URGENT: NHTSA Opens investigation into fuel leaks on the W211 E Class
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15,901
Likes: 4,630
From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
I feel like there going to make me a fool. Im just alittle nervous because both 2007 manuals & 2008 manuals says those warrantys are for those years only. And I feel like they might say that those warrantys are for only that year and that year ONLY... That's the only thing that's holdin me back.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
2006 E320 CDI
e320 cdi leaking fuel sending unit
My 2006 e320 cdi has a chronic leak at the fuel sending unit under the rear seat on the drivers side. A new seal didn't fix it. Diesel fuel puddles around the sending unit. This appears to be a problem across all W211 cars.
It may need a new tank and sending for a final remedy which costs thousands. I joined several others and filed a complaint with NHTSA.
Mercedes should step up and fix this problems for out of warranty cars.
Is it unreasonable to expect my fuel tank not to leak for the life of the car?
I have owned 21 cars in my life and not one have a fuel tank leak before this Mercedes. Mercedes should be ashamed and embarrassed.
It may need a new tank and sending for a final remedy which costs thousands. I joined several others and filed a complaint with NHTSA.
Mercedes should step up and fix this problems for out of warranty cars.
Is it unreasonable to expect my fuel tank not to leak for the life of the car?
I have owned 21 cars in my life and not one have a fuel tank leak before this Mercedes. Mercedes should be ashamed and embarrassed.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 723
Likes: 32
From: Central Jersey
2003 E500, 2004 G35X
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 723
Likes: 32
From: Central Jersey
2003 E500, 2004 G35X
My 2006 e320 cdi has a chronic leak at the fuel sending unit under the rear seat on the drivers side. A new seal didn't fix it. Diesel fuel puddles around the sending unit. This appears to be a problem across all W211 cars.
It may need a new tank and sending for a final remedy which costs thousands. I joined several others and filed a complaint with NHTSA.
Mercedes should step up and fix this problems for out of warranty cars.
Is it unreasonable to expect my fuel tank not to leak for the life of the car?
I have owned 21 cars in my life and not one have a fuel tank leak before this Mercedes. Mercedes should be ashamed and embarrassed.
It may need a new tank and sending for a final remedy which costs thousands. I joined several others and filed a complaint with NHTSA.
Mercedes should step up and fix this problems for out of warranty cars.
Is it unreasonable to expect my fuel tank not to leak for the life of the car?
I have owned 21 cars in my life and not one have a fuel tank leak before this Mercedes. Mercedes should be ashamed and embarrassed.
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Fuel pump Seal
I have a 2004 E500 and I had this problem too. I noticed it most when I filled up. One day after a filled the gas tank up and parked on an inclined, I notice gas linking under the car. That was enough for me to get it checked out after noticing the smell for a while.
I didn't take it to the dealer like I had for the first 7 years I had the car. My mechanic diagnosed a broken seal where the sender is mounted in the fuel tank. It's under the rear back seat, closer to the driver side. I could see where the gas had been leaking all around the seal. I forget how much I paid for the service but I'm thinking around $600-$800 parts and labor.
My car was 7.5 years old so I chalked it up to wear and tear. Don't fill your car tank all the way up to avoid the spill/smell until you can get the fuel pump or sender replaced. I don't remember which it was. :-) But it's the device that's on the top of your gas tank under the back seat. I guess the sneder. Nevertheless, it's all good now.
I didn't take it to the dealer like I had for the first 7 years I had the car. My mechanic diagnosed a broken seal where the sender is mounted in the fuel tank. It's under the rear back seat, closer to the driver side. I could see where the gas had been leaking all around the seal. I forget how much I paid for the service but I'm thinking around $600-$800 parts and labor.
My car was 7.5 years old so I chalked it up to wear and tear. Don't fill your car tank all the way up to avoid the spill/smell until you can get the fuel pump or sender replaced. I don't remember which it was. :-) But it's the device that's on the top of your gas tank under the back seat. I guess the sneder. Nevertheless, it's all good now.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
E320
Saw an E55 on the rack at a local independent yesterday. Owner complaining of fuel smell. Upon further investigation it appeared that the tank was leaking from the top as they found stains running down the front of the tank on the passenger side.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
E320
Ethanol.
About 5 years ago my folks had a MB300D that lost every injector seal and the pump all at once after a fill up with re-formulated diesel. A friend in the fuel business says that the reformulated stuff does have some ethanol in it. I cannot vouch for this but he's seen his fair share of screwed up injector seals.
The greedy corn lobby and the misguided folks at the EPA have cost us all a lot of money through NO FAULT OF OUR OWN other than letting them have there way with us.
About 5 years ago my folks had a MB300D that lost every injector seal and the pump all at once after a fill up with re-formulated diesel. A friend in the fuel business says that the reformulated stuff does have some ethanol in it. I cannot vouch for this but he's seen his fair share of screwed up injector seals.
The greedy corn lobby and the misguided folks at the EPA have cost us all a lot of money through NO FAULT OF OUR OWN other than letting them have there way with us.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 723
Likes: 32
From: Central Jersey
2003 E500, 2004 G35X
Ethanol.
About 5 years ago my folks had a MB300D that lost every injector seal and the pump all at once after a fill up with re-formulated diesel. A friend in the fuel business says that the reformulated stuff does have some ethanol in it. I cannot vouch for this but he's seen his fair share of screwed up injector seals.
