How does Contamination in Fuel Occur?
This article contains the content of water or contaminants in the fuel and including damage to the fuel system and its repair.
Fuel contamination and water in fuel will degrade the quality of the fuel used by your vehicle, and can result in serious vehicle driveability concerns or even engine and fuel system failure. Repairs required because of fuel contamination are not covered by your Ford New Vehicle Warranty, but may be covered by your Motor Vehicle Insurance policy. Regular vehicle use, proper fuel storage when in remote locations and regular servicing at a Ford Dealership is often sufficient to prevent most fuel contamination concerns .
Fuel contamination can occur as the result of vandalism or by accident, but fuel contamination also occurs naturally depending on environmental factors. Accidental contamination in fuel could occur from water entering a fuel station's underground tanks following a flood or poor quality fuel being delivered to the gas station. Fuel quality deteriorates naturally as part of the aging process as fuel additives evaporate and chemicals change properties.
Diesel fuel may also grow bacteria and algae if the vehicle is not driven for long periods. Modern diesels have much higher power and torque outputs, lower fuel consumption and cleaner emissions, but these improvements have required significant changes to the fuel injection and combustion systems of the vehicles requiring high quality diesel fuel with good lubricity. Where contamination has occurred, dust, bacterial debris and other particles can slip past the fuel filters in the system and cause the injectors to stick open flooding the engine with fuel and possibly resulting in complete engine failure. Fuel filtration is a balance between ensuring sufficient fuel at the right pressure is delivered to the injectors to create combustion, but the particles of debris in contaminated fuel can be far smaller than the best filters can block, but large enough (at 1 micron) to cause the injector to stick open.
Fuel quality in both petrol/gasoline and diesel fuel is imperative to long engine life and reliable performance.
Fuel system damage and repair
Your dealership has technical resources available to diagnose fuel system concerns, determine warranty coverage and make necessary repairs. Careful consideration is taken to confirm the source of fuel system or engine damage. If it is determined that fuel contamination or water in the fuel are the cause of damage, the repair costs will not be covered under warranty.