Petrol and diesel price hikes have always been a concern for most vehicle owners. However, the more significant concern is to save yourself from getting conned at petrol pumps. Here we have listed five ways petrol pumps can cheat you and how a little awareness can help you save money.
1) Short fueling
Short fueling is a common fraudulent practice that can be easily done if customers are not alert. This happens when the customer wishes to refuel their vehicle for a certain amount but the attendant at the fuel station does not reset the meter so you end up paying the full amount but getting less fuel. For example – you have asked for petrol worth Rs 1,000, but the attendant has not reset the meter to zero and it was already at 200.
In this case, when the reading shows 1000, you have actually just been given fuel worth Rs 800 but paid the full amount. So, make sure to keep an eye on the reading meter while your vehicle is getting fueled.
2) Electronic chips in fuel dispensing machines
Sometimes, an electronic chip is installed in fuel dispensing machines to ensure that less oil is filled but the meter will show the full amount. Such an incident was reported in Telangana in 2020 where petrol pumps were installed with chips and they were dispensing 970 ml of fuel for every 1,000 ml of petrol/diesel.
In case you feel suspicious about the quantity of petrol, you can ask for a five-litre quantity test. Petrol pumps have a 5-litre measure that is certified by the Weights and Measures Department. If five-litre petrol delivered by fuel dispensing machine is filling up the measure completely, then you can be assured that the petrol station is not short-fueling your vehicle. This check can be implemented at all fuel machines.
3) Filling synthetic oil without permission
Nowadays, some petrol pumps have started employing a new trick where they fill your vehicle with synthetic oil instead of regular fuel. They often do this without the permission of the customer or even telling them. Since synthetic oil is around 5 to 10 per cent costlier compared to the usual price, you might end up paying more than what you would want. Hence, it is better to specifically tell the petrol pump attendants to not fill the high-performance fuel.
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4) Bad quality of petrol
In case you doubt the quality of the petrol, which is being filled in your vehicle you can ask for an engine filter paper test. According to the Consumer Protection Act 1986, every petrol pump should have filter papers and provide them to consumers when needed. To know whether the petrol is adultered or not, put some drops of petrol on filter paper, if it leaves stains then the petrol is adultered and if not then the petrol is pure.
Bad-quality fuel could damage your vehicle in a number of ways. It could reduce the vehicle’s efficiency and even shorten the lifespan of the engine and its components.
5) Check petrol price
Make sure to check the petrol price when you walk into a fuel station. The petrol pump dealer is not allowed to overcharge for the fuel. So, it is better to tally the actual price with the displayed price on the fuel dispensing machine.
Also, ask for a cash memo for your petrol purchase.
