CINCINNATI — Filling up with bad gasoline sounds like something that would have happened to your mom and dad decades ago.
But, it still happens, on occasion, and at least a half dozen Cincinnati-area drivers believe they bought bad gas in recent days.
Now they are facing expensive repair bills as a result.
Corbin Vogt is among them. He filled up his almost brand-new Ford Escape last week at the Sunoco station at the corner of Salem and Sutton Avenues in Mount Washington.
He said that minutes after filling up, "I got about 2 miles down the road, and my car started sputtering."
It refused to restart, so he had it towed to his dealer, where he got some bad news.
"The Ford dealer had to drop the fuel tank," he said, "and the whole tank had water in it, and they left me a sample."
Vogt's repair bill was over $1,000.
"I had to pay $1,164 for a new fuel pump, fuel injector, system cleaning and labor," he said.
Other drivers complain of the same issue
He contacted the county, where he learned other drivers reported the same issue over a two day period, according to Tom Woods of the Hamilton County Auditor's Department of Weights and Measures.
"We've received six complaints now, all for around April 11 and 12," Woods said of the Sunoco station. "All were from that people who gassed up, fueled up, left, and on the way home, broke down."
Woods said there is nothing the county can do because he said Ohio is one of just three states that do not test for fuel quality. All he is allowed to test for, by law, is fuel quantity, and whether pumps are accurate
We visited Sunoco's store, where a manager said he had no comment.
We then called and emailed Alfaa Mart, the station's owner, but received no response after three days.
Finally, we contacted Sunoco Corporate's media department, but are still waiting for a response to our question of whether the company can assist affected drivers.
What to do if you suspect bad gasoline
Unfortunately, as Vogt soon found out, getting bad gas out of your gas tank is the least of your worries.
It will also mess with your fuel filter, the fuel pump and the fuel injectors, which cost hundreds of dollars to replace.
Don Stewart, longtime owner of Stewart Tire and Auto Center in Roselawn, has seen many cases of watery gas over the years at his shop.
He said if you fill up and immediately sense stumbling, you probably bought bad gas. He said you should pull into the closest gas station or convenience store and buy a gasoline water remover like Heet, Stabil or generic "dry gas."
He said if you still have any room in the tank, top off with Premium fuel.
"Fill the gas tank up, put an additive in it and hope you get all the gas out," he said.
Vogt has now filed a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General since Hamilton County has no legal authority to investigate possible bad gasoline.
A bill in the Ohio Senate, SB 71, would allow testing, though sponsors said they have faced opposition from the petroleum industry.
"You never think you'll get water in your gas tank," Vogt said. "You assume it is tested."
But Ohio does not test, unlike in Indiana and Kentucky, where inspectors routinely test for quality.
Suspect bad gas? Stop driving, and take action immediately, so you don't waste your money.
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