2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I am submitting this complaint regarding a suspected safety-related defect involving the fuel system of my Mercedes-Benz vehicle. I have experienced a persistent gasoline odor originating from the vehicle. The presence of fuel odor is not a normal operating condition and reasonably indicates a potential failure involving the fuel tank, fuel lines, or related fuel system components. Fuel vapors present a known fire and explosion hazard and constitute a safety risk to vehicle occupants, surrounding vehicles, and property. This condition was not present prior to the issue and has persisted despite inspection. I reported this concern to Mercedes-Benz USA and referenced that fuel odor and fuel tank-related defects have been documented in other Mercedes-Benz vehicles. During my communication with Mercedes-Benz USA, I was informed that an extended or long-term warranty related to the fuel tank or fuel system had existed but was no longer applicable because the coverage period had expired. I was not made aware of this extended warranty at the time it was active and therefore had no opportunity to seek inspection or repair while coverage was in effect. Mercedes-Benz USA has acknowledged my complaint but has declined to provide corrective action beyond internal review. Given the safety implications of fuel system defects and the potential impact of inadequate disclosure of extended safety-related warranty coverage, I am requesting that NHTSA document this complaint and evaluate whether this condition represents a broader defect trend and whether recall or further investigation is warranted. This complaint is submitted to ensure the issue is formally recorded as a potential fuel system safety defect.

Extreme Gas Odor after filling gas tank and during time of driving.

When the vehicle is has a full tank of gas, there are heavy fumes of gasoline in the interior of the car. It appears to be the fuel pumps that are underneath the rear seats, leaking fuel on top, next to the the wiring. It is a hazard for fumes and possibly a fire

DRIVER IS EXPERIENCING A HEAVY ODOR OF GASOLINE AFTER FILL UP. VEHICLE IS NOT OVERFILLED/TOPPED OFF. VEHICLE WAS SITTING INSIDE GARAGE WHEN OWNER NOTICED A HEAVY FUEL ODOR AND NOTIFIED FIRE DEPARTMENT TO INVESTIGATE. PER RECOMMENDATIONS OF FIRE DEPARTMENT, KEEP VEHICLE OUT OF GARAGE UNTIL ISSUE COULD BE INSPECTED BY A QUALIFIED MECHANIC. MECHANIC INSPECTED FUEL SYSTEM AND FOUND FUEL LEAK UNDER REAR SEATS NEAR FUEL PUMP/SENDING UNIT. MERCEDES BENZ REFUSES REPAIR ISSUE SAYING IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. GASOLINE FUMES/VAPORS ARE ESPECIALLY HEAVY INSIDE A SINGLE CAR GARAGE, AND IF A IGNITION SOURCE IS INTRODUCED IT COULD BECOME FATAL.

RECEIVED THE CAR FROM MY DAD AS A GIFT STONG SMELL OF GAS COMING FROM INSIDE ONLY RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR NEWBORN BABY NOW DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO... LOOKED ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND FOR RECALLS AND SEEN A FEW.. BUT THEN I SEE ALOT OF PEOPLE SAYING NOTHING HAPPENS... JUST SAYING WITH SOMETHING THAT HAD A PREVIOUS RECALL ON AND IF SOMETHING WOULD TO GO WRONG WITH ANYONE'S FAMILY THAT IS A HELL OF A LAWSUIT....

I FILLED THE GAS TANK FULL AND ON PULLING IN THE GARAGE COULD SMELL A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE... WENT TO GET MY OIL CHANGE THE NEXT DAY AND THE GENTLEMAN MENTIONED HE COULD SMELL GAS COMING FROM MY CAR AT VALVOLINE OIL CHANGE.... VERY STRONG SMELL IN THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AS WELL AS WHEN WALKING AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR YOU COULD SMELL A STRONG SMELL OF GAS... THE GENTLEMAN FROM VALVOLINE LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND SAID THERE'S SOME TYPE OF COVER THAT GOES UNDERNEATH THE GAS TANK ITSELF AND PUT HIS FINGER INTO IT AND COULD TOUCH GASOLINE ON HIS HAND... I JUST WENT ONTO THE INTERNET AND READ MANY MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME THING WITH THIS TYPE OF CAR LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN FILED... IN THOSE COMPLAINTS THE PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT THEIR CAR TO DEALERSHIP SAID THAT IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REMEDY AND THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL... AFTER DRIVING A LITTLE BIT AND REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE IN THE TANK THE SMELL HAS SUBSIDED SOMEWHAT... THOSE COMPLAINTS ALSO MENTION THAT IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS WITH THIS TYPE OF LEAK

