Company Attempted to Charge Renters a False $7K Bill for Gas-Diesel Mixup, Ultimately Had to Retreat

      Paper receipts may seem outdated in today's digital world; indeed, even wallets are now largely virtual. However, as one Canadian couple discovered, a receipt can hold significant value beyond the paper it’s printed on. They received a bill from Enterprise for nearly $10,000 CAD after returning their rental car.

      The accusation was that they had mistakenly filled their rental car with diesel instead of gasoline.

      The British Columbia couple had rented a Dodge Durango from National (an Enterprise brand) last April. Prior to returning it to Edmonton International Airport, they refueled it, adding 48 liters of gasoline (over 12 gallons—approximately half a tank for a V6 Durango) and dropped it off without any issues.

      A week later, Enterprise contacted them to report that their rental car had been filled with diesel, and since they were responsible for the vehicle when this supposedly occurred, they owed $9,500 CAD for repairs.

      Filling a gasoline vehicle with diesel typically doesn’t cause severe damage. If the mistake is caught early, it often just requires draining the fuel tank and possibly replacing the fuel filter and pump. However, if the diesel contaminates other parts of the fuel system or engine, a complete purge may be necessary, leading to high costs, which Enterprise sought to pass on to the couple.

      Fortunately, they had their receipt—actually multiple receipts. The fuel pump had shut off prematurely the first time, prompting them to fill it up again, and the detailed receipt indicated the time, date, and confirmation that they had selected gasoline.

      Additionally, after hearing from Enterprise, the couple reached out to the gas station to verify the possibility of a mix-up. They received a photo that clearly showed the pump they used (also noted on the receipt) did not have a diesel dispenser.

      While this doesn’t fully eliminate the chance that diesel was mistakenly pumped, it strongly indicated that the couple hadn't acted negligently. Moreover, the fact that they made it to the airport—nearly 25 miles away—raises further doubts about Enterprise’s claim; there would likely have been indications of diesel in the tank if they had actually filled it with that fuel.

      Furthermore, the Durango is designed with a fuel filler that prevents diesel nozzles from fitting. Collectively, this evidence should have prompted Enterprise to drop the claim. Instead, the couple resorted to contacting the media to pressure the rental company. When asked to comment, Enterprise ultimately abandoned the claim.

      The takeaway from this situation? Always keep your receipts, or at least photograph them. That small piece of paper that might end up in the trash could be more valuable than you think.

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