2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Fuel System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES E-320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AFTER REFUELING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000. UPDATED 07/15/14 MA

I HAVE A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E55 AND AFTER FILLING THE CAR WITH FUEL THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. THE TANK IS LOCATED IN THE BACK SEAT AND AFTER OPENING THE INSPECTION COVERS I CAN SEE AND SMELL GASOLINE THAT HAS LEAKED FROM THE FUEL SENDER UNIT. THIS LOOKS TO BE A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND I KNOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THIS IS HAPPENING TOO. THANKS *TR

AFTER THE 2008 RECALL ON MERCEDES FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, I HAVE REPLACED THEM 2 TIMES. AS OF FEB 2014 THEY ARE LEAKING AGAIN, MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT THE FUMES AFTER REPAIRING THE CAR STILL COME BACK, CAUSE MY WIFE TO BE SICK AND AFTER HAVING CANCER SHE HAS NOT ABLE TO USE THE CAR UNLESS WE AIR IT OUT 2-3 DAYS BEFORE. AFTER EACH REPLACING THE PUMPS LOOK BURNED, AND MERCEDES HAS NOT GIVEN US REASON WHY THIS PROBLEM EXIST OR SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. *TR

CAR ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. DEALER REPLACED CHARCOAL CANNISTER. TWO WEEKS LATER AUTO REPAIR SHOP WAS CORRECTING A SHIMMY AND DISCOVERED A LEAKING FUEL TANK. *TR

WHILE DRIVING I STARTED SMELLING GAS, ESPECIALLY WHEN I WOULD HAVE JUST FILLED THE TANK. THIS SMELL WENT ON FOR YEARS, IT GOT ODOR GOT STRONGER AND STRONGER SO FINALLY I WENT AND GOT IT DIAGNOSED AND MY MECHANIC SAID THAT I NEED REPLACE MY FUEL PUMP AND SHOWED ME THE GASOLINE UNDER THE REAR SEAT (REAR DRIVER'S SIDE) THE AMOUNT OF GAS WAS SO GREAT THAT I CALLED AND ASKED MY REP AT MERCEDES IF THERE WAS INDEED A RECALL ON THE PART AND I ALSO TOLD HIM THAT MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON IT , AND STILL HE SAID NO. SO I REPLACED THE PART ON MY OWN. NOW I AM SMELLING THE FUMES AGAIN, I TAKE IT THAT IT IS COMING FROM THE OTHER SIDE. I HAVE TO RIDE WITH MY WINDOWS DOWN AND/OR SUNROOF OPEN TO KEEP FROM GETTING THE HEAD-ACHES AGAIN. THIS HAVE BEEN ONGOING FOR YEARS NOW . I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JAN. 2008. *TR

FUEL LEAKING FROM TOP OF FUEL TANK. TANK WAS CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

AFTER FILLING UP THE FUEL TANK TO FULL, I NOTICED A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. DOES NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHETHER THE CAR IS MOVING OR PARKED. THE PURGE VALVE FILTER WAS REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINS. I USE THIS VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT MY NEWBORN SON DAILY. HIS CAR SEAT IS ON THE RIGHT REAR OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE FUEL FILLER AREA. *TR

MY FUEL TANK HAS DEVELOPED A LEAK WHERE I CAN SMELL FUEL BOTH OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE AFTER FILLING THE TANK ALL THE WAY. THE ODOR IS VERY PRONOUNCED AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE IF THIS MUCH FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE TANK. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP CONFIRMED A LEAK FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. BASED ON INFORMATION I READ ON A MERCEDES BENZ FORUM WEBSITE, IT SAID TO REFERENCE ACTION NUMBER PE12001 (THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS SERIES OF VEHICLE). I HOPE THE NHTSA WILL INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND FORCE MERCEDES BENZ TO REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE FUEL TANKS AT NO COST TO CONSUMERS. *TR

