We recently had an interesting event with a visitor. Driving his new diesel SD Ford truck, from Tulsa to western PA, took 20 hours of driving straight through. Still tired from the trip, he went to our local BP station to refuel. Using the green hande he filled his tank and drove off. Aprox four miles later, the truck started making unusual noises, lost power and finally quit. Calling the Ford assistance number, he told the operator he needed a tow truck to take his Ford to the nearest dealer. After waiting 1 1/2 hours, a gentleman showed up carrying a purse sized start battery, and some basic tools that didn't fill a tote tray. The truck would not restart, and a second call for help was answered that a tow truck would take 3 hours to arrive. We became involved, and then arranged for a local service that effected the 11 mile tow in short order. The next morning it was discovered that all but four gallons of fuel in his tank was 87 octane gasoline. $1200 later that day, his truck was again running properly, apparently suffering no lasting damage. When the owner went to the gas station to complain about the fuel contamination, he again scanned the pumps for clues about what was wrong. The green hose/handle was found affixed to a gas pump and the diesel pump used a black hose. In his previous tired stupor, he didn't notice the significance. Two things he learned. In his state, apparently all the diesel pumps are colour coded. Some other states evidently don't use the same criteria. Expecting Ford Roadside Assistance to help, can be a frustrating and useless experience. Lessons learned: check at least twice to see what pump you are using, and purchase additional roadside insurance for your trips. Be aware that some of the diesel pumps still use the small nozzles, that are the same diameter as the gas nozzels. BTW, the driver is not a diesel novice, and has owned several for many years. |