2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Dealer notes, fuel tank, and hold down straps are rusted and rotted
Fuel smell when gas tank is full. Engine code P0456
Gas smell inside the car. Fuel leak when gas tank us full.
Filled up gas and strong gas smell can be smelt throughout the car and Check engine light came on, took car to auto zone for report. Stated emissions code was listed. Was told to replace gas cap and code should clear. Replaced gas cap, still had code. Took car to shop and was told this model has this issue with this specific year and newer, and the problem could be one of 3 things. Replace gas cap, did that, replace fuel pump closing cover, did that, replace purge valve canister, did that. Check engine light still comes on and strong gas smell still exist after each fill up. Mechanic told me reach out because there was a recall on this same model a few years back...
Cracks have formed in the plastic cover over the fuel pump in the fuel tank under the back seat. Gas is seeping out when the tank is full.
STRONG GASOLINE SMELL WHEN I FILL MY TANK UP AND PARK MY CAR INSIDE MY GARAGE. SO STRONG THAT I WORRY ABOUT EXPLOSION DUE TO MY WATER HEATER WITH PILOT LIGHT IN THE GARAGE. I FREQUENTLY OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR TO LET THE ACCUMULATED GAS ODOR DISSIPATE OR HAVE TO MOVE THE CAR OUTSIDE. STRONG GASOLINE SMELL GOES AWAY ONCE THE FUEL LEVEL GOES DOWN ABOUT 1/8 TO 1/4. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 12/20/2020.
Raw gas smell after filling up with gas .
STRONG SMELL OF FUEL AFTER FILLING UP GAS TANK 3/4 OR MORE FOR THE PAST 12MONTHS
HEAVY GAS FUMES FROM VEHICLE ESPECIALLY WHEN FUEL FILL UP.
STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE WHEN TANK IS FILLED UP.
STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE WHEN TANK IS FILLED UP. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW. DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT CARS SO DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT UNTIL I HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ASK WHY MY CAR SMELLED LIKE GAS. THEY LET ME KNOW THAT IT MAY BE A GAS LEAK SOMEWHERE.
FUEL LEAKING INTO MAIN CABIN. POOL OF FUEL RESTING ON TOP OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT LOCATED UNDER PASSENGER REAR SEAT. DRAINING INTO BACK OF SEAT AREA. PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE UPON NEW FILLING OF TANK OR DRIVING ON CURVY ROADS.
THE VEHICLE SMELLED OF A GAS LEAK. THE ISSUE WAS MENTIONED TO SERVICE ADVISORS BUT DISMISSED AS A NON-ISSUE. THE ISSUE PERSISTED CAUSING BREATHING PROBLEMS AND LIGHT HEADEDNESS. AFTER TWO SERVICE VISITS THE ISSUE WAS STILL NOT ADDRESSED. CONVENIENTLY AFTER 150,000 MILES THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO FIND THE ISSUE, BUT THEN STATED THAT IT WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. PREVIOUS TIMES THE CAR WAS BROUGHT IN UNDER 150,000 MILES THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM.
THE FUEL TANK HAVE RUST CAUSE IT TO LEAK, A RISK OF AN ENGINE FIRE OR CRASH BECAUSE OF A FUEL TANK ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. A FEW YEARS AGO, THE CONTACT DETECTED A FUEL ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF FOOTHILL RANCH (81 AUTO CENTER DR, FOOTHILL RANCH, CA 92610, (949) 354-0112) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FUEL FENDER SEAL/ SEAL RING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE ODOR RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING WAS LEAKING AND THE REAR PADDING AND LOWER SEAT CUSHION WERE SATURATED WITH FUEL AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR SEAT WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,989.
EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED WITH OTHER MODELS, THERE WAS A STRONG GAS ODOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT WORSENED AFTER THE CAR WAS REFUELED. IT GOT SO BAD THAT FUMES WERE SEEPING INTO THE HOUSE FROM THE GARAGE. WHILE DRIVING, ALL WINDOWS HAD TO BE DOWN. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON OTHER MERCEDES YEARS AND MODELS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THE GAS TANK GASKET IS DEFECTIVE. MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND I MUST PAY TO FIX THE HAZARDOUS CONDITION.
SMELLING GAS FUMES INSIDE THE CAR, HAS GOTTEN LIGHT HEADED WHEN DRIVING, AND MY GAS GAGE DOES NOT WORK.
FUEL ODOR WHEN TANK IS FILLED. PROBLEM WAS APPARENTLY MANUFACTURING DEFECT. FUEL LEAKED FROM FUEL FILTER MOUNTING STUDS THAT CRACKED AND PULLED THROUGH MOUNTING PLATE. GAS TANK AND ALL ATTACHMENTS HAD TO BE REPLACED.SEE ATTACHED MERCEDES WORK ORDER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FOR THE PAST MONTH, A FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN DEVELOPED. THE CONTACT NOTICED A WET SPOT ON THE DRIVEWAY AND UPON INSPECTION DID NOT FIND WHERE THE FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CALIBER MOTORS MERCEDES BENZ OF ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SIDE FUEL SENDING UNIT COVER AND SEAL WERE WORN OUT AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ C300W. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL ODOR THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FUEL ODOR BECAME EXTREMELY STRONG. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED FUEL ON THE GROUND AND STATED THAT FUEL WAS VISIBLE EVERYWHERE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO W.I. SIMONSON MERCEDES-BENZ AT (855) 677-2690 (1626 WILSHIRE BLVD, SANTA MONICA, CA 90403), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ IN PALM SPRINGS WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO W.I. SIMONSON MERCEDES-BENZ WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
OUR 2010 MERCEDES C300 WITH 24,500 MILES CAR STARTED TO SELL GASOLINE APPX A WEEK AGO. WE FOUND OUT THAT MERCEDES HAS SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR OTHER CARS AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM SINCE IT INVOLVES GASOLINE. THE MERCEDES DEALER STATED THAT OUR CAR DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE OTHER RECALLED MODELS. THE SMELL IS CONSTANT AND WE CANNOT EVEN PARK OUR CAR IN OUR GARAGE DUE TO THE FUMES AND STRONG SMELL. MERCEDES OF PALM SPRING LIKE TO CHARGE US $256 JUST TO LOOK AT THE CAR SO WE TOOK OUR CAR TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK HAS A PROBLEM AS THE OTHER MODELS AND OUR CAR IS THE 3RD MERDECES THAT THEY INSPECTED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WEEK. AT THIS TIME MERCEDES IS REFUSING TO REPAIR THIS ON A WARRANTY AND AS I STATED THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ C300. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL FILTER WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class has 22 FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.