THIS CAR DEVELOPED A VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL INSIDE THE CABIN SHORTLY AFTER FILLING UP WITH GAS IN EARLY 2012. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DID WARRANTY WORK REPLACING SEALS, ETC. A LITTLE UNDER A YEAR LATER THE SMELL CAME BACK. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ONLINE I DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK UNDER THE BACK SEAT AND FOUND WHERE GASOLINE HAS STAINED THE CUSHIONING AND A CLOTH THAT INSULATES BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE SEAT. THE FUEL SMELL IS MUCH STRONGER IN THIS AREA, WHICH IS INSIDE THE CABIN. THE DEALER GAVE ME BACK AN ESTIMATE OF ALMOST $2,900 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY, SENDING UNITS, HOSES, ETC. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MBUSA. *TR

I JUST FILLED UP MY GAS TANK NOTICED MY WHOLE HOUSE SMELLED LIKE GASOLINE. WENT OUTSIDE AND MY GARAGE FLOOR WAS COVERED IN GASOLINE. I HAVE READ THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE. *TR

MY CAR IS POOLING GASOLINE UNDERNEATH IT AFTER FILLING IT UP. EVERYTHING AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA13003. *TR

STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE PRESENT AFTER FILL UPS AND WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY. WITH FUMES PRESENT IN THE CABIN, THE RISK OF FIRE IS SEVERE. MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AS IS THE NHTSA, SO PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!..UPDATED 07/23/14 *BF

THE FUEL TANK CRACKED AND LEAKS FUEL WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON STATING SMALL EVAP LEAK FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM, BECAUSE OF THIS CRACK/LEAK. IT IS POTENTIALLY A FIRE ISSUE AND CAUSES NOTICEABLE FUEL VAPOR/SMELL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS KNOWN TO EFFECT MANY IF NOT ALL E-CLASSES FROM THIS GENERATION AND MERCEDES BENZ IS REFUSING TO ACCEPT LIABILITY OR REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *TR

FILLED UP MY CAR WITH GAS. CAME HOME, PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE. NEXT MORNING NOTICED A VERY STRONG FUEL ORDER IN GARAGE. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC AND SAID THE FUEL TANK WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING GAS VAPORS. SCARED ME AS MY NATURAL GAS WATER HEATER IS IN THE GARAGE AS WELL. *TR

FILLED UP THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES TO MY HOME, PARKED VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE. LATER THAT EVENING I NOTICED A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR IN THE GARAGE. DID SOME RESEARCH ON A COUPLE MERCEDES OWNERS ONLINE FORUMS THAT INDICATE THAT FUEL LEAKAGE IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH MY 2003-2009 E SERIES MODELS. REMOVED THE VEHICLE REAR SEAT (FUEL TANK IS LOCATED UNDER SEAT) AND THE SCREWED-DOWN INSPECTION SEAL TO VIEW THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. OBSERVED A SIGNIFICANT QUANTITY OF FUEL PUDDLED ON THE TOP OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. SEE PHOTO AT: HTTP://SCREENCAST.COM/T/AUFW5K7LQZ CLEARLY THERE IS A FUEL LEAK AND FROM MY RESEARCH THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2003-2009 MERCEDES E SERIES MODELS. FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, MERCEDES DEALERS WILL NOT REPAIR THIS ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL AND TYPICALLY CHARGE $1500-2500 FOR REPAIRS. HUNDREDS OF MERCEDES OWNER HAVE DOCUMENTED THIS ISSUE ON FORUMS AT MBWORLD.ORG AND BENZWORLD.COM 1. MBWORLD.ORG - HTTP://MBWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/W211-AMG/363759-URGENT-NOTICE-03-06-E55S-WERE-INVOLVED-FUEL-SENDER-RECALL-BOMBS.HTML 2. BENZWORLD.COM - HTTP://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/W211-E-CLASS/1602584-GAS-SMELL-AFTER-FILLING-UP-TANK.HTML THERE ARE MANY MORE THREADS LIKE THESE AND A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS FILED AS WELL. HTTP://WWW.MERCEDESFUELTANKCLASSACTION.COM. *TR

