Toyota Debunks E20 Fuel Claims, Says Contaminated Petrol Led to Hycross Breakdown

A Bihar man's footage of his Toyota Innova Hycross grew popular online, prompting Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) to release a formal statement. It was determined by the company that the stated issue was due to tainted fuel, not E20 petrol. A guy claimed in two videos that using E20 petrol caused problems with his Innova Hycross, sparking the uproar.

According to the man in the videos, his hybrid MPV began acting up after covering about 12,000 kilometres, showing signs like engine vibration, knocking, and conduct similar to a breakdown. Additional evidence of his claims was the presence of contamination and an unusually high ethanol concentration in gasoline samples taken from the car.

Toyota’s Customer Strongly Argued Against Company’s Claim

In another video shot at a Toyota service centre, the fuel tank of the vehicle is seen being removed in order to examine it. The man demonstrated the gasoline pump and filter assembly and explained how the fuel is filtered numerous times before it reaches the engine. Further evidence of his claim is the presentation of multiple fuel samples purportedly taken from various parts of the fuel system and tank.

Therefore, asserting that they were visually distinct from one another and that some of them had noticeable dirt or pollutants. He wanted to know who was at fault—the petrol station, the refinery, the car company, or the government—and how the contamination got into the system. He went on to say that the Innova Hycross's gasoline cap reads "Up to E20 Petrol" in no uncertain terms.

It is further argued that such concerns should not be experienced by an E20-compatible car. Also included in the tapes were his criticisms of the government's ethanol-blending scheme, his concerns about the availability of ordinary petrol, and his threat to pursue legal action.

Toyota’s Response to the Claims

In response to the claims, Toyota stated that the Innova Hycross in question has been thoroughly engineered, evaluated, and authorised for use with E20 petrol. A customer's video purportedly showing him having problems with his Toyota Hycross because of using ethanol-blended (E20) fuel has gone viral on social media, prompting the firm to take notice. The company is keen to stress that the Hycross in issue is an E20-compatible car, meaning it has been specifically engineered, tested, and approved to run on E20 fuel.

Rather than the ethanol blend, a thorough technical evaluation indicated that fuel contamination was the source of the problem, according to Toyota. The car, its fuel system, and any associated components were found to be in good condition, according to the company's inspection. Before replacing the tank with regular E20 fuel, the mechanics performed a full drain and cleaning of the fuel lines and tank as part of the routine maintenance operation. The customer got their car back after it was determined to be in good working order during the examination. Toyota insisted that the event was caused by non-standard and polluted fuel and had nothing to do with E20 fuel.

In order to reduce the possibility of fuel contamination or adulteration, the carmaker further recommended that consumers only fill up at licensed and well-known petrol stations. Please be advised that using low-quality fuel can have a negative impact on the performance of your vehicle. In addition, it stressed the need for customers to contact authorised Toyota dealerships or customer service with any questions or concerns, as well as rely on official, science-based information about E20 compatibility.