Drivers from Europe end up in local repair shops due to poor fuel quality

ERBIL, August 9 — With the summer holiday in full swing, many families driving from Europe to the Kurdistan region find themselves at local mechanic shops due to breakdowns attributed to the region’s poor fuel quality.

Travelers take advantage of cost savings by doing roadtrips, and get to enjoy scenic routes through Europe on the way back to the homeland. Those savings, however, often pile up with expensive repairs once in the region.

Sharzad Weso, a mechanical engineer and owner of a car inspection center, spoke to 964 about the issue:

During the month of July alone, I received over 50 cars with European license plates due to breakdowns. There are two main reasons for the malfunction of these vehicles: environmental water and low-quality octane fuel. The fuel quality in Kurdistan is very poor.

In general, cars coming from Europe are diesel-powered, and the local fuel quality is subpar. This leads to damage to the AdBlue and DPF systems, which are crucial for emissions control and noise reduction.

I advise families coming from Europe in their private cars to bring anti-freeze with them to Kurdistan to mitigate these issues.