Hotrod-Realtor

looks like you are making progress there sir.

Maniaxxx

I have noticed a fuel smell once in a while from outside rear of car. Two days ago I get a check engine light. I went to autozone and they scanned my car. Code P0456. Something about a leak with the Evap Canister.

My question? Is this related to the fuel sender recall? I called the dealer and they said all recall work was performed on my car. Have a 2005 E55.
Is this issue from recall problem or something else?

No warranty so I have to bring to my local mechanic.

Any help with this question would be appreciated.

fly2nite

IIRC there are two scenarios for the fuel leak. If you smell gas and have no code, it's the sending unit. If you smell gas and have the P0456 code which is "small evap leak," your tank is leaking. Most likely the dealer will try to replace the sending unit first.

novae500

Well my E500 4matic has the gas smell now after filling up the tank. Has 50k miles on it. Its still under CPO warranty from the dealer so will be taking it in.

Hulk

For guys not under warranty, try to wait it out til april 13th as there no more extensions and MB has to have an answer to the problem

Maniaxxx

Since I don't have a warranty should I?

A. Pay MB dealer to diagnose the issue at 230 per hour
B. Have my mechanic check it out.
C. Wait

What's the fix for this are the parts expensive. Is it safe to wait until April 13th?



Thanks guys.

aghakauve

Damn I just got this code 2 days ago :/ I did a little searching and found that it could be the Gas cap is that what you are talking about?

Hulk

Try to fill up only half the tank ,I know that's what a few guys have been doing and there's hardly any smell and if you can wait it out obviously it might be worth the wait

gaazmon

nope it will still throw the "check gas cap" error even if you change it (i did). also had the o-rings/seals replaced just so i could get rid of that smell (this is only a temp fix, these will eventually fail as well) but still throws the gas cap error on the cluster.

like it's stated, april 13th is when the nhtsa results should be out (the deadline was extended. everyone with this issue should file with nhtsa). so i'm holding off on anything major till then (fuel sending units or entire fuel tank).

pj57

Folks - first of all, thanks to those of you who diligently followed up on this with the NHTSA. I own an '04 E55. At 51K miles, I experienced the same fuel problems. Took the car in to MB dealer and was told I needed new sender units. When I asked the service writer about the recall, he told me these were not the same parts as the recall. Now, that I've read this thread I'm ready to choke the @&$! out of the guy because it appears at least some of the parts were recalled. I'm the second owner of the vehicle and don't know if the original recall service was ever performed on the car. In any event, it seems as if there are two sending units involved, not just the p/n listed in the recall notice. Here are the p/n's used in the repair:
211-470-17-94 sender unit $642.60
211-470-51-94 sender unit $659.40
211-471-05-79 (x2) seal ring $23.63ea.
001-990-80-54 (x2) nut $7.13 ea.
Labor $475.60
Total = $1839.12
Can someone decipher what services were performed on my car? If my memory is correct one of the sender units contained the fuel pump while the other was the fuel level sending unit, perhaps? I will anxiously await MB's sure to be BS reply but will be asking the dealer whether the recall had been previously performed on the vehicle. If not, would I not be entitled to a refund of the repair. Thanks, PJ

Maniaxxx

211-471-05-79 (x2) seal ring $23.63ea.

Do you guys think it makes sense to have my mechanic replace the seal? I opened up the seat today and saw some gas puddling on top of the drivers side fuel sender unit. If the seal doesn't do the trick I guess I will have to buy a pair of sending units. Try to hold off on that if it's not needed.

Is this possible? Can you just replace the seal?

Ronan Mc Cabe

Yes you can replace just the seal.

However there is a MB recall for this issue, your dealer needs to replace the seal as part of the MB voluntary recall. First bring your car to your preferred MB dealer, they will diagnose the issue, they should replace necessary parts per MB USA voluntary recall, if they start balking call MB USA with your VIN # and get approval.

If this does not work PM me and I will tell you what I did to get them to cover the issue in my car.

cij911

Unfortunately that is not 100% correct...MB claims it was ONLY certain VINs...Complete BS and this is a real problem for a variety of MB e-series cars...

Maniaxxx

I called the dealer and was told the recall work was done. Plus I don't have a warranty so I am out of luck. I have to pay on my own.

I am looking for a cheap fix. My question is does it make sense to try to replace the seals before swapping out both Sender units?

Hulk

There was never a recall for gas tanks..wait until the 13th

Ronan Mc Cabe

You are correct that MB claims only certain VINs are covered, for example they claimed mine was not covered.
However, as part of the voluntary recall they gave the qty of vehicles affected to the EPA, the total number of E55 AMG and CLS affected under the recall according to MB USA is 10,680 units. Per AMG forum (I cannot find a better source) approximate number of W211 E55 AMG and CLS sold is 10,702 between 2003 and 2006, a difference of 22 units.
The figures speak for themselves MB USA is doing all it can NOT to make repairs for the recall by claiming that only certain VINs are covered.

AgSilver

As some of you may know, I keep an E55 in Germany. My friends at an MB facility in Germany have never heard of this problem and I have yet to experience it. That said, could the problem be a result of the addition of ethanol to the U.S. fuel? Ethanol can be very corrosive and damaging to certain materials. Also, I am a great believer in the regular use of Techron additive. Chevron also states that Techron is very beneficial for the fuel level sending units. Every year my E55 is stored for more than 6 months with a full tank with Techorn and Stabil added. Now, hopefully not like the guy who fell from the observation deck of the Empire state Building who was heard, as he was falling, to be saying: "so far so good," but likewise for me, so far so good.

Hulk

yes, i have heard someone say that..it might have been the service advisor repeating what guys have told him about the problem, but regardless, MB make cars that are sold everywhere in the world, they should test for fuel situations in diff countries

AgSilver

Truer words have never before been spoken

gaazmon

a guy in the w211 forum mentioned the same thing

fly2nite

I've always thought the pooling of fuel at the driver side sending unit is actually just fuel coming from the leaking evap tube higher up on the tank, which is then streaming down into the top of the sending unit, giving the appearance that fuel is leaking from the seal. I can't find it now but someone posted a pic of the tank a while back or a diagram but it looked like an easy path from evap tube to the cavity for the SU. Been a while since i saw those pics though...maybe i'm thinking of the EPC diagram of the tank. ONE OF THEM lol.

Ronan Mc Cabe

After replacing the seal and then the sending unit my gas tank was replaced per Fly2Nite's note above, the evap "cap" was leaking. I have the defective gas tank and will post photos next week.

Maniaxxx

Then the seal wont help? Do I need to find the leaking evap tube then? Is this tube replaceable?

Ronan Mc Cabe

Replace the seal, see if that fixes the issue.
The evap section of the gas tank is not repairable / replaceable, the whole tank has to be replaced.

Maniaxxx

Ok. Thanks for the info. I will have my mechanic replace the seals then.

Wish me luck