SMELL OF STRONG GAS ODOR. RECALL EXPIRED LESS THEN ONE YEAR AGO SO MERCEDES WONT FIX IT. WHY IS THERE A CUT OFF DATE TO A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION? *TR

I INHERITED THIS VEHICLE FROM MY FATHER AND WHEN I FUEL UP THE SMELL OF GAS IS OVERPOWERING. I CHANGED HOSES AND GASKETS IN 2018 AND WAS OK UNTIL 3 MONTHS AGO. NOW IT ALWAYS SMELLS LIKE GAS TO THE POINT OF LIGHT-HEADED AND VOMITING. CALLED MERCEDES THERE WAS AN ACTIVE RECALL THAT EXPIRED IN 2019 BUT I HAD NEVER RECEIVED NOTICES AND SPOKE TO MY MOTHER THAT ALSO NEVER RECEIVED. MERCEDES ADMITTED THEY HAD INCORRECT ADDRESS SO THEY WERE SENDING TO A DECEASED PERSON TO WRONG ADDRESS. BUT SINCE IT IS EXPIRED, THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO FOR A FAULTY FUEL TANK THAT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS

STRONG GASOLINE ODOR IN THE BACK OF THE CAR AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK. DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED THAT THE TANK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS ISSUE WAS COVERED AT SOME POINT BUT WAS NEVER DONE TO THIS SPECIFIC CAR VRTC-DCD-3206. I PURCHASED THE CAR A FEW WEEKS AGO AND WAS TOLD BY MB THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER REFUSED TO DO THE FIX/SERVICE. THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE THE CABIN HAS AN INCREDIBLY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. IF THE FIX WAS OFFERED AT SOME POINT AND WAS NEVER DONE, WHY CANT THEY PERFORM IT NOW? QUOTE FOR FIX ATTACHED

BAFFLE INSIDE FUEL TANK BROKE AFTER NORMAL USE, CREATING RATTLING NOISE, CANNOT BE REPAIRED AND REPLACEMENT OF TANK REQUIRES LENGTHY VEHICLE DISASSEMBLY. *TR

FUEL SMELL AFTER FILLING WITH GAS. *TR

2004 MERCEDES E320 HAS A STRONG GAS SMELL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND FOUND OUT THAT "1/3 THE FUEL TANK HAS A COVER ON TOP OF IT-SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE TANK AND THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE THE TANK IS LEAKING WHERE THE COVER MEETS THE 2/3 TANK WHEN YOU PULL THE BACK SEAT OUT YOU CAN SEE THE TANK TOP-FUEL IS SEEPING OUT STAINING THE SIDE OF THE TANK" I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A 15 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO THIS ISSUE AND I WAS ADVISED IT EXPIRED. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 12 YEARS. I REACHED OUT THE MERCEDES HEADQUARTERS AND THEY ADVISE ITS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR CAN CATCH ON FIRE. SHOULDN'T THIS HAVE BEEN A RECALL? DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE IT IS. MERCEDES STILL STATED NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE TANK WILL COST $2300 AND THEY ADVISE NO AFTERMARKET AVAILABLE. THIS IS UNFAIR TO THE CONSUMER BY ALL MEANS. MERCEDES KNOWING KNEW THERE WAS A ISSUE AND NO RECALL HAS BEEN DONE

VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR WHEN HALF TANK OR MORE OF GAS. CANNOT PARK IN GARAGE OR WILL SMELL ENTIRE GARAGE WITH FUEL ODOR. ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH MY PREVIOUS CAR WHICH WAS A 2004 MERCEDES E500.

GAS LEAK, THERE A STRONG GAS SMELL

SMELL STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AFTER FILLING GAS TANK OVER PAST SEVERAL MONTHS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A FUEL ODOR WAS PERCEIVED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AMERICAN SERVICE CENTER DEALER (703-284-2500, LOCATED AT 624 S GLEBE RD, ARLINGTON, VA 22204) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A CANISTER VALVE AND PURGE VALVE SHUT OFF AND CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE VALVES AND THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA13003 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHEN THE FUEL TANK WAS FULL, A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND IN THE GARAGE. MERCEDES-BENZ OF FAIRFIELD (165 COMMERCE DRIVE, FAIRFIELD, CT 06825) STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK SEAL MAY BE FAULTY. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A FUEL TANK SEAL AND HAD IT INSTALLED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. CHECK ENGINE CAME ON AND GAVE ME A CODE P0456. PLESSE ADVISE!

