Circle K confirms "bad fuel" sold at seven Southwest Florida locations; drivers facing costly repairs

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — Many Southwest Florida drivers are facing engine failures and repair bills totaling hundreds of dollars after seven Circle K gas stations inadvertently sold contaminated fuel.

The gas station giant confirmed that a third-party supplier provided "bad fuel" to several locations stretching from Bradenton to Punta Gorda and across the Fort Myers area. The company said it suspended sales at the affected sites while it cleaned and replenished storage tanks.

"It’s Not Cheap" 

For local residents like Angel Martinez, the discovery of the contamination came too late. Martinez, who exclusively fuels up at his neighborhood station in Fort Myers on Palm Beach Boulevard, says his car began acting out shortly after his last visit.

"I have to change the spark plugs [and] coils," Martinez said, noting that he is now looking at over $500 in damages. "It’s really frustrating because I have to take like 500 from my savings just to fix my car".

The Mechanics of Contamination 

While Circle K attributes the issue to a supplier, the physical toll on vehicles can be severe. Lou Morales, President of Lou’s Total Car Care and a veteran of the automotive industry for over 50 years, explained that the damage often stems from water separation within the fuel system.

"Water will never burn," Morales said. According to Morales, because water is heavier than gasoline, it sinks to the bottom of the tank and is sucked into the engine first.

The consequences can range from fouled spark plugs to catastrophic engine failure. "If you have sufficient water in your cylinder, you could bend the rod [or] damage a valve," Morales warned.

Impacted Locations 

According to Circle K, the following seven locations were impacted by the fuel quality issue:

• Bradenton: 2925 1st St E
• Fort Myers Beach: 17170 San Carlos Blvd
• Fort Myers: 9951 Orange River Blvd
• Fort Myers: 14362 Palm Beach Blvd
• Fort Myers: 9001 Rolfes Rd
• Lehigh Acres: 1181 Homestead Rd N
• Punta Gorda: 11161 Tamiami Trail

What Consumers Can Do 

The Florida Department of Agriculture told WINK Investigates it is currently investigating the contamination and has dispatched inspectors to the sites.

If you believe your vehicle was damaged by fuel from one of these locations, officials recommend taking the following steps:

1. File a Complaint: Contact the Department of Agriculture at 1-800-HELP-FLA or visit fdacs.gov.
2. Request Testing Reports: Impacted consumers can receive copies of state testing reports to help verify their claims for reimbursement.
3. Contact Circle K Claims: The company has set up a dedicated claims line at 1-855-276-1947 to assist customers with car troubles.

"At the end of the day, that answer depends on who's going to pay for it," Morales said of the situation. "Who's going to pay for the problem?".

Morales said in his experience most companies will do right by the customers if they can prove their damages would likely have been caused by the bad fuel; however, he said he knows all too well the damages that can’t be easily reimbursed.

“Until they figure it our don’t you think it falls on the consumer because they are the ones who are going to be inconvenienced getting to work, taking their children to work, daycare, school, grocery shopping, hospitals, there’s so many things we depend on our cars for,” Morales said.