The greedy corn lobby and the misguided folks at the EPA have cost us all a lot of money through NO FAULT OF OUR OWN other than letting them have there way with us.
About 5 years ago my folks had a MB300D that lost every injector seal and the pump all at once after a fill up with re-formulated diesel. A friend in the fuel business says that the reformulated stuff does have some ethanol in it. I cannot vouch for this but he's seen his fair share of screwed up injector seals.
The greedy corn lobby and the misguided folks at the EPA have cost us all a lot of money through NO FAULT OF OUR OWN other than letting them have there way with us.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,085
Likes: 59
From: Los Angeles
2009 SL550 Roadster Diamond White, 2008 CLK550 Coupe Obsidian Black
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 15
From: Louisiana
03 E500 and Corvette
If it is ethanol affecting the tank I am sure the Fed Gov will be efficient enough to determine this and require us to install new seals.
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 902
Likes: 3
From: Arizona
W211
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
W211 E240
Fuel Smell
Thanks for all the tips on the fuel issues. I have an E240 and I have the same smell, and fuel around the sender Unit. I replaced the seal and still had the smell as soon as I filled the tank. I removed the seat and cove and parked the car on an incline and watch the fuel seep slowly from above the sender unit.
After looking at an online picture of the tank, I am of the opinion that there is possibly a crack around the breather pipe where it enters the top of the tank and seeps from there when full.
I am in Australia, and I contacted a MB Specialists, he had not come across this problem as yet in Australia, I will contact my local dealer this week.
The issue is that it is not just when the tank is full that it is dangerous, fuel vapours are what ignites and it is a constant danger at all times as vapours will be able to escape from the crack or where ever it is leaking.
How would it be if someone needed to use the oxy to heat up an exhaust flange or anything else under the car........
Matt
After looking at an online picture of the tank, I am of the opinion that there is possibly a crack around the breather pipe where it enters the top of the tank and seeps from there when full.
I am in Australia, and I contacted a MB Specialists, he had not come across this problem as yet in Australia, I will contact my local dealer this week.
The issue is that it is not just when the tank is full that it is dangerous, fuel vapours are what ignites and it is a constant danger at all times as vapours will be able to escape from the crack or where ever it is leaking.
How would it be if someone needed to use the oxy to heat up an exhaust flange or anything else under the car........
Matt
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,692
Likes: 5
none
Update 4.18.12..........I want to report that this afternoon I've had the NHTSA call me up and ask me several pertinent questions that pertain to this problem. They are taking this issue seriously and Ive directed them to this link and others so that they may gather evidence.
In our conversation, we discussed at hand the issues leading up to this problem including the recall performed years back, the ethanol content in today's gasoline, and the fact that Mercedes is making customers paying out of pocket for the fix. They know of the car and the fact that they consider specifically the E55 one of the Halo Cars that Mercedes sells. Their engineer was also surprised at the low mileage that my incident occurred (33K miles).
What can really help if anyone who has paid out of pocket for this repair to please contact me via PM. I would need a copy of an invoice or a quote for the work done to show the folks back at the NHTSA how Mercedes is trying to bill the customer for this repair.
Still no update on the recall, Mercedes has provided a response to the NHTSA. But it's still preliminary right now.
In our conversation, we discussed at hand the issues leading up to this problem including the recall performed years back, the ethanol content in today's gasoline, and the fact that Mercedes is making customers paying out of pocket for the fix. They know of the car and the fact that they consider specifically the E55 one of the Halo Cars that Mercedes sells. Their engineer was also surprised at the low mileage that my incident occurred (33K miles).
What can really help if anyone who has paid out of pocket for this repair to please contact me via PM. I would need a copy of an invoice or a quote for the work done to show the folks back at the NHTSA how Mercedes is trying to bill the customer for this repair.
Still no update on the recall, Mercedes has provided a response to the NHTSA. But it's still preliminary right now.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 723
Likes: 32
From: Central Jersey
2003 E500, 2004 G35X
Update 4.18.12..........I want to report that this afternoon I've had the NHTSA call me up and ask me several pertinent questions that pertain to this problem. They are taking this issue seriously and Ive directed them to this link and others so that they may gather evidence.
In our conversation, we discussed at hand the issues leading up to this problem including the recall performed years back, the ethanol content in today's gasoline, and the fact that Mercedes is making customers paying out of pocket for the fix. They know of the car and the fact that they consider specifically the E55 one of the Halo Cars that Mercedes sells. Their engineer was also surprised at the low mileage that my incident occurred (33K miles).
What can really help if anyone who has paid out of pocket for this repair to please contact me via PM. I would need a copy of an invoice or a quote for the work done to show the folks back at the NHTSA how Mercedes is trying to bill the customer for this repair.
Still no update on the recall, Mercedes has provided a response to the NHTSA. But it's still preliminary right now.
In our conversation, we discussed at hand the issues leading up to this problem including the recall performed years back, the ethanol content in today's gasoline, and the fact that Mercedes is making customers paying out of pocket for the fix. They know of the car and the fact that they consider specifically the E55 one of the Halo Cars that Mercedes sells. Their engineer was also surprised at the low mileage that my incident occurred (33K miles).
What can really help if anyone who has paid out of pocket for this repair to please contact me via PM. I would need a copy of an invoice or a quote for the work done to show the folks back at the NHTSA how Mercedes is trying to bill the customer for this repair.
Still no update on the recall, Mercedes has provided a response to the NHTSA. But it's still preliminary right now.
