Diesel Contamination

**Nate** · 26th October 2012, 06:15 AM

Hi All,

I'm having a major issue with my new 2007 D3 TDV6 and wonder whether anyone has had a similar experience or can provide any advice.

I've had the D3 for less than 3 months and it's still under the dealers warranty and I bought an allianz warranty which is yet to kick in. The engine is currently cactus and is at a reputable land rover mechanic in sydney having some or all of the injectors replaced as they have seized up by what is thought to be an unleaded fuel contamination. I know everyone's initial reaction is that I stuffed up at the bowser but luckily I've been keeping my fuel receipts recently so I know exactly where I last filled the car up. We are getting a sample of the diesel from my car tested today to find what the contaminant is and an investigation is being launched by the fuel supplier to ascertain whether their batch of diesel was the source of contamination. I'd be interested if anyone has had or heard of a problem with diesel purchased around the 13th of October in the Blue Mountains, send me a PM if you have.

This is going to be an expensive repair bill with the mechanic saying that in an ideal world (ie insurance job) he'd change all the injectors, fuel line and tank. If no one is going to own up or there is no way of proving the source of contamination then I'll be left with a very hefty bill.

The thing I can't understand, which I'd be interested to hear your opinions on, is that the car drove fine on that same tank of fuel for 300km before it kicked the bucket and during that time it was serviced by another reputable land rover mob in Sydney. The only thing they did in the fuel line was to tighten up a leaking fuel filter, add two diesel additives (injector cleaner and friction proofing) and they have subsequently assured me it was normal looking diesel in the line. So I'm stumped to understand how it can run so well especially after the service, (best it had ever run) and then just die one hot saturday in sydney when the engine was under a fair bit of demand with the A/C running quite strongly.

It leaves me with one of three options as the source of contamination.
1) A bad batch of diesel (the fuel company is being quite helpful at this stage and are carrying out an investigation)
2) The reputable mechanic in sydney who serviced the car unwittingly added something to the fuel line
3) The dealer (who I towed the car back to as it was under their warranty) put something in the tank before they handed it over to another land rover mechanic to remove themselves from a potentially expensive repair bill. It's a far out conspiracy theory but I'm stumped.

Its all very strange. I hope the service station finds they sold me a dodgy batch of diesel and pays it out of their insurance otherwise I'm stuffed.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Cheers
Nate

**jonesy63** · 26th October 2012, 06:57 AM

A friend had a similar situation about 4 years ago with water contamination, which killed all the injectors. His insurance policy covered the repair bill. The repair bill was something like $12k. Good luck.

**AnD3rew** · 26th October 2012, 07:03 AM

All I can say is that I have had a long and eventful history with Land Rover Australia and their dealers on warranty issues. They are not a responsible organization, they do not care about their customers and will do everything in their power to avoid paying warranty claims. Keep at them, trust nothing they say and harrass them unmercifully.

If it truly is contaminated fuel then try your general insurance policy and see what they cover, you might be lucky.

**~Rich~** · 26th October 2012, 07:06 AM

I'm not asking to name the Servo but was it an Independant or a Chain ( Caltex, BP, Mobil) etc.

Ean Austral · 26th October 2012, 07:26 AM

Not good to hear, My only suggestion would be to make sure you see and read the report about the fuel being tested.

I would have thought that unleaded would have burnt the injector nozzles not seized them, that sounds more like water to me but thats just my limited knowledge speaking.

Good luck and hope it gets sorted at no cost to yourself.

Cheers Ean

**BigJon** · 26th October 2012, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by AnD3rew

All I can say is that I have had a long and eventful history with Land Rover Australia and their dealers on warranty issues. They are not a responsible organization, they do not care about their customers and will do everything in their power to avoid paying warranty claims. Keep at them, trust nothing they say and harrass them unmercifully.

.

Interestingly I worked at a dealer for about 3.5 years and one of my roles was the warranty officer. I found LR to be excellent with claims (much better than Subaru) and they even often came to the party with repairs outside the warranty period.

I think it really depends on the relationship of the customer with the dealer and the dealer with LR. Obviously if there is bad blood between any of the parties no one is going to put much effort into the claim.

**CaverD3** · 26th October 2012, 01:14 PM

Accidental damage if contaminated fuel. Claim on your comp insurance and have it done properly.
What MY model is it?

**Celtoid** · 26th October 2012, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by BigJon

Interestingly I worked at a dealer for about 3.5 years and one of my roles was the warranty officer. I found LR to be excellent with claims (much better than Subaru) and they even often came to the party with repairs outside the warranty period.

I think it really depends on the relationship of the customer with the dealer and the dealer with LR. Obviously if there is bad blood between any of the parties no one is going to put much effort into the claim.

I agree BigJon.

When I first bought my truck my local LR had a complete tool (of the useless kind). Since he moved on the service has been excellent...even above and beyond....covering stuff that could be easily palmed away as accidental damage.

Cheers,

Kev.

**Nate** · 26th October 2012, 02:02 PM

Thanks for your comments.

Just to clear up a few mute points.

I bought the car of an independent dealer in Sydney and they've actually been pretty good to me lending me another car but they obviously don't want to pay for something that was not a fault of the car per se.

And the service station was one of the independents. My wife dropped the diesel sample of this morning to be tested and the lab commented how this is not an uncommon problem.

And I don't know whether the injectors are seized or burnt, they were my words all I know is they need replacing.

I'll keep you posted.

**AnD3rew** · 26th October 2012, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by BigJon

Interestingly I worked at a dealer for about 3.5 years and one of my roles was the warranty officer. I found LR to be excellent with claims (much better than Subaru) and they even often came to the party with repairs outside the warranty period.

I think it really depends on the relationship of the customer with the dealer and the dealer with LR. Obviously if there is bad blood between any of the parties no one is going to put much effort into the claim.

All I can say is that has not been my experience.

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