A retired Canadian couple says Enterprise Rent-A-Car tried to stick them with a $7,000 bill after accusing the couple of putting diesel fuel in a rental SUV — a claim they deny and say was never proven.

Kelly and Katherine Graves of Kelowna, British Columbia, had returned a 2025 Dodge Durango to National Car Rental, owned by Enterprise, at Edmonton International Airport after an uneventful trip in April 2025, according to CBC.

Before drop-off, they filled the tank at a 7-Eleven about 35 miles from the airport, paying about $44 for fuel, and then drove the vehicle back without any issues.

About a week later, the couple received a call from the rental company saying the SUV wouldn’t start and that diesel fuel had been detected in the engine. They were told to open an insurance claim or cover the damage themselves.

They denied the allegation on that call and again days later. After that, they say, there was no communication for months.

Nine months later, Enterprise sent a letter demanding $9,500 CAD (about $7,000 USD).

“I was frustrated, because we hadn’t heard anything for such a long time. I thought they closed the case,” Kelly said.

The couple says the company never showed proof that diesel was actually put in the vehicle, but still pursued payment.

The Graves say their own records contradict the claim.

They kept two receipts from the 7-Eleven fill-up, time-stamped two minutes apart after the pump shut off and before the tank was full. The receipts show a total of about 12.5 gallons of gasoline purchased.

They also obtained a photo of the exact pump they used, which does not offer diesel fuel at all.

In addition, the Dodge Durango they rented allegedly has a capless fuel system designed to prevent misfueling, since diesel nozzles are slightly larger than gasoline ones and typically won’t fit.

The couple also claimed they drove the SUV about 35 miles to the airport after filling up.

“The engine was nice and smooth. We had no problems with the car,” Kelly said.

Their lawyer, Abu Khurana, said companies need to provide clear evidence before holding customers responsible for major repair costs.

“They can’t just issue an invoice and expect a payment without any evidence,” he said. “You’re dealing with a large corporation. They’re telling you you owe them thousands of dollars, often with very little explanation.”

The situation dragged on for nearly a year, causing stress for the couple.

“I was waking up at 2:00 in the morning and not getting back to sleep,” Kelly said. “You work all your life to gain savings so that you can retire and enjoy your life. And then somebody comes along and says, ‘We’re going to take $10,000 away from you.’”

Enterprise dropped the claim after the couple hired a lawyer and media inquiries were made.

In a statement, the company said it followed a “comprehensive investigation process that includes reviewing internal records, as well as information provided by the customer.”

‘A vendor diagnostic conducted as part of the repair confirmed fuel contamination occurred during the rental period, causing significant damage to the vehicle,” the statement read. 

“However, due to the time that has elapsed since the vehicle was fueled, we are unable to verify additional details regarding the fueling source.

“As a result, we have decided to close the claim and have contacted the customer with an update.”

The company did not explain why it continued to pursue the claim for months or why the couple’s receipts and other evidence did not resolve the issue earlier.

The Graves say keeping documentation helped them fight the charge and that they plan to use a different rental company in the future.

“We don’t want them to go through the same thing that we’ve gone through,” Kelly said.