BAYTOWN, Texas – Reports of contaminated fuel damaging vehicles at Circle K gas stations in the Greater Houston area have now reached Baytown, while some affected customers are beginning to see reimbursements.
KPRC 2 News reporter Corley Peel has been following the story for the past week after first reporting on customers in Spring Branch and Bellaire who had their vehicles damaged by water-contaminated gas. A young mother in Baytown is the latest to come forward.
Danora Miranda says she stopped at the Circle K off Baker Road in Baytown on May 30 to fill up her tank. The next morning, her car would not start.
“I don’t know what happened, what’s wrong,” Miranda said.
A mechanic quickly identified the problem.
“The mechanic drained the car and told me the gas is bad, it’s contaminated,” Miranda said.
The water contaminated fuel repairs are adding up fast for Miranda, who is a mother with a baby at home and has been without a car for nearly two weeks.
“I’m paying like $831 just for the part. And I need to pay, I think, $500 something just for labor,” she said.
“I have a baby and so it’s too much more difficult,” Miranda added. “I just want to fix my car.”
Miranda’s experience mirrors those of drivers at Circle K locations in Spring Branch and Bellaire who reported water-contaminated fuel last month. Circle K encouraged all affected customers to call its customer care line, saying the company will reimburse for repairs tied to the bad gas.
One question many customers asked: how long will reimbursements take?
Circle K told KPRC 2 News there is no set timeframe. The company says claims are reviewed by a third-party administrator and the timeline can vary from case to case.
Some customers are starting to see results. Donna Platt, who spoke with Corley last week after her car broke down from bad gas in Bellaire, filed a claim last Thursday. As of this week, Platt says the third-party insurer reimbursed her for her gas and Uber rides. She chose to use her personal car insurance to cover the vehicle repairs themselves.
Miranda says she received an email with an assigned claim adjuster the day after contacting Circle K customer care, and is hopeful reimbursement is on the way.
Circle K says it is looking into the Baytown claims and that the cause of the bad gas at all locations remains under investigation. The company says it takes these matters seriously and is encouraging anyone who experienced vehicle damage from contaminated Circle K fuel to contact its customer care number at 1-855-276-1947.