DRIVER SIDE FUEL PUMP SENDER HAS LEAK ON TOP WHERE FUEL PUMP MEETS THE TOP PLASTIC ASSEMBLY. LEAKS WHEN FUEL TANK IS FULL. *TR

EVERY TIME I FILL THE GAS TANK THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GAS FUMES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS NAUSEATING AND SEEMS WOULD BE DANGEROUS.THE DEALER STATES A TEST VERIFIED A LEAK AT THE LEFT PUMP HOUSING AREA. ADDITIONALLY FOUND STAINING AT THE TOP OF FUEL TANK NEAR CENTER MOUNTING AREA. THEY RECOMMENDED A REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY WITH NEW PUMP AND SENDING UNIT/FILTER ASSEMBLIES. THIS REPAIR IS $3000 US. THE PROBLEM IS THE NEW EQUIPMENT IS THE SAME FAULTY DESIGN OF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. MOST LIKELY THE SAME PROBLEM WILL OCCUR AGAIN. AFTER CHECKING OUT THE SITUATION I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

INSIDE OF MY VEHICLE BEGAN SMELLING STRONG GASOLINE ODOR PRESENTING A FIRE HAZARD. I FOUND SEVERE LEAKING AT SEAM AT TOP OF GAS TANK UNDER REAR SEAT OF MY VEHICLE & WAS REQUIRED TO REPLACE GAS TANK ASSEMBLY, FUEL PUMP SENSOR, FUEL PUMP & SEALS AT COST OF $2,014.00. I WAS TOLD THAT A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST MERCEDES BENZ INVOLVING YEAR 2003 & LATER 320E AUTOS FOR THIS ISSUE WAS IN PROGRESS IN ATLANTA, GA. HOWEVER FLORIDA CARS (OWNERS) WERE EXCLUDED ON A TECHNICALITY!!. THIS DANGER EXISTS ON ALL CARS, WHEREVER LOCATED AND SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BY MERCEDES. THE DANGER OF EXPLOSION AND DEATH IS IMMINENT IN ANY OF THESE AUTOS. MERCEDES IS AND HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME AS WAS BROUGHT OUT IN THE CLASS ACTION SUIT AND UNDER OUR TRANSPORTATION SAFETY RULES SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE AUTOS YEARS AGO. THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM, AND FLORIDA AUTO OWNERS SHOULD BE PROPERLY COMPENSATED FOR THEIR LOSS AS SHOULD BE ANY OTHER OWNERS WHERE EVER LOCATED. YOUR ADVISE AND ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.. *TR

THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AT MERCEDES UNDER A RECALL, FOR THE FUEL LEAKS. THE VEHICLE THREW A CODE FOR GAS CAP. I REPLACED THE GAS CAP. TWO DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DISAPPEARED AND THE CAR THREW A CODE FOR AN EVAP LEAK. I REPLACED THE CHARCOAL CANISTER AND THE GAS CAP THINKING IT MAY HAVE BEEN FAULTY. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO THROW A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHEN IT IS FILLED WITH GASOLINE. ONCE THE TANK LEVEL DROPS BELOW 3/4 THE WARNING GOES AWAY HOWEVER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS. *TR

AFTER I FILLED FULL TANK ON MY CAR, I NOTICED AFTER SEVERAL HOURS, THERE WAS GAS LEAKING BELOW THE REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT. THERE WERE A LOTS OF FUEL THAT WERE SPILLED, AND MY WHOLE GARAGE SMELLED STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. *TR

