A fill-up at a Slidell gas station turned into an expensive ordeal for several drivers this week, with some describing stalled engines, overnight hotel stays and hundreds of dollars in towing and diagnostic bills after pumping gas at the Circle K on Voters Road. Michael Smith, a student at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, said he paid $20 in cash for gas around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, only to watch the trouble unfold around him before it became his own problem too.
Smith said the driver next to him complained that his car would not start right after fueling up, and that only two pumps were operating at the time, according to FOX 8 Local First. Moments later, Smith experienced the same car trouble himself. He said he and about four other drivers were left with stalled cars at the station that afternoon and had to call for tow trucks to reach a nearby mechanic shop.
Stranded Overnight, Then Hit With Bills
With his car down, Smith ended up stuck overnight at a hotel off Interstate 10 while he waited to hear what was wrong with his vehicle. By the time mechanics finished their work, he said the towing service and diagnostic check came out to $339. Mechanics reportedly flushed his car's fuel system and shared video showing a clear liquid coming out of it.
Smith started a GoFundMe to help cover his repair costs and said he is worried the ordeal could cost him his job if he cannot get back on the road soon. He said he is hoping Circle K will reimburse what he has spent so far.
Another Driver, Same Station, Same Trouble
Crystal Lafaver and her husband were traveling to their Biloxi hotel when they stopped at the same Circle K on Monday afternoon. She said their SUV stalled out on the road heading toward the interstate just after they filled up with gas. Lafaver had the vehicle towed to a nearby mechanic and then paid $80 for a rideshare to reach her hotel on the Mississippi coast.
“I have to get back to work. I need my vehicle,” Lafaver said. The couple had planned to head home Wednesday, but with their car still in the shop, she said they were not sure they would be able to leave as scheduled.
Circle K Response and Inspection
Circle K said it is aware of multiple fuel complaints out of Slidell and is investigating all of the reported claims, per the station's statement to the outlet. The company said its team can review individual claims and work to assist affected customers, and it provided a claims department phone number, 1-855-276-1947, for drivers to report post-fueling vehicle problems.
Fox 8 crews on the scene Monday saw a private contractor inspecting the station's gas tanks, though the Circle K manager on duty would not comment on what that work involved. Affected drivers said they want a full investigation into the station's fuel along with some form of relief for what they have already spent.
How Circle K Has Handled Similar Cases
Slidell is not the first place where Circle K customers have reported vehicle trouble tied to the chain's fuel. In June, roughly ten customers in Houston's Spring Branch area said their vehicles were damaged after fueling up at a local Circle K, according to Click2Houston. One Bellaire driver told the station that mechanics found water in her fuel tank after her car began sputtering, and said her $2,500 repair bill was expected to be covered by insurance. Circle K told the outlet it would reimburse customers for repairs or associated costs attributable to its fuel.
In Southwest Florida, Circle K confirmed that a third-party supplier had provided what the company called bad fuel to seven locations stretching from Bradenton to Punta Gorda and across the Fort Myers area, as reported by WINK News. The company said it suspended sales at the affected sites while it cleaned and replenished the storage tanks.
Louisiana has seen this kind of problem before. A Circle K in Port Allen closed its gasoline pumps in July 2023 after what the fuel industry calls a “cross drop” — diesel placed into underground tanks meant for unleaded fuel, and unleaded placed into the diesel tanks, WAFB reported at the time. A representative from University Car Care Center told the station that repairs for vehicles that get the wrong fuel can start around $500 to $800 and easily reach thousands of dollars.
Where Drivers Can Turn
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry lists motor fuel among the consumer concerns it accepts complaints about, and the agency's Weights and Measures division says it receives an average of more than 500 consumer complaints about retail motor fuels and devices each year, investigating every one. Drivers who believe their vehicle was damaged by fuel from the Slidell station can also report the issue directly to Circle K, which says it will review claims and reserves the right to reject those not backed by appropriate documentation.