TAKATA RECALL OK I BOUGHT MY WIFE THE 04 E55 AMG MERCEDES ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THE CAR WE STARTED TO NOTICE A FAINT FUEL SMELL OCCASIONALLY, SO WITHIN THE PAST THE THREE YEARS THE FUEL SMELL HAS GOTTEN SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE AND WORSE ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR CAUSING MY WIFE TO NOT WANT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN FEAR OF A FUEL SYSTEM RELATED FIRE WITH MY KIDS IN THE VEHICLE, I DO NOT BLAME HER. SO I STARTED DRIVING THE CAR MYSELF WITHIN THE LAST FEW WEEKS I FILLED THE TANK UP ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASION AND IT HAS THE FIRST TIME THE GAS SMELL WAS SO BAD I HAD A HARD TIME DRIVING THE CAR MYSELF BUT THIS LAST TIME, IT DRAINED OVER HALF OF THE GASOLINE INTO THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE. NOT ONLY MAKING THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE GASOLINE COVERED MISS BUT MAKING THE ENTIRE CAR SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE MY GARAGE SMELL LIKE GASOLINE. AS WELL AS THE INSIDE OF MY HOUSE. ONCE THIS HAD HAPPENED I LOOKED INTO TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF AND FOUND THAT THE WIRING GOING TO THE FUEL FUEL PUMP SYSTEM HAD BURNED A HOLE FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE TANK INTO THE GAS TANK CAUSING THE LEAK. (HOT ENOUGH WIRES TO BURN THOUGH THE GAS TANK LID VERY CONCERNING IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF... AND THIS GAS STATION IS ONLY 4 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE AND THIS WAS UNDER NO HARD DRIVING CONDITIONS JUST SEMI- STRAIGHT SHOT FROM THE GAS STATION TO THE HOUSE HOPEFULLY THEY CAN REMEDY THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS RATHER CONCERNING TO KNOW THAT THESE CAR WILL LEAK GAS NOT ONLY INSIDE THE CAR BUT OUTSIDE PUTTING OUR FAMILY AND OTHERS AT RISK

ENGINE STOPPED WHILE RUNNING THE CAR. HAD TO HAVE A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP REPLACE BOTH SENDING UNITS AND SEALS/GASKETS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A RECALL ALREADY BUT I PAID FOR IT?

FOR SEVERAL MONTHS THERE HAS BEEN A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AFTER FUELING THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR HAS BECOME STEADILY WORSE AND WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ASSISTANCE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN I INQUIRED HOW THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED, I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE DUE TO IMPACT OR TRAUMA (WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY INCIDENT). WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST $2,300.00 TO REPAIR VEHICLE. CALLED MB-USA AND ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE. WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON THE FUEL TANK AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COST. AS THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE, I HAD THE WORK PERFORMED AND RECEIVED A 10% "GOODWILL" DISCOUNT. PICKED UP VEHICLE AND DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE AND CONTINUED TO SMELL FUEL. CALLED DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAME TO PICK-UP. ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY DID NOT TIGHTEN A CLAMP OR SOMETHING. WE PICKED IT UP AGAIN AND THE ODOR WAS PERSISTENT. IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK AND WE SUBSEQUENTLY TRADED THE VEHICLE IN. BOTTOM LINE.... I DO NOT THINK THAT A FUEL TANK SHOULD FAIL ON A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES. I HAVE THE OLD TANK AND BELIEVE THAT MB SHOULD REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF THE TANK.

FUEL TANK LEAK, SMELL GAS

AFTER FILLED UP THE CAR WITH GAS. STRONG GAS ODOR AND GAS LEAKING FROM DRIVERS SIDE REAR OF CAR. WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE EXTREMELY UNSAFE!!!

THER IS A STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE CAR WHEN THE TANK IS OVER 3/4 FULL. DANGEROUS FIRE HARZARD. THINK THAT IT IS A RECALL ISSUE.

WHILE PARKED, ENGINE WOULD DIE IMMEDIATELY AFTER I STARTED IT. MECHANIC DISCOVERED FUEL SEEPING OUT OF TOP OF FUEL SENDING UNIT IN FUEL TANK.