IM WRITING IN REFERENCE TO THE NHTSA ACTION # PE12001. I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE ON THE 23 OF DECEMBER 2012. I CAN HONESTLY SAY I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS CAR. WITH THAT BEING SAID I HAVE NEVER FILLED THE FUEL TANK OF THIS CAR UNTIL 6-9-2013. THE REASON BEING I HAVE A 1998 FORD F150 THAT I DRIVE AS WELL. I MOSTLY DRIVE THE E55 ON WEEKENDS BUT ITS IN AND AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD. MY FATHER JUS CAME BACK FROM THE PHILIPPINES A COUPLE DAYS AGO SO HE NEEDS MY TRUCK TO GET AROUND WHILE HE'S VISITING. SO YESTERDAY I FOUND I NEEDED TO DRIVE THE E55 DAILY WHILE MY FATHER'S IN TOWN SO I FILLED UP THE TANK TO THE CAR. I PUT IN SHELL 91 AND WAITED FOR THE PUMP TO STOP. ONCE STOPPED I REMOVED FUELER AND INSERTED INTO ITS HOLSTER. NOTE I DID NOT TOP OFF FOR I NEVER FELT THE NEED TO IN ANY CAR I HAVE DRIVEN. I PROCEEDED STRAIGHT HOME AND PARKED CAR IN MY GARAGE, CLOSED THE GARAGE DOOR AND WENT IN THE HOUSE. THE E55 WAS IN THERE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY AND NIGHT. AND THEN THIS MORNING AS I WENT INTO GARAGE TO GO TO WORK I WAS JUS TAKEN BACK BY THE FUEL SMELL IN THE ENTIRE GARAGE. SO I OPENED THE GARAGE TO AIR OUT AND CHECKED UNDER THE CAR FOR A PUDDLE OF FUEL BUT FOUND NOTHING. THE SMELL IS MUCH STRONGER NEAR THE REAR OF THE CAR. I DROVE OFF EVEN WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN TO JUS RID THE SMELL AS IT ENTERED THE CABIN AS I STEPPED IN THE CAR TOO. NO PROBLEMS DRIVING TO WORK BUT AS I PARKED IN REVERSE I CAN SMELL FUEL AS THE WIND KICKED IT TOWARDS MY WINDOW. I PARKED AND GOT OUT AND SMELLED AROUND THE BACK AND STILL SMELLED FUEL. SO AS IM WORRIED THROUGHOUT THE DAY AT WORK I WENT INTO MY BENZWORLD FORUM AND FOUND ALOT OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS AS ME ESPECIALLY ON THE W211'S. SO AS I READ ON THE MORE WORRIED I GOT BECAUSE MY KIDS RIDE IN THIS CAR AND I DON'T WANT THEM AROUND IT ANYMORE ESPECIALLY WITH THIS PROBLEM GOIN ON. PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

FUEL PUMPS LEAKING FUEL UNDERNEATH THE BACK SEAT. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 MERCEDES E500 AND AFTER FILLING THE CAR WITH GAS I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AFTER LEAVING IT PARKED IN MY GARAGE. AS THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND THE FUEL FELL BELOW 1/2 TANK THE SMELL GOT LESS AND LESS. HOWEVER, I JUST FILLED THE TANK AGAIN THE SMELL IS STRONGER THAN BEFORE. *JS

UPON REFUELING THE VEHICLE AND LEAVING IT IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT, IT HAS OFTEN SMELLED OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE CAR AND IN THE GARAGE. THE SMELL WOULD OFTEN DISSIPATE. AFTER REFUELING THE CAR AND PARKING IT IN THE GARAGE FOR THREE WEEKS WHILE ON VACATION, THE SMELL IS NOW MUCH WORSE AND WILL NOT GO AWAY. IT IS BAD ENOUGH WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT OUR SAFETY OF INHALING THE FUMES. I HAVE OTHER VEHICLES WHICH WERE STORED SIMILARLY AND THEY DO NOT REACT THIS WAY. PLEASE REVIEW THIS VEHICLE. THANK YOU. *TR

CONSTANT STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. OUTSIDE THE CAR AND INSIDE THE CAR COMING FROM THE BACK SEAT. *TR