Court Orders Gas Station Operator to Pay 26,000 Shekels for Damaging New Car with Faulty Fuel

In a ruling by the Netanya Magistrate's Court, a gas station operator was ordered to compensate a car owner and his insurer approximately 26,000 shekels after faulty fuel caused damage to a nearly new Toyota hybrid. On December 10, 2020, the owner's wife refueled their vehicle at a Paz-branded station in Bat Yam, managed by Ramatop. Two days later, the car broke down and was towed to a garage where damage linked to substandard fuel was discovered.

The plaintiffs, represented by attorney Uri Bechar, argued the car was functioning properly before refueling and could typically travel 500 to 700 kilometers on a full tank. However, after refueling at the station, the vehicle only managed 3 to 60 kilometers before stalling. The gas station operator denied the claims, disputing the fuel quality and criticizing the sampling process as unauthorized and flawed. They also noted that many other vehicles refueled at the same time without issues and accused the plaintiffs of failing to provide vehicle diagnostic codes that might indicate manufacturing defects.

The court rejected the operator's defenses, highlighting their failure to promptly inspect the vehicle or test the fuel after being notified three days post-refueling. Judge Merav Daniel Bonen found that the plaintiffs had no incentive to falsely blame the station, especially since the car was still under manufacturer warranty. The operator's refusal to produce customer complaint logs or automated system records indicating water contamination further undermined their case.

Ultimately, the court concluded the fuel did not meet regulatory standards and was the cause of the damage. The operator was held liable for the damages, while Paz, which does not own or operate the station, was not implicated. The ruling ends a six-year legal dispute, though the operator may still appeal.