HAMMOND | Up to nine complaints about the Gas Mart on Calumet Avenue and 173rd Street have been filed with the Indiana Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
The station came under scrutiny in early April when several customers reported their cars were damaged by what they believed to be contaminated gas.
Of the nine complaints, one has been settled and the rest are pending, said Staci Schneider, spokeswoman for Attorney General Steve Carter.
"All the cases get a review by a staff attorney and an analyst," Schneider said.
The consumer can opt into the mediation program offered by the state or go it alone through a private attorney or small claims court, but not both.
Initially, the Indiana Division of Weights and Measures responded to the complaints and immediately barred the station from selling high-octane gasoline after finding the pumps labeled 93 octane contained fuel that tested at only 90 octane.
More than six weeks later, the six affected pumps remain red tagged by the state and are checked weekly by Lake County's Department of Weights and Measures.
Christine Clay, director of the county office, said the pumps will be monitored until the county receives official notification from the state that service has been resumed.
The monitoring could continue indefinitely, said Gas Mart co-owner Hani Muthanna.
"The main thing is regular, but it could change at any time," he said, citing little interest among customers in high-grade premium gas.
It continues to be unclear what caused the thousands of dollars worth of damage to the cars involved.
Gas Mart owners blame California-based Logan Oil Co., which sells gas that has been retrieved from cars totalled by insurance companies. The gas is filtered and treated and sold to independent gas stations and distributors nationwide, according to the company's owners.
But Logan's owners have said a number of factors could be at play, including inadequate gaskets on the station's tanks. In addition, Logan sells only regular gas, and at least one car owner who contacted The Times says he purchased the station's mid-grade gas.
Muthanna said Gas Mart has covered the damages reported by six or seven customers. He hopes to recover his costs from Logan, he said.
But several customers said getting their money back has been a struggle.
Frank Kush's expenses ran as high as $2,400. Kush, of Chicago Heights, is a Hammond business owner.
He's expected in small claims court Monday after failing to settle with Gas Mart, he said.
"In a gallon jug, I have eight inches of water with an inch or two of gasoline on top," he said, adding he's swearing off on offbrand gas stations.
"It doesn't pay," he said.
