Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Saturday said that a viral social media video claiming that a Toyota Hycross developed problems due to the use of E20 ethanol-blended fuel was incorrect, adding that its technical assessment found the issue was caused by contaminated fuel and not E20 fuel.
In an official statement, the company said, “We have noted a customer video currently circulating on social media wherein it is claimed that he experienced issues with his Toyota Hycross vehicle due to the use of ethanol-blended (E20) fuel.” It added that “the Toyota Hycross in question is E20-compatible vehicle that is designed, tested and certified for the use of E20 fuel.”
TKM said its detailed inspection found that the vehicle had suffered from fuel contamination rather than any problem linked to ethanol-blended fuel.
“Based on our detailed technical assessment of the vehicle, the issue was due to fuel contamination. Our inspection confirmed that there was no damage to any vehicle component or its fuel system,” the company said.
According to TKM, the vehicle was repaired by following standard service procedures.
“As per our service protocol, the fuel tank and fuel lines were drained, thoroughly cleaned and the vehicle was refilled with Standard E20 fuel. The vehicle was inspected and found normal, then it was delivered to the customer,” the statement said.
The company said the findings clearly ruled out E20 fuel as the cause of the incident.
“Therefore, it is clearly apparent that this incident is not related to E20 fuel usage and was solely caused by non-standard and contaminated fuel,” TKM said.
The automaker also advised customers to buy fuel only from trusted outlets to reduce the risk of contamination or adulteration.
“We continue to advise our customers to always refuel at authorised and reputed fuel stations to minimise the risk of fuel contamination or adulteration, which can adversely affect vehicle performance,” the company said.
“We also encourage customers to rely on credible, science-based information from official sources and to contact their nearest Toyota authorised dealership or the Toyota customer care team for any questions or concerns. We remain committed to delivering a safe, reliable and seamless ownership experience for all our customers,” the company added.