Toyota says viral Innova Hycross issue was caused by fuel contamination, not E20 petrol

Toyota Kirloskar Motor said a viral video alleging an Innova Hycross malfunction due to E20 fuel was misleading, attributing the issue to fuel contamination. The company and the Petroleum Ministry reiterated that certified E20-compatible vehicles are designed to safely use ethanol-blended petrol.

New Delhi: Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Saturday clarified that a viral social media video claiming a Toyota Innova Hycross developed issues due to use of E20 fuel was not related to the ethanol-blended fuel, saying its technical assessment found the problem was caused by fuel contamination.

In a statement, the company said the Toyota Innova Hycross involved in the incident is an E20-compatible vehicle that has been designed, tested and certified for the use of 20 per cent ethanol-blended fuel.

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“Based on our detailed technical assessment of the vehicle, the issue was due to fuel contamination. Our inspection confirmed that there was no damage to any vehicle component or its fuel system,” TKM said.

The company said its service team drained and cleaned the fuel tank and fuel lines before refilling the vehicle with standard E20 fuel. Following inspection, the vehicle was found to be functioning normally and was returned to the customer.

“It is clearly apparent that this incident is not related to E20 fuel usage and was solely caused by non-standard and contaminated fuel,” the company said.

TKM advised customers to refuel only at authorised and reputed fuel stations to minimise the risk of fuel contamination or adulteration, which could adversely affect vehicle performance.

The company also urged customers to rely on credible, science-based information from official sources and contact authorised Toyota dealerships or its customer care team for any queries related to vehicle performance or fuel compatibility.

Additionally, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) on Friday dismissed as false and misleading information being spread on social media platforms that ethanol-blended petrol (E20) is harmful for vehicles, causes higher pollution, and leads to water wastage in the production of crops for ethanol.