The accusations come after inspectors with the Weights and Measures Office checked whether 325 stations were selling fuel with octane levels as advertised. The 14 stations that were cited are accused of selling gasoline with octane levels below the levels marked on the pumps.
Inspectors used portable octane testers in the field and any suspect samples were sent off to labs.
The gas stations cited are in Bergen, Camden, Gloucester and Middlesex counties.
Violators face fines and could be temporarily shut down if convicted.
State Consumer Affairs Director Thomas Calcagni says the state wants to be sure motorists are getting their money's worth with some stations charging over $4 per gallon for premium grade gasoline.
Here's a list of the cited gas stations in the 6abc viewing, according to the official release from the state of New Jersey:
Bergen County:
- US Gas / Mmarmab LLC, 90 Hackensack Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601
Camden County:
- Citgo, 302 South Black Horse Pike, Blackwood, NJ
- Jessie's Gulf, 720 White Horse Pike, Oaklyn, NJ 08107
- Runnemede Extra, 405 E. Clements Bridge Rd., Runnemede, NJ 08078
- US Gulf, 1200 Route 73, Pennsauken, NJ 08110
Gloucester County:
- Glassboro Lukoil, 100 Delsea Dr., Glassboro, NJ 08028
- Gurbittha Gas LLC Lukoil, 500 North Broad St., Woodbury, NJ 08096
- Mantua Pike Lukoil, 897 Mantua Pike, Woodbury
- US Gas / Bahadur Singh, Inc., 724 Delsea Dr., Malaga, NJ 08324
Middlesex County:
- Edison Fuel Stop, 690 Route 1 North, Edison, NJ 08817
- Fuel One Inc., 869 Route 1 South, Avenel, NJ 07001
- Fuel One Inc., 279 Route 1 South, Edison, NJ 08817
- North Brunswick Express Fuel, 483 Georges Rd., North Brunswick, NJ 08902
- PAK Petroleum Citgo, 1614 Stelton Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854
According to the New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures, if the octane level in gasoline is too low, it can cause knocking sounds in engines and sometimes lead to broken connecting rods, melted pistons and other damage.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.
