IBDaily. Adding Ethanol To Our Fuel Will Cause Cars To Break Down

Ethanol: Laws, regulations and public policies always have unintended consequences. Sometimes they create shortages, even of food. Other times they bring on housing bubbles. And then, on occasion, they wreck our cars.

Such is the case of E15 — an automobile fuel blend of 85% gasoline, 15% ethanol.

E15 has not been mandated for use by the federal government. But it has been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for cars made after 2000, which implies that Washington strongly suggests motorists switch to the blend and hints that a mandate could one day follow.

It would be consistent with Washington's obsession with going green and its coercive actions sold as essential environmental policies.

E10, a blend of 90% gasoline, 10% ethanol — again, touted as an environmentally friendly alternative that helps the U.S. cut its dependence on foreign oil — is already in wide use across the U.S., and the world.

But that's not enough for the eco-zealots in Washington. They want American drivers to burn more corn and less oil.

But cars aren't built for E15.

The facts show that only 5% — 12 million out of 240 million — of passenger cars and light trucks in the U.S. have been approved for E15 use by their manufacturers, according to the American Automobile Association.

Usage in unapproved engines will not only void warranties, a research group says it will also damage cars.

"Additional E15 testing, completed this month, has identified an elevated incidence of fuel pump failures, fuel system component swelling, and impairment of fuel measurement systems in some of the vehicles tested," says the Coordinating Research Council.

"E15 could cause erratic and misleading fuel gauge readings or cause faulty check engine light illuminations. It also could cause critical components to break and stop fuel flow to the engine."

The CRC is, by it's own admission, a group created by the oil and auto industries. But that doesn't mean its findings should be dismissed. They are, in fact, consistent with independent sources.

"Research to date raises serious concerns that E15," American Automobile Association president and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet wrote in The Hill in December, "could cause accelerated engine wear and failure, fuel system damage and other problems such as false 'check engine' lights."

Meanwhile, Popular Mechanics says that introduction of E10 into America's fuel supply has caused "gummed-up fuel systems" and "damaged tanks."

The magazine believes that "the problems will only get worse if government policy to increase the proportion of ethanol to gasoline is implemented."