News
The costs of misfuelling are on the up
Far from the issues of misfuelling decreasing as the use of diesel becomes more common, Lloyds TSB autolease, one of the UK’s largest fleet funding and management companies, has seen a 67% increase in the overall cost of misfuelling so far this year.
The company, which monitors misfuelling closely on its fleet of more than 130,000 vehicles, has already seen the total cost of repairs rise to more than a quarter of a million pounds this year, compared with only £150,000 for the same period last year.
Almost 750 incidents have already been recorded in its fleet, a rise of 34% on last year. In addition, there has been a rise in the average repair cost to around £400 per vehicle following manufacturers’ introduction of more thorough, and therefore more expensive, repair guidelines. One unfortunate client who put petrol in their diesel BMW 525 found the total repair costs reaching almost £6,000.
Lloyds TSB autolease has also been monitoring the number of incidents involving the commercial vehicles in its fleet. Its Specialist Commercial Vehicle Unit reported 92 additional incidents, adding almost £30,000 to the total repair bill of around £280,000.
Recent research carried out by the RAC has also identified that the number of people misfuelling is on the increase, with 33,000 incidents being reported in 2005, up over 2,000 on the previous year.
Lloyds TSB autolease’s head of technical services, George Reid, commented: “One in three new cars is diesel, so it’s no wonder that the problem is becoming much more widespread. It’s happening on average more than 400 times a day and it is now even excluded in many insurance policies.”
But it doesn’t always have to be bad news. There are ways in which drivers cab minimise damage. George added: “To reduce their repair bills, fleet managers can take straightforward action in two areas. Firstly, inform their drivers that if they do misfuel, starting the engine may add thousands to the repair bill. Even the smallest amount of petrol can cause a massive amount of damage to a diesel engine, since it requires the self-lubricating properties of oily diesel, which are lacking in petrol. If started, it is likely that the fuel injection components and filters will all have to be replaced, and in many cases the engine itself. If a driver does misfuel, they should roll the vehicle out of the way and call their breakdown service, who will follow the manufacturer guidelines to safely drain the fuel system.
“The second area a fleet manager can take action in is raising awareness among drivers. I know we keep highlighting this issue, but with the number and cost of incidents both on the increase, further action is clearly required. Simple steps like ensuring refuelling flaps on diesel vehicles are marked with clear diesel stickers, along with visible diesel messages on keyrings. Also, I’d suggest a conscious effort to stop using “petrol” as a generic term for all fuel, but instead simply refer to it as “fuel” to encourage drivers to change their mindset. Unfortunately, I think fleet managers will have to keep educating their drivers’, as until manufacturers and oil companies introduce a single technical solution, the only way to avoid hefty repair bills is to think before you fill.
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For media enquiries, please contact:
Chris Norton or Matt Thompson, Harrison Cowley
Tel: 0870 606 0960
E-mail: chrisn@harrisoncowley.com
Lawrence Hamilton, Lloyds TSB autolease
Tel: 0161 447 7251
E-mail: lawrence.hamilton@lloydstsbautolease.co.uk
