2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
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Chronological view of owner reports
STRONG FUEL SMELL IN CABIN
EVERY TIME I FILL THE GAS TANK. IT STARTS SMELLING LIKE GAS INSIDE THE VEHICLE SPECIALLY IN THE REAR. AND EVEN WHEN YOU APPROACH THE CAR FROM BEHIND YOU CAN SMELL THE GAS ODOR. IF I CAN BE HELPED HERE WITH THIS SITUATION. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY CAR WITH A FULL TANK.
THIS COMPLAINT RELATES TO A PRIOR GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION AND RELATED EXTENSION OF WARRANTY. THE GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION DETERMINED LEAKS COULD OCCUR FROM THE GAS TANK PRESSURE SENSOR, THE OUTLET OF THE GAS TANK FILLING LIMITER VALVE AND AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP. DETERMINED LEAKS COULD OCCUR FROM THE GAS TANK PRESSURE SENSOR, THE OUTLET OF THE GAS TANK FILLING LIMITER VALVE AND AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP. AS A RESULT, BENZ EXTENDED ITS WARRANTY TO 15 YEARS ON GAS TANK COMPONENTS IN 2003-2009 E-CLASS VEHICLES AND 2006-2011 CLS-CLASS VEHICLES. CONSISTENT WITH THE PROBLEM, MY FUEL PUMP FAILED LAST WEEK; THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OAKLAND MERCEDES FOR SERVICE UNDER THE WARRANTY. BENZ WAS NOTIFIED AND INSPECTED THE CAR LAST WEDNESDAY. THE DEALER TOOK POSSESSION ON FRIDAY. I HAVE CALLED THE SERVICE DEPT MANY TIMES TO LEARN STATUS OF THE CAR. BENZ TELLS ME THE CAR STILL HAS NOT EVEN BEEN ASSIGNED A SERVICE ADVISOR. THEY REFUSE TO GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION RE THE STATUS OF MY CAR AND WHEN IT WILL BE REPAIRED. THIS AMOUNTS TO A REFUSAL TO FULFILL THEIR PROMISES GIVEN UPON THE DISCOVERY OF THEIR FAULTY FUEL TANKS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. AFTER REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNCIAN SPECULATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 127,000.
FUEL SMELL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF CAR WHEN FUEL TANK IS COMPLETELY FILLED. STATIONARY AND IN MOTION.
HEAVY ODOR OF GASOLINE IN GARAGE AFTER FILL-UP.
WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS REFUELED, A STRONG GAS SMELL (ODOR) INSIDE THE CAR WHILE DRIVING APPEARED, CAUSING THE DRIVER (MY DAUGHTER) TO OPEN THE WINDOWS BECAUSE THE SMELL WAS SO STRONG. AFRAID TO DRIVE VEHICLE .WHATS THIS ABOUT?
STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE
EXPERIENCE STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE AFTER FILLING TANK. SMELL DIMINISHES WHEN TANK IS LESS FULL BUT RETURNS WITH NEXT FUEL FILL UP. SMELL NOTICED BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE VEHICLE EXACT DATE FIRST OCCURRED IS UNKNOWN, BUT WAS FIRST NOTICED YEARS AGO.
THERE IS A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE COMING FROM THE BACK SEAT. WHEN I FILL THE GAS TANK THE SMELL IS SO STRONG IT FILLS THE ENTIRE GARAGE. WHEN I REMOVED THE BACK SEAT I FOUND A SMALL PUDDLE OF GAS. I FIRST STARTED NOTICING THE SMELL IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST MONTH -(MARCH 2016)- AND CONTINUES TO GET WORSE EACH TIME I FILL THE GAS TANK.
NOTICED FUEL SMELL WHEN FILLING TANK MORE THAN HALF WAY. INVESTIGATED TO FIND POOLING FUEL ON TOP OF FUEL PUMP / SENDER ASSEMBLY BENEATH REAR SEAT.
SMELLS OF FUEL BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR WHEN THE CAR IS 3/4 OR FULL TANK.. (FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT).
HORRIBLE GAS SMELL AFTER REFUELING AND WHILE CAR IS PARKED IN GARAGE.
