Fuel Furor

As this story was going to press, Mercedes-Benz Egypt was not at liberty to comment on the breaking controversy over complaints about engine breakdown, amid reports of adulterated petrol. While the Ministry of Petroleum says there is nothing wrong with its gas, Mercedes says it has sent back samples of cars that have been brought to their service stations only to find that they contain lower octane levels than announced. After the November 2014 issue of Egypt Today hit newsstands, Mercedes-Benz released the following statemen,t in Arabic, on its official facebook page. We bring you the translation.

  To Mercedes' reputable customers We've noted the increased media and social media coverage of the petrol quality and its impact on car engines. There have also been a number of complaints from clients regarding the breakdown of Mercedes engines in the 2013-2014 models at a rate of not more than 1% of total sold cars for the same period. After assessing the cases that have been reported to our authorized service centers, and after analyzing the petrol used at the company's Cairo labs for petrol refinement, it has been proven that there is a drop in amount of octane content in petrol, which in some cases has reached less than 85 octane, whereas the octane level specified by the producing company has been no less than 92-95 depending on the model. Mercedes-Benz products and engines are considered the most advanced in the world, crafted using cutting-edge technology, as indicated by the increasing demand for the company's products all over the world at a rate unsurpassed compared to competitors. Before assembling and importing these vehicles and engines into the Egyptian market, the company confirmed the existence of high-quality petrol in Egypt (92 and 95 octane) and has previously proved its sincerity by refusing to sell vehicles with diesel engines in the Egyptian market for lack of diesel of a quality to suit these engines. The company has coordinated with its partners in communicating with the responsible authorities, particularly the Ministry of Petroleum‫ ,Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, the General Directorate of Supply and Internal Trade Police and the Consumer Protection Agency The Ministry of Petroleum and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation confirm the quality and conformity of the high-quality fuel 92 and 95 octane, distributed to petrol stations across the country, and that it contains the amount of octane declared. The General Directorate of Supply and the Internal Trade Police, under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior, confirm they will continue to take immediate decisive legal action against petrol stations found to be mixing different types of fuel to take advantage of price differences. The Consumer Protection Agency confirms that customers must adhere to the operating instructions in the car's user manual so as to compel dealers and distributors to take responsibility when there is a defect in the purchased car. Mercedes-Benz stresses that its priority is customer satisfaction and continuing to top the high-quality auto market in Egypt A plan has been coordinated with the network of authorized distributors which is being implemented, to check cars that have been affected by the use of fuel not matching that recommended by the manufacturer and dealing with complaints swiftly to ensure customer satisfaction. The company and its distributors stress that they take pride in their customers' confidence and continuing to  provide the best after-sales service for cars that the Egyptian market has known to lead in meeting the needs and expectation of our esteemed customers. Many of you have been concerned with the recently reported octane cases. We Mercedes-Benz Egypt assure you that we have been working closely with all the entities involved to find adequate solutions for you. The following document explains the exact measures we have been taking to ensure your utmost satisfaction. We very much look forward to solving all your cases. Thank you for your patience and support.