AAA SAYS CERTAIN ETHANOL FUEL CAN DAMAGE CARS, ASKS EPA TO REMOVE FROM PUMPS

The recently approved use of E15 fuel made from blending gasoline and ethanol could damage vehicles and void warranties says the American Automobile Association (AAA), which is urging the federal government to ban it from the market.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the fuel earlier this summer, but AAA says only five percent of vehicles on the road are approved by the manufacturers to use the special blend they say causes significant problems such as accelerated engine wear and failure, fuel-system damage and false “check engine” warning lights.

The auto club conducted a recent survey it says identifies confusion among consumers as to which vehicles can use the fuel — 95 percent of those surveyed had never heard of E15, which contains 15 percent ethanol.

“It is clear that millions of Americans are unfamiliar with E15, which means there is a strong possibility that many motorists may improperly fill up using this gasoline and damage their vehicle,” said Robert Darbelnet, AAA president. “Bringing E15 to the market without adequate safeguards does not responsibly meet the needs of consumers.”

Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), former chairman of the House Science Committee, said the findings confirm concerns on Capitol Hill that the fuel can damage cars.

Gasoline blended with 10 percent ethanol is readily available at most gas stations nationwide, but E15 is only sold at a few stations in Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.

“Concerns about E15 are not diminishing, they are increasing. That is telling,” Sensenbrenner said. “When an organization like AAA, a nationally trusted source for motorists, calls out the EPA, you would think the administration would listen.”

Several manufactures including BMW, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagon are refusing to cover vehicle warranties for damage caused by E15. More are signaling they will follow suit, including General Motors, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, according to AAA.

The only vehicles currently approved by automakers to use E15 are flex-fuel models manufactured in 2001 and after, including some Porsches, General Motors and Ford. The use of E15 is expressly prohibited in heavy-duty vehicles including boats, motorcycles, power equipment, lawn mowers and off-road vehicles.

“The sale and use of E15 should be suspended until additional gas pump labeling and consumer education efforts are implemented to mitigate problems for motorists and their vehicles,” Darbelnet said. ”Consumers should carefully read pump labels and know their auto manufacturer’s recommendations to help prevent any problems from E15.”

1. Ethanol is not as energy-rich a fuel as gasoline. When you dilute gasoline with ethanol, you get a poorer fuel.
2. Ethanol eventually separates from the gasoline, which causes the engine to fail. I talked to a repairman who works on outboard motors, who estimated that half his repairs are fuel-related, and that ethanol is most often the problem. If the ethanol content is raised to 15%, he thinks that outboard motors will have to go extinct, or run on propane. There were briefly diesel-powered outboard motors: very reliable, although expensive as an initial investment. They were made by the renowned Japanese company Yanmar. They are no longer available, partly because sales were banned in the US at the behest of Al Gore. They are legal in Canada, but no longer available there, and parts have vanished.
3. Ethanol costs more (in fossil fuels) to produce than the gasoline it supposedly saves. It is, simply put, a political swindle engineered by clueless environmentalists in unholy alliance with agricultural interests who should know better.
4. Ethanol uses up our invaluable soils, on which we (and future generations) depend on for food. So much for the cult of sustainability!
5. The bottom line is, if ethanol is so good, why can it not compete in a free market? Ethanol-diluted fuel is sold only because the alternative has been essentially banned. We are at the state where the federal government doesn’t much care if you smoke marijuana, but you cannot use the logical fuel in your automobile.
6. You could evade (I meant to say “avoid”) these regulations if you could get a supply of aviation gasoline, which contains no ethanol. So, one wonders, why have they not diluted aviation gasoline? The simple answer is that it would make the operation of engines for small aircraft unreliable, and shorten times between engine overhauls. I have never myself tried aviation fuel in a gasoline-powered car. Aviation fuel is relatively costly, but has no road tax.
7. Diesel is a good alternative. The latest diesel engines (on cars sold in the USA) are more expensive than gasoline engines, and have a complex additive system which is a costly nuisance. I suggest used diesel cars as a good alternative. When people realize this, good, old diesel cars will be worth restoring and keeping on the road. I myself have a 1996 Volkswagen Passat TDI. It shows signs of its age and is somewhat clunky, but is very reliable. Because it has manual transmission, it is less likely to be stolen (according to statistics). (Apparently many thieves cannot drive stick-shift cars.) It has low insurance costs. It does not need to be inspected, because here in NJ diesels 1996 and older cannot be checked, because the state does not have the proper instrumentation. The downside is that I am frequently pulled over because of the lack of a current inspection sticker. I carry a letter explaining the situation, and this gives me a chance to become acquainted with the friendly, local policemen.
In conclusion, ethanol-dilution of gasoline is a swindle, a scandal, and an outrage. Ethanol is a poor fuel for internal combustion engines. Ethanol is for drinking, or for use as a solvent; not as fuel for cars.

Mandated use of a substance that solves a non-existant problem, and does so in the least efficient and most damaging way possible.

Ethanol does NOT increase gas mileage. It does nothing in that area.
It causes the engine to run hotter than it should.
We pay gas taxes on ethanol added to our fuel, even thought it isn't gas.
The manufacturing of ethanol does more damage to the environment than not using it at all.

Ethanol is nothing but a political give away to the corn lobby ($$$ campaign donations), and it makes the enviroweenies feel better because they think they're screwing big oil.

In the end, once again, they American taxpayer gets burned.

Consumers often do not know which gasoline has been spiked with ethanol. In some states there are clear signs at the pump that this blend contains up to 10% ethanol, but in other states there is no labeling. E-85 (85% ethanol blend) pumps are in my experience clearly marked as fuel for only special flex fuel vehicles. However, in some states like Minnesota where 10% ethanol blends are mandated in all of the state's gasoline I have yet to see any notice except for non ethanol premium pumps that are labeled for use in collector vehicles, boats and snowmobiles. Minnesota has now passed a law that will require ALL of the states gasoline to contain 20% ethanol by 2013. Apparently this mandate still requires EPA approval, but should it be approved auto repair shops in Minnesota will have a huge increase in their business.

I attended a meeting where staunch ethanol advocate Sen. John Thune (R-SD) was put on the spot by one questioner who asked why if farmers are such advocates of corn ethanol fuels are there no farm vehicles like tractors and combines that use E-85? Thune had no answer. If an E-85 mandate were imposed on farm vehicles I bet there would be howls from farmers about the problems it would cause in their vehicles.

There are some exceptions to the ethanol mandate for small refiners.

I do not believe that is true anymore. It does not effect the refining process, it is blended after the refining is completed.

A producer of gasoline is required to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program. That does not mean every gallon they produce must contain ethanol. But the total average over the year must contain the minimum ratio. They can offset some production of pure gasoline with sufficient production with ethanol. Producing some E85 gives more room for pure gasoline.

http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/390

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