Claim: The use of E15 gasoline can damage engines and/or void warranties of car models older than 2012.
Example:[Collected via e-mail, December 2012]
Pass this on to ALL your friends. This E15 will seriously damage your
engine, Even if you pump other grades of gas from a single hose pump that
dispenses it because there is always some left in the hose.
If the customer before you pumped E15 you WLL get some in your tank.
If the customer before you pumped E15 you WLL get some in your tank.
Please boycott gas stations selling this lethal mixture and tell your
friends!
If the customer before you pumped E15 you WLL get some in your tank. If your CAR IS OLDER THAN 2012 you need to AVOID THE NEW E15 GAS that is just starting to show up at gas stations. Most car companies will not honor the warranty on your car if you use this new gas.
Origins: In June 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the sale of E15 gasoline, a mixture of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gas. (A lower ethanol mixture containing 10 percent ethanol, E10, is already widely sold in the U.S. The E15 fuel blend has been touted as a method of reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and the United States' dependence on foreign oil, and the EPA says that vehicles built in 2001 or later can run on E15.
However, several automakers and the American Automobile Association (AAA) have disputed the EPA's claims, maintaining that E15 could damage fuel lines and void vehicle owners' warranties:
Only 12 million of the more than 240 million light-duty vehicles in the United States are approved by manufacturers to use the gasoline, according to AAA. Automotive engineering experts believe that sustained use of the gas, both in newer and older vehicles, could cause accelerated engine wear and failure, fuel-system damage and false "check engine" lights for vehicles not approved by manufacturers to use E15, according to AAA.
The EPA recommends the use of E15 only in flexible-fuel vehicles and those built in 2001 or later, but critics maintain that even if E15 is safe for most or all cars in that class, many vehicles still on the road (up to 45% in some areas) do not fall within that class, and the newness of E15 means that many drivers could end up filling their tanks with the gasoline, not knowing it's not approved for all vehicles:
"It is clear that millions of Americans are unfamiliar with E15, which means there is a strong possibility that many may improperly fill up
using this gasoline and damage their vehicle," AAA President and CEO Robert Darbelnet said. "Bringing E15 to the market without adequate
safeguards does not responsibly meet the needs of consumers."
BMW, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota and VW have said their warranties will not cover fuel-related claims caused by E15. Ford, Honda, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo have said E15 use will void warranties, says Darbelnet, citing potential corrosive damage to fuel lines, gaskets and other engine components.
The AAA says the sale and use of E15 should be stopped until there is more extensive testing, better pump labels to safeguard consumers and more consumer education about potential hazards.
Proponents of E15 say that the potential danger to fuel lines is overstated and that there's plenty of time to educate drivers about E15 since only a small number of gas stations nationwide are currently selling the blend.
Bob Dinneen, CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, says E15 is safe for virtually all post-2001 vehicles, based on extensive government-sponsored testing. "We think the (EPA) warning label should be sufficient to notify consumers," Dinneen said. "There are no corrosive issues with E15. If there's an issue with E15 (damaging vehicles) we're going to know about it, and the EPA is going to know about it."
