New Ethanol Blend Puts Engine Warranties at Risk
The Environmental Protection Agency’s decision last week to pave the way for the sale of gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol is likely to prove a nightmare for car owners who improperly fuel their gas tanks, the Environmental Working Group warns.
The EPA took its action even though every major automaker has warned that millions of vehicle warranties will be voided if drivers fill up with E15.
If the EPA proceeds, it means consumers will pull into gas stations that could have as many as four pumps with different kinds of fuel:
one for E10 (up to 10 percent ethanol);
one for E15;
possibly one for E85 (between 70 and 85 percent ethanol); and
maybe one for old-fashioned gasoline.
Some stations will also have diesel and natural gas, although they use different-sized nozzles to help eliminate fueling errors.
The EPA intends to approve E15 only for vehicles manufactured after 2000. But some gas station pumps may not even have labels specifying which ethanol blend is which, because not every state requires them.