The gasoline came from both 76 and independent gas stations all over Western Washington.

Margi Hebbeln takes care of her car, and she expects it to take care of her. But last week, it let her down.

"My car started sputtering as I came to a stop," she said.

She'd filled up recently at a 76 gas station in Buckley and then drove to work in Auburn. "It was chugging like it was going to die."

Hebbeln didn't know what the problem was but took the car to her dealership. They did a complete diagnostic, including cleaning the fuel injectors. The price tag? "Just pennies shy of $450."

Now Hebbeln figures it was the gas.

"Problems like this are just aggravating," she said.

Hebbeln and potentially thousands of other 76 customers across Western Washington may be the victims of a batch of bad gasoline.

ConocoPhillips confirms its Ferndale refinery shipped gas accidentally tainted with a heavy polymer. The gasoline was distributed to 76 stations and some independent stations.

Originally ConocoPhillips thought the problem was confined to just Whatcom and Skagit Counties, but now drivers are reporting problems much further south. In fact, ConocoPhillips is working with dealers in almost every Western Washington County because of reported problems.

AAA's Automotive Manager, Andy Pomeroy, says the polymer in the gasoline is gumming up cars' fuel injectors.

"You'll hear the hesitation, that's gonna be the big thing," says Pomeroy. "Freeway speeds is where you'll really notice lack of power."

Pomeroy says you might also notice backfiring, difficulty starting your engine, and perhaps even a check engine light may come on. He warns not to ignore the problem because, even though it would be hard to measure, he says it could affect the long-term life of the engine.

Originally, ConocoPhillips wanted drivers to prove they bought tainted gasoline. But over the weekend the company was swamped with complaints. So it's not requiring any proof of purchase, they tell KOMO 4 News they just want to get the problem fixed.

If you think your vehicle is affected, ConocoPhillips wants you to contact a dealer on their approved list. Click Here to see the list. You can also call their toll free customer service line at 800-527-5476. They are manning those lines until at least 8 p.m. Pacific time to deal with the high number of calls.

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