SL/R231: 2017, 18 and 19 Owners and Gas Tank Thumping Noise
10-25-2018, 03:55 PM
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SL550
2017, 18 and 19 Owners and Gas Tank Thumping Noise
I have had an issue with my 2018 SL550 that has been with the car since the day I brought the car home. I purchased it brand new. The car when the gas tank is full will make a undulating thumping noise when going up a driveway or down it. It is a wave like thumping noise usually no more that 3 or 4 slight thumps/knocks coming from the rear of the car into the cabin. The noise completely goes away when the tank gets to 3/4 full and below. (Sounds to my hear very much like the old R230 SL baffle problem. I had a 2009 that had a broken baffle.Or like something is loose in the trunk.) I brought the 2018 into Mercedes service on Tuesday and test drove my car with the shop foreman who acknowledged the noise and suggested that it sounded like gas sloshing around in the gas tank and hitting the top or sides of it creating the thumps. Of course I left the car with them. Today I got a call and was told that they filled up the gas tank on one of their new 2019 SL550's on the lot and it also makes the same noise. They want me to drive the 2019 to demonstrate that it is also in current cars and therefore not much they can do about it. Unfortunately, I'm on a trip right now and will not be able to do that until next week. Additionally, and as an FYI , Mercedes changed the part number on the gas tank for models 2017 and newer. These newer gas tanks will not fit 2013 to 2016 model SL's.
This noise is annoying to me having spent so much money on this car . My question to owners who have a 2017, 2018 , or 2019, SL450 or 550 is do your cars make this thumping/knocking sound when the tank is full and you are turning in to go up or down curb cuts like say a driveway.
This noise is annoying to me having spent so much money on this car . My question to owners who have a 2017, 2018 , or 2019, SL450 or 550 is do your cars make this thumping/knocking sound when the tank is full and you are turning in to go up or down curb cuts like say a driveway.
10-25-2018, 07:07 PM
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No noise from my 2017 SL450. Mercedes needs to fix your issue. Saying they found the noise on a newer SL and then claiming it must be normal is bu**shi*.
10-26-2018, 02:17 AM
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AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
No noise on our 2017 SL550. Btw, all US SL’s have the same fuel tank. Other countries have two fuel tank options.
10-26-2018, 06:54 AM
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I am a bit confused and hopefully you know more than I on this issue. A google search shows that part houses supplying OEM have are 2 part numbers available for the SL550 and 450:
MB 231-470-13-00 which fits only 2017 and newer SL 550 and 450's, and then there is
MB 231-470-02-01 which seems to fit 2013 to 2018 550"s and 2015 to 2018 400 and 450's
Any idea why there are 2 gas tank part numbers?
MB 231-470-13-00 which fits only 2017 and newer SL 550 and 450's, and then there is
MB 231-470-02-01 which seems to fit 2013 to 2018 550"s and 2015 to 2018 400 and 450's
Any idea why there are 2 gas tank part numbers?
11-05-2018, 05:54 PM
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A little over a week ago I opened up a complaint case with Mercedes corporate customer service regarding the thumping noise I am experiencing when I fill up the gas tank. A few minutes ago I received a call from the "executive" customer service rep investigating my problem. Mercedes position on the noise is that it is a characteristic of the new design change made in 2017 and that there are no flaws with it and there is nothing that can be repaired. Tomorrow morning I pick up my car from the dealership where it has been sitting in service and I will be also driving their 2019 vehicle they drove that they told me has the same design characteristic on gas tank fill up.
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11-06-2018, 04:03 PM
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To follow up: Picked up my 2018 SL550 from service and test drove the dealerships unsold 2019 SL550 on a full tank of gas. And, sure enough I can hear the same but much more muted thumping sound when turning the car into and up a curb cut and if you will cause the car to "flex". The dealership's tech and my invoice says that it is sound of fuel sloshing around and hitting either the top of the tank or sides when the tank is full. The dealership is hypothesizing that when the R231 refresh was done something changed in the configuration of the gas tank to create this sound. The part number of the gas tank has changed in 2017 and is not suitable for 2013 to 2016 SL's.(non AMG)
My pure guess on why the thumbing sound in my 2018 SL550 is much more pronounced and easy to hear and create is because I spec'ed mine with ABC and that is somehow changing the way my car reacts to its body flexing going into and up a curb. It is also audible on a level street going say 25 MPH through a tight switchback.
Like I said ABC helping to accentuate this annoyance is a pure guess on my part.
What is not a guess is that Mercedes corporate is labeling the noise as a "design characteristic" of the car with no offered solution.
I'm next going to take the problem to the Mercedes Club of America National and see if they have any advice to offer on pursuing a resolution.
My pure guess on why the thumbing sound in my 2018 SL550 is much more pronounced and easy to hear and create is because I spec'ed mine with ABC and that is somehow changing the way my car reacts to its body flexing going into and up a curb. It is also audible on a level street going say 25 MPH through a tight switchback.
Like I said ABC helping to accentuate this annoyance is a pure guess on my part.
What is not a guess is that Mercedes corporate is labeling the noise as a "design characteristic" of the car with no offered solution.
I'm next going to take the problem to the Mercedes Club of America National and see if they have any advice to offer on pursuing a resolution.
11-06-2018, 06:10 PM
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I wish you luck and hope the Mercedes Club can highlight the problem for you. Years ago I was a member of the BMW Club here in Houston where many of us had problems with the gas gauge sticking on full until the tank only had about 2 gallons left to empty when the gauge would instantly drop to “empty”. The club sent a nice letter to BMW headquarters telling them we were getting little to no response from local dealerships. About a month later a return letter arrived stating that we did not know how to fill our gas tanks properly and the fault was not with the gauge or the car. What a joke!
12-08-2018, 08:43 PM
#11
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It's a "normal noise". Sounds like an oxymoron to me. Had same response with fuel injectors ticking/cricketing noise with 14 222. Prostitutes, all of 'em.
