AMGfan

I was in Orlando this weekend and on late Saturday I started to smell what I thought were exhaust fumes but it became more apparent that it was fuel. Before we drove home on Sunday, I filled up and by the time I was in Tampa I was already down to a quarter tank (its only maybe a 70 - 80 mile trip) and fuel smell was bad.

I had to put more gas in to get back to my office, but before I got there a cop stopped me because he could smelled the gas from HIS car and saw leakage when he was behind me...

I drove to my office and left it there overnight and this morning had AAA tow it to my tuner to have it checked out...they looked at the bottom of the car and no apparent broken lines or punctured tank.

When they took off the rear seat and looked at the top of the tank and fuel pump, the left line attached to the fuel pump was barely hanging on and when the tech tested it by pulling on it...it totally broke off. Also, there was a pool of fuel below the top gasket and around the top of the tank...RIGHT below where my daughter was sitting on the ride home...SCARY!

At that point, Chris (the owner of C2 Design) called MB, specifically to a service writer that he personally knows and we sent it over to MB to have the pump and fuel line replaced. Also to check if there was any other possible source of the leak...its not probable, though.

It's just scary I was driving that long with that much fuel in the car...I was tempting fate but initially I thought it might have been exhaust fumes somehow creeping into the cabin.

I'm lucky nothing seriously bad happened...

Thanks to Chris and Andrew (Wrench - his handle on this site) for his great customer service and figuring out the problem. To be honest with you I'm glad they knew someone on the inside or I'd probably be running around in circles with MB making sure they cover this under warranty. At this point they are with Chris' explanation and reputation smoothing things over.

I'll keep you posted on what they find and final outcome.

Jon

MB_Forever

Wow that is very scary. I'm glad nothing bad happened, as this could've turned into a serious tragedy

Please keep us updated.....

brabusw209amg

i guess ur still alive because of one BIG reason. You do not smoke.

rahulanand1130

same thing happened right after i got my used 03, couldnt figure it out cause my fuel leak wasnt as bad as yours but i could def smell it. Tried ignoring it for about three days, then the car wouldnt start, had to roll it out of my garage and towed to my dealer, i was pissed.

AMGfan

Bro...what did they find out was the problem...a broken fuel pump connection like mine? If it was...what did MB service dept. say?

Jrocket

Thats the first thing that came to my mind...my daughters car seat sits right there in the middle! WOW!

rahulanand1130

Im pretty sure it was the same problem, not 100% ill see if i still have the service report tomorrow and let you know

dblnikel

The same thing happened to me about a month ago. I drove for several days before i had it checked out. When i looked under the seat there was gasoline everywhere. I am a smoker and thank god nothing happened. From what i hear it is a common problem on our cars. At the end it cost me $500 and a favor to get it done. Thank God you are ok, u would think that MB would out a recall on it.

AMGfan

+1...was your car out of warranty?

Cylinder Head

iTrader: (1)

Oh my god man, so glad you're okay, that is some perilous stuff.

dblnikel

Of course it was out of warranty. Why would anything severve go wrong before the warranty ends. I am assuming you are out of warranty also??

AMGfan

Luckily, I have the factory warranty until next August. I checked a couple of weeks ago because I wanted to know when I should get an aftermarket extended warranty for the 55 (Mercury most likely). I will not keep this car without one.

I've been lucky so far as this has been the ONLY serious problem with the car since I got it...I did pick a doozy of problem to have though.

Fikse

how do you pull up the rear seat to check this?

Marshall_K

Is this limited to the E55 AMG or are all E's susceptible?

BrianS

Mine had the leak a couple of weeks ago and I thought I repaired it but only ended up covering a hairline split in the fuel outlet. It ended up failing several days later but fortunately i was in the driveway. I replace the fuel filter assembly myself along with new seals. All is good now but what a pain in the a$$. Here's a pic of our filter assembly. The dual fuel pumps are in an enclosure under the right rear seat. Another reason this thing cost so much is the integrated sending unit and fuel pressure regulator at the bottom of the filter.

jpohl402

Small spring loaded tabs (2 - one each side) on underneath of seat, center of perforations (where a person would sit - i.e. between your legs)



Good question......

Tritech

I just got a notice in the mail a few weeks ago for a recall for this... dropped it off and it was about 2 hours labor IIRC.

ahmad0658

Changed fuel pump, Then changed leaking tank, and finally changed the F***ing Filter "sender unit", I still can smell gas in my car specially when I fill it to top. and the smell outside the car is even clear and more than when I am inside.

I checked below seat, no fuel, no leak, checked the the system just behind the rear tire that is behind the passenger side, and no leaks and hoses are in place.

I don't know now what to do and check next !!!!!! I am selling the car to a friend of mine but I don't want him to have with this smell that I don't know where it comes from.

Any new suggestion other than changing the above?! agian, I say no leaks or fuel near the pump or the sending unit.

The front valve that is near the engine from the driver side, will it effect? and how do we test it if it is working properly or not?

I hope if one of the good technicians here can give us suggestion or solution.

Ali_E55

if u fill it to the top, some times they fill it more where there is a small pipe to let the extra gas out it frops it behind the right rear wheel.

when i had the leak, i fixed it by replacing the fuel pupms and filters, and i asked the technician to do a double sealing in all the joints, and now more than a year with no smell at all.

zdkdeeier493

I've had this problem 2 times now and have spent over $800 at the dealership trying to get it "fixed." Still, on long drives I can smell gas eventually. What was the recall #, do you know? I want to go to my service rep and demand a free repair and/or refund for my previous expenditures. Either way, it needs to get replaced again and I am most definitely NOT paying for it if a recall has been issued. I got no such letter, though. Would you mind telling me the exact recall ID #?

pcanuck

Here is the recall notice from MBUSA.

CharlyE500

Thanx ! this is so useful for everybody.... i guess its only for E55 not others E models.

220S

If you search here and other forums, you'll see that non-AMG E Class cars also have had the issue of fuel leaking under the rear seat at the sender unit.

Bellevue_E55

This happened to me after 3 drips to dealer with all of the below replaced they found I had a hairline crack in my gas tank. Had to replace it.

novae500

wow, what a scary incident. Good thing nothing happened or you didn't try and continue to drive it. Glad it all worked out in the end for you.