03RSTT

...just waiting to go off.

If you have a 03-06 E55 that was involved in the fuel level sender recall back in 2008 you still may have a problem.

The recall did not seem to fix the problem and several E55 owners are now reporting that the replacement part is starting to leak. Ours broke this last weekend and literally gas was pouring out from under my car. This is a fire and bomb hazard and had I not noticed this and drove the car on the hwy....I would not be writing this post.

I have reported the condition to the NHTSA and filed a claim.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm

I have called MB USA and started a notice and case file.

I have 4 other E55 owners with the same problem. One has said MB USA denied any assistance in fixing his car because "we completed the recall in 2008 and that was it."

How stupid of MB USA.

Just over 2years and 12,000 miles. The assembly is cracked and fuel is pouring out just sitting there.

Bellevue_E55

I had O rings etc replaced as well as my gas tank. Lately after a long drive where car gets really hot I get a fuel smell again outside the car. I need to check this to make sure its not leaking when getting hot due to parts expanding.

How do I remove the rear seat ?

Ali_E55

i fixed mine outside the dealer and doubled sealing, cover, etc everything double protection , 1 year and 40k milage without any problem. you have to costumize this issue on your own,

kompressede

Interesting - Keep us posted, I had the recall done last year and I was hoping I wouldn't have to worry about it again?

kurtwz

Thanks for filing the claim on everyone's behalf!

motorkas

Got the "fuel smell" last week. It's in the shop right now getting taken care of (along with the supercharger clutch and the fuel pumps). Thank God for the Chrysler warranty... Love the car. . .will never sell the car. . . will only add cars to keep her company. . . but damn, I thought the Germans prided themselves on being ENGINEERING companies, not car manufacturers!

03RSTT

Can you PM me the specifics on your repair. Did they replace the driver side fuel sensor assm? I assume you had the recall completed in 2008?

I need as many E55 owners to report these repeat failures asap so that MB USA will address this problem now before its too late and someone dies in their car.

Mine were covered by extended warranty as well but that wont stop me from putting the heat on MB USA. There is a problem here and someone is going to pay the ultimate price. I dont want that blood on my hands and I want MB to get on the job and fix this issue.

03RSTT

That is how ours started.

52k the recall was performed
61k the seals failed and leaks started again
65k the senders failed/cracked/warped and fuel was pouring out

If you wish to test here is the procedure.

1. Fill the car up.
2. Drive straight home.
3. Park in the driveway.
4. Take rear seat out(pull up on the leading edge of the lower cushion...there are 2 tabs to depress then the seat comes up)
5. 8mm socket and take the drivers side inspection cover off.
6. As you see in my picture there will be a fuel lake around that sender.

harjothundal

Damn... I had the recall performed on my car over a year ago... I didn't have any issues, I took it in to the dealer and they performed the recall after running the vin... I haven't had any issues since, but this is alarming to hear... One thing I can say though, NHTSA is pretty serious and will do everything and then some to make sure this is not a defect... If found to be so, they'll order MBUSA to fix it...

BlownV8

Yes, they do take it seriously. However, it may take years and a few deaths before Mercedes is forced to act. Stay on them and make MBUSA put everything in writing. You will be able to use it at a later date.

Get someone on the phone at NHTSA. Once you get an actual person involved, the process will move much faster. Document, document, document!

03RSTT

Bingo,

Exactly what I'm doing. Holding MB USA feet to the fire. Literally. I'm forcing them to adress my situation and then directing each member to the exact same rep to hammer this situation home. NHTSA will take months if not years to reach a conclusion. I'm pushing both parties...MB USA and NHTSA.

I do not want the blood of blown up E55 owners on my hands. Instead by holding MB feet to the fire there will be a paper trail of prior knowledge if (forbid) the big boom does happen. Its a matter of time folks. Another owner (Fields) has his car in the dealer here in Phoenix right now. His failure was massive just as mine and the happened at the same time. Chance?

If these things start blowing up.....then all hell will break loose.

Our car almost killed me and I take that very serious. Trust me when I say your local dealer or MB USA could care less. YOU need to cover your bases and document every detail.

Infiniti

I really appreciate what your trying to do here but i got to tell you man every one of your post is calling the car a bomb or saying its gonna blow up, and man its hella funny how many times you can call it a bomb and say its gonna blow.....head for the choppa! (arnold swarchenegger voice on)

03RSTT

Did you see my picture above?

