious.BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:A few Tallahassee gas stations that were issued a stop-sale order for water-contaminated gas are back up and running. The diluted fuel was an issue several neighbors blamed for their cars breaking down almost immediately after filling up. I'm Kenya Cardonne, your Southeast Tallahassee neighborhood reporter. I'm investigating what the repair process will look like as neighbors set expectations for gas stations in the future.Traffic is picking up at the GATE gas station in Southwood again.It comes one week after the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) shut down the pumps there due to water contaminating the fuel. This is also two weeks after the same thing happened at a Circle K on Thomasville Rd.I've spoken to neighbors who have had car troubles after filling up at GATE last week.Many of them have also taken to social media to share their experiences. One neighbor told me he ended up at a repair shop with a $600 bill.Courtney Lawson, Neighbor - "I did not know that and I think that's just outrageous because people work hard for their cars."I bumped into neighbor Courtney Lawson after she put $15 worth of gas in her tank at the GATE, after FDACS ordered the station to replace the fuel and clean out the tanks.She tells me that the thought of $15 turning into several hundred dollars in repairs makes her nervous about where she gets her gas.Lawson - "I think that the gas should be at least tested every week. Just simple fact, we're paying our hard-earned money for fuel for our cars to get the work, and to pick up our children and stuff like that."Jacob Hauck, Service Manager at Auto & Tire Super-Service Center - "We had a Kia actually come in, and it was probably about 80% water. Once we took a fuel sample for it, it actually did end up being a high-pressure system."The mechanics at Auto & Tire Super-Service Center say the repair process for cars impacted by diluted fuel is not the easiest.Service Manager Jacob Hauck tells me that best case scenario impacted customers are looking at a $200-300 bill. The worst case scenario is if the water contaminates more than just the fuel system, calling for multiple repairs within the car.Hauck - "But still, even with being able to do that, that repair was close to $1,000 altogether for pulling the pump, pulling the tank, and just getting all the water out of the system."A situation no one wants to find themselves in.Hauck - "I mean, obviously he wasn't happy with the situation, but, you know, we were able to get him taken care of and back on the road, and the company who was responsible actually took care of him."A GATE spokesperson says the pumps have been opened as of Friday December 20th, and that the pumps in the back half are closed for a separate, unrelated construction project.My previous story on this breaks down what you should do if you are impacted by diluted fuel.In Southeast Tallahassee, Kenya Cardonne ABC 27.
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