Caltex is asking motorists to contact them if they filled up at their Milton station earlier this month when two fuels were mistakenly swapped.
Fuel pump. Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
A mix-up at the Caltex petrol station meant diesel was pumped into the 91 octane petrol tank, and petrol into the diesel tank, at the station in Otago on Friday, 14 December.
Staff at the station were not made aware of the issue until the following Monday.
Nearby resident Dan Love said he was worried his Triumph motorbike could have sustained catastrophic engine damage.
He stopped in at the station and filled it up about 20km from home.
He said he noticed after 10 minutes that it was not running quite right, but made it home. In the morning, he said it would not start at all.
"It wasn't until coincidentally I called in at another petrol station in Milton with my car and they told me that Caltex had run out of fuel. And that's when I put two and two together, really," he said.
He is waiting for a mechanic to look at his motorbike in the New Year and assess the full extent of the damage.
Mr Love said he would not know the extent of the damage until he could see a mechanic in 10 days' time.
He has been in contact with the petrol station and said they have apologised.
Caltex is asking motorists to contact them if they fuelled up from the station on that weekend, and are noticing any performance impacts with their vehicle.
Caltex spokesperson Jeremy Clarke said the service station would provide details on the claim process and how they could assist them with seeking checks and any potential repairs.
He did not know how many vehicles filled up with the wrong fuel but said the cause of the mix-up was being investigated.
