EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Drivers in east El Paso who bought premium or midgrade fuel at a Circle K on North Zaragoza Road have reported car trouble after a fuel delivery mix-up, according to the company.
A Circle K spokesperson said a third-party supplier “inadvertently delivered diesel fuel into a premium gasoline storage tank” at the Circle K at 1239 N. Zaragoza Rd. in El Paso.
The spokesperson said unleaded gasoline storage tanks and sales were not impacted, and neither were other Circle K sites in the area.
Circle K said it suspended premium and midgrade fuel sales as soon as it became aware of the situation while the affected storage tank was “emptied, cleaned and replenished with fresh fuel.”
The company said it has resumed normal operations after testing “confirmed full remediation.”
“A small number of customers have contacted us about car troubles after purchasing premium and midgrade fuel at this site,” the spokesperson said.
Destiny Venecia reports on Circle K says diesel mistakenly delivered into premium gas tank at east El Paso store (Credit: KFOX14)
Circle K said it is “gathering and evaluating their information and helping them with their claims.”
Mayra Benitez said she bought about $60 worth of gas from the Circle K on Zaragoza near Gateway East on Saturday.
“Saturday, towards the afternoon, is when I noticed my car stalling, slowing down, not having much power. By the following day, Sunday, my car wasn’t turning on,” Benitez said.
She said the next morning, she saw white smoke coming out of the exhaust, and her car would not turn on.
Benitez said she took her car to a Lexus dealership on Monday to get it checked.
She said the visit cost her a total of $210.
An invoice Benitez provided shows she needed a tank drain and injection flush before replacing fuel.
“They said they were gonna do a diagnosis on it. Right off the back, the technician said I think it’s your fuel. I think your fuel is contaminated. We’ve heard of this issue in the past,” Benitez said.
Benitez said she was quoted $1,700 for repairs.
“So we actually towed it back home because they quoted us at $1,700 to fix it, so we ended up towing it back home to kind of figure out what we’re gonna do and how we’re gonna fix it,” she said.
Benitez said she contacted Circle K and was told the company had already received multiple reports.
“By Tuesday, the Lexus dealership told me they had already received seven vehicles with the same issue,” she said.
She added that she was told by Circle K to scan a QR code and that someone would follow up.
“Definitely upsetting because it’s pricey. Gas is already pricey, and then to fix the car is pricey, so all around an extra cost that we were not expecting,” Benitez said.
Customers who experience an issue after fueling at a Circle K station should call the company’s claims department at 1-855-276-1947 “as soon as possible,” the spokesperson said.
RECOMMENDED: Circle K offers up to 40 cents off gas on Thursday at participating El Paso locations
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