10/03/2026
⛽️ Think your car suddenly has a major mechanical problem? It might actually be what’s in your tank.
There have been a number of confirmed fuel-quality problems at North Carolina gas stations recently, including water contamination and the wrong type of fuel ending up in a tank. In some cases, drivers don’t realize anything is wrong until the vehicle starts running poorly or stalls. In other cases, the vehicle may not start at all immediately after filling up.
If your vehicle suddenly starts running badly shortly after filling up, don’t assume it’s automatically a mechanical failure. Save your receipt, note the station, pump number, fuel grade, date and time, and let the shop diagnosing the vehicle know exactly when and where you filled up.
You can also report suspected fuel-quality problems to the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Fuel Quality Program. They investigate consumer complaints and can test fuel from the station.
👉 Report a fuel-quality problem:
https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/standards/fuel-quality-program/standards-complaints-fuel-quality
Here’s a short report from WRAL about the recent fuel-quality problems across North Carolina:
https://youtu.be/q5v35WhPmtY?is=JG0285wVNyeSLIY3
If your car starts acting up after a fill-up, give us a call. We’re always here to help you sort it out.🚘
A 5 On Your Side review found more than 100 fuel-quality complaints...