Bio-diesel is a no go

Diesel fuel made from plant material may receive an environmental tick, but one importer has issued a stern warning about its use in their vehicles.

Korean manufacturer SsangYong has released a facelifted all-diesel Kyron SUV.

However, the importers have advised against using bio-diesel, which could compromise their warranty.

Sales of sub-standard bio-diesel remain unchecked and there have been a growing number of cases of contaminated fuel systems, they say.

SsangYong say they can't honour a warranty repair on damage, which has been caused by dodgy bio-diesel fuel.

They say when a case comes in they take two samples of fuel; one for SsangYong with the other going to the owner for independent testing.

Even if testing proves that inferior fuel has caused injectors, fuel pumps and rails to fail it can often be a hard task determining when and where the dirty fuel was put in the car.

The owner is often caught in the middle with car companies and service stations absolving themselves of blame. An owner could face a bill of up to $6000 if it is found in the injectors, fuel pumps, rails and fuel lines need to be replaced.

SsangYong is advising against using bio-diesel, reinforced by a warning sticker placed inside the fuel flap of its diesel-fuelled vehicles.

There have been a number of cases reported in the past year.

Ssangyong Australia managing director Keith Timmins says faulty fuel will not completely void a warranty but he says his company cannot pick-up the bill if some service stations are “selling rubbish.”

“If it's proven with our test of the fuel that it's faulty then whatever repair needs to be done is not warrantable. However, the rest of the vehicle's warranty remains intact."

“There hasn't been a lot of them full stop but there's been enough to worry about and the problem is broader than just ourselves. I know of a $23,000 repair job on a Range Rover because of dirty bio-diesel.”

There are no known hotspots where inferior bio-diesel is sold in Queensland; however some parts of Western Australia have come under the microscope.

Timmins says the problem with bio-diesel and new age diesel engines is amplified by the non-enforcement of standards.

“The standards for bio-diesel in Australia are not really enforced.”

Ssangyong Australia sales and marketing general manager Brad Larkham says dirty bio-diesel is a growing issue.

“It's a growing issue as diesel gets more accepted in the mainstream and no one wins."

“It's a three-way tussle (car maker, fuel provider, owner) over who's going to hurt the least,” Larkham said.

Is it fair that manufacturers and service stations to absolve themselves of liability? Are you a bio-diesel 'home brewer'? Are there manufacturers whose warranties aren't voided by using bio-diesel? Tell us what you think below...