Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has issued an official statement after videos of a Toyota Innova Hycross owner from Bihar went viral on social media, clarifying that the issue was caused by contaminated fuel and not the use of E20 fuel.The controversy started after Bihar-based YouTuber Manish Kashyap shared two videos claiming that his Toyota Innova Hycross developed engine-related problems after being topped up with E20 fuel. In the videos, Mr. Kashyap said that the hybrid MPV, which had about 12,000 kilometers, started showing symptoms like engine vibration, knocking and bad behavior. Responding to the allegations, Toyota said that the Innova Hycross is fully compatible with E20 petrol and has been designed, tested and certified as a fuel blend with ethanol.In its official statement, the company said, “We have seen a video of a customer circulating on social media where he claims to have experienced problems with his Toyota Hycross vehicle due to the use of ethanol-blended fuel (E20).Toyota added that a detailed technical inspection confirmed that the issue was caused by fuel contamination rather than ethanol alone. According to the company, no damage was found to the vehicle’s fuel or any of its components.The automaker said that, as part of its operating procedures, the fuel tank and fuel lines were drained and thoroughly flushed before the vehicle was refilled with regular E20 gasoline. After this procedure, the Innova Hycross was inspected, found to be in good working order and returned to the owner.“Therefore, it is clear that this has nothing to do with the use of E20 fuel and was only caused by unstable and contaminated fuel,” the company said.Toyota also advised customers to refuel at authorized and well-known service stations to reduce the risk of fuel contamination or adulteration. It also urged customers to rely on official, scientific information and to contact an authorized Toyota dealer or customer care for any problems related to their vehicles.In his videos, Kashyap documented his visit to a Toyota workshop, where the fuel tank was removed from the car. He showed many oil samples collected from different oil fields, showing the visible differences in their color and texture while asking how the contamination got into the tank.Kashyap also said he opted for the hybrid version of the Innova Hycross by paying around Rs 5 lakh more than the regular version as an environment-friendly choice. However, he said that if an E20 compatible car produces such products despite using essential oils, the owner should not have any consequences.He said the service center representative indicated that warranty coverage could be difficult if the problem is related to contaminated fuel. Kashyap questioned this, saying that the fuel cover of the Innova Hycross clearly states “Up to E20 Petrol” and said that customers should not face additional costs in the event that they use fuel within the manufacturer’s proper policy.