THE SMELL OF FUEL IS COMING FROM MY CAR WHEN IT IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. THE SMELL OF SO OVERWHELMING THAT I CAN SMELL IT EVEN BEFORE ENTERING THE VEHICLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA13003 (FUEL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIRS WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
I PURCHASED MY CAR USED AT 132000 MILES. THIS WAS A PRE EXISTING CONDITION THAT DEALER DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT, BECAUSE THE NEXT DAY I FILLED THE TANK AS IT WAS SOLD TO ME WITH LESS THAN 1/4 TANK, NOW I KNOW WHY, I GOT A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GAS THAT FILLED MY GARAGE AND SMELLED INSIDE THE CAR AS WELL. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I FILL THE TANK. IT ALSO SETS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM (NOT A MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP) REFUSES ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE IS "EVAPORATIVE EMISSION LEAK DETECTED (SMALL LEAK)". ALSO BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE MY GAS LIGHT WILL RANDOMLY START BLINKING AND WHEN I ACCELERATE THE CENTER DISPLAY BEEPS LIGHTS UP RED AND SAID CHECK FUEL CAP. FUEL CAP IS FINE, I THINK IT'S RELATED TO THE LEAK.
THE FUEL LEAK, FUEL SENDER LEAKS, I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO REPLACE ALL THOSE PARTS. IT SHOULD HAVE DEALER RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THOSE ISSUES. *TR
WHEN FILLING THE CAR WITH GASOLINE TO A FULL TANK, THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL THAT IS VERY STRONG THE NEXT DAY. I HAVE READ IN FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND THAT MB KNOWS ABOUT THIS BUT IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IS THERE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT ON THIS MATTER? I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED. AM I PROTECTED UNDER EMISSIONS LAWS OR NOT?
I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM PURE MOTORS IN SACRAMENTO CA. WITH A EMPTY FUEL TANK. I TOOK TO A GAS STATION LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE FROM THE DEALER. I FILLED IT UP AND MY WIFE DROVE IT HOME ABOUT 15 MILES AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP. SHE PULLED UP IN THE DRIVEWAY AND TOLD ME HOW BAD THE GAS ODER WAS AND THAT SHE HAD TO PUT THE WINDOW DOWN TO KEEP FROM PASSING OUT. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MERCEDES BENZ ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK OUT AND TOOK IT TO THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP IN ROCKLIN. CA. AFTER THE DEALER LOOK AT THE CAR THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW GAS TANK. THEY SAID IT WAS ON BACK ORDER AND WOULD TAKE A WEEK TO GET ONE. THAT WAS 02/25/2015, IT'S NOW 05/06/2015. NO WORD FROM MERCEDES AS TO WHEN THEY WILL GET IT. I RECEIVED A EMAIL LETTER FROM AN ATTORNEY THAT MERCEDES BENZ USA LLC WOULD COVER THE ISSUE BUT ALL I GET FROM THEM ARE WASTED WORDS, THE RUN AROUND. THE LETTER FROM MB USA LLC WAS SIGNED BY RALPH S. FISHER THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL EMITTING INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS REFUELED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER MAKING SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 191,000.
I FELLED MY CAR UP WITH GAS AT LUNCH 12 NOON AND WHEN I GOT OFF WORK AT 5PM THE GAS FUMES WERE SO STRONG I COULD BREATHE IN MY CAR. I TUCK IT TO SOUTH BAY MERCEDES BENZ AND WAS TOLD THAT THE GAS TANK HAS A LEAK AND THE GAS HAD LEAKED IN TO THE CABIN BEHIND THE BACK SET OF MY CAR AND THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. IT'S BEEN OVER 2 WEEKS AND THEY HAVE NO ETA ON WHEN MY CAR WILL BE FIXED. I HAVE A LONER BUT I CHECK ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR
CUSTOMER COMPLAINS OF FUEL SMELL OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE ON APPROACH. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE THE SMELL IS UNBEARABLE AND CAUSES NAUSEA WHEN DRIVING. INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE LEFT SIDE (DRIVER'S) FUEL PUMP SEAL IS LEAKING CAUSING FUEL TO PUDDLE AND SATURATE INSPECTION PLATE. THE FUEL WICKS PAST INSPECTION PLATE GASKET AND INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT SATURATING THE AREA DIRECTLY UNDER THE REAR SEAT. REPLACED FUEL PUMP MODULE WITH SEAL (GASKET) AS WELL AS GASKET ON RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E320. IMMEDIATELY AFTER REFUELING THE VEHICLE, A STRONG PERSISTENT ODOR OF FUEL PERMEATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A STRONG FUEL ODOR EMITTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT A SMALL PUDDLE OF FUEL LEAKED FROM THE FUEL TANK ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.
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Quick Summary
The 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has 178 FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.