Do you know what happens when gas is poured on a hot exhaust pipe?

Do you understand where the gas tank is located and where the gas spills over when the above puddle runs over the tank.

If you answered yes to the above questions then you should understand why I say the car could have blown up and how this is going to happen any day if not stopped.

Yacht Master

How many have caught fire or blown up?

ahmad0658

Ali, How did you seal it? which parts in specific? I have no leak anywhere, but I can smell the car specially when I drive it for long distance and when speeding for a while.

Ex. last night coming from dubai driving the car 180 - 210 km/hr and the tank was close to empty because I wanted to test the car smell with almost empty tank and I could smell it while the car was running when I reached home but I could not locate the smell source if there was really a leak.

Around the pump and sender, I have no leaks but I can still smell the fuel sometimes.

guysandiego

oh - that might explain the gas smell i get or rare rare occassions -- well- i will take a look next time i get the smell.

Ali_E55

Ahmed, if u smell it out side, then it is most from the small pipe that lets the air goes out when you fill the tank or when you drive alot and heat makes the gas get heated and evaporate which leads to smell coming from that small house, if it is inside, then thats a diffrent problem and u have to remove the seat, the two black circles, you will find the senders, etc check where the leak is, put double O rings on each edge, tight them well, carbo flexiable gasket on them, cover back the 2 black covers very well. and u r good to go.

mikey33

Sounds like it could be serious, but with no examples to speak of I am not going to let it ruin my day or complain to high heaven at my local MB dealer. I would think if it was common there would have been a car blown up by now to be honest, but you are doing the right thing pursuing the matter given you have the time.

ahmad0658

Thanx a lot ali for your reply, from inside I have no smell but from outside I have some and also sometimes if I opened the windows of the car I can smell it.

zdkdeeier493

Thats exactly the effect of the problem 03RSTT is describing. This needs to be fixed.

ahmad0658

Well, I have no leaks or at least traces of the fuel around the pumps or sender unit. It could be something else.

For sure, this car has fuel problem and I am sure most of you do have the same issue either leak or smell.

We don't know until what the problem is !!!!!! I hope someone can find out the problem so that we can give some solutions

Ali_E55

well mind doesn't has leak nor smell inside or outside.

happened once when the gas station stupid guy was keep filling it even after the pump stopped couple of times which lead to gas came out from bheind the rear right wheel, which where the release small pipe is there for air to come out or extra gas. lol

i don't think it is a problem, but when gas gey hotter it starts to evaporate in the tank whivh lead to pressure and then its getting out from the air drainage pipe, thats why after long hot driving, there is a smell outside, but no gas dropping, nor it is a flamable concentration.

ForgedModular E

last night i was parked for nearly an hour talking with a girl in my car and when we both got out the smell of gas was completely overwhelming... especially around the passenger side! I had never had this happen but now know to remove the rear seat and start looking around... it was horrible in all honesty! more of a gas smell than when I go fill up...

03RSTT

Mikey,

I will cut and paste what I said in the other thread.

hmmm, just because it has not happened yet does not mean it will or wont. If and when it does I want to think I made every effort to raise the red flag with other owners, MB USA and NHTSA.

If and when it does happen the world will change for all us 03-06 E55 owners.

Another E55 owner and member on this forum (fields) has his car in Schumi MB in Phoenix right now with the exact same problem. Gas pouring out from under the car and it gave no prior notice. That tow truck driver didnt even want to touch that car it was so bad.

So is my case isolated? Are my actions over the top?

Time will tell.

BTW, I like your sig images.

Sorry to be the guy that comes in out of the blue and pulls the fire alarm. I dont have many posts here because this is my wifes car and its 100% stock. I own a RS6 and several other vehicles and I'm very active with the RS6 group. The circumstances were such that I happened to fill my wifes car up after we came home from vacation and this happened to me. We had been smelling fuel off and on for the last couple of months before this massive failure happened.

If this helps one owner before a fire happens then I have done something.

Forrest Gump 9

I do noticed that when ever I over-filled my car I will have a nasty smelling garage in the morning. This only happen when I over-filled the car. If I stop filling the gas right at the first click, no problem.