BBBSS

With multiple people having fuel leaking onto the ground and the NHTSA being able to come look at these cars and parts themselves if they want I can't see how Mercedes can deny this, and NHTSA can't make em issue a recall and revise the parts.

This is gonna be a HUGE cost to Mercedes and they will keep fighting it till the end though I'm sure. Probably why this is taking so long as NHTSA is gathering as much proof as they can and building the strongest case possible as they only get one shot at this I think.

moosejaw

Can anyone call and find out what the status is of this claim
I cant wait to get this fixed.

efiftyfizzle

I emailed Neil a few weeks back about a status update and he said these things don't get resolved quickly.

BBBSS

Potentially millions and millions of dollars on the line = probably a year or more start to finish I bet.

Figure even a new sending unit assembly for just the ~8500 AMG cars at say $300 per unit installed MB out of pocket price (that's real low IMHO) and they are out about $3 Million. What do you think 8500 new gas tanks installed would cost them? This is why they will try to come up with some kind of dirt cheap BS "fix" like the insert in the fuel line they came up with last time. Same as Toyota with the .02 cent metal shim to fix sticky gas pedals. Or ford adding a $1 inline fuse to the cruise control switch that kept setting their cars on fire.

Many Germans are cursing and screaming at each other looking for that .02 BS "solution" that they can try to stick us with right now.


Can anyone find how long the investigation for the original recall lasted? Can't seem to find anything online.

AMG903L

300,000 cars possibly effected x $2000 per new tank and senders = $600 million... $150 million if they can do it for 75% off like they quoted me.

moosejaw

Not the attorney, I was referfing to NHTSA

vettdvr

It's easy for MB to decline the responsibility. All they have to do is say NO!

I switched my MB to Gas with no ethanol. I pay about $.20 / gal more but hopefully that will keep me from driving a bomb.

This fuel is from a normal gas station all taxes paid and I also use the same fuel in my airplane. Before any fuel goes into my plane it is tested for ethanol and water, to insure there is none. This way I know my MB is also getting gas with no ethanol. Hopefully I can miss this bomb issue. After all I have had all the "other" MB failures from airmatic, sbc brakes, struts and most of the ones on this site already covered.

GregMB

I was subscribed to this thread forever hoping I'd never need to deal with it myself.

Unfortunately, I filled up in NJ on a business trip and parked the car overnight and was overwhelmed by fumes the next morning when I opened the door! ARGH.

I've been driving around with my windows down for the last 24 hours to clear the smell. Looks like I need to submit my details to bolster our numbers on this issue.

-G

[180]

Driving to work this morning, saw what appeared to be a newer M-B on the freeway that was on fire.
I couldn't really tell what model it was since the flames were a good 15+ft high and you could barely make out the silhouette of the car.. I'm guessing with a fire that strong that there was fuel burning.

Hoping someone can follow up on this incident, maybe we can find out if this was a W211 and the circumstances of the fire? This was in Southern California - 60 Freeway Eastbound at Grove Ave, approx 11AM PST on 9/28/2012.

From cad.chp.ca.gov:

GregMB

I compiled a list of names from MBWorld of people who claimed to have this fuel leak issue, and posted this on the w211 forum as well.

Look for your name on this list. If your name is here but the data is incomplete please PM me with your ODI# and year/model info.

If you've had a fuel issue and don't see your name at all, please file a claim with NHTSA immediately, then PM me with your details. I will add your name to this master list.




I'll update this list every few days, so that people can see how well we are doing with this data gathering. If you see friends' names on this list, bug them to send their data to me. NHTSA is doing the best they can based on the reports they have, so it's our responsibility to get them as many cases as possible to show the true failure rates of these components.

Thanks.

-G

cij911

Wow - Although the list of more than 100 cars (just here on MBWorld) have reported this issue, clearly there are a magnitude greater and we need to make sure people are aware of the issue and that they need to report the issue. My neighbor had this issue with his e55, had his gas tanks replaced at the dealership, but never filed a report (he now owns the new CLS63).

GregMB

I need to be clear, the names on this list are simply people who have posted about having an issue, and perhaps have already paid for repairs. It is not a list of people who have officially filed with NHTSA...

That is why it's important to compile this data. MBUSA is counting on the fact that nobody is tracking the numbers carefully enough to show the true exposure to this failure, so they can simply deny that this is a common issue worthy of a recall.

If I can get everyone on this list to file with NHTSA, and also get the non-AMG W211 guys to start reporting their failures too, we'll have a SUBSTANTIAL amount of claims that will be hard to ignore.

Please help me to get the word out to the people on this list, and to others non-MBWORLD people with this issue. The more complete this list becomes, the better it will be for all of us.



-G

gaazmon

Yes. Everyone that has an issue needs to file a claim and let it be known here so the list grows and it can be shown that this is a serious issue that affects most, if not all, cars

Greg, my NHTSA ODI # is 10452702 if that helps for your list. Also the car is a 2004 E320

novae500

Gm recall 40,893 cars for fuel leak today for cars from 07-0 on several models Plastic part of fuel pump can fail over timeand cause fuel leak. Hmmmm when will Mercedes do the same recall

BBBSS

So I'm looking over my VMI and noticed Option Code 915 - Fuel tank with increased capacity.

Is this specific to E55's or US model E Class's? Perhaps a euro spec is smaller and different and isn't leaking due to being built differently? If its an option for a bigger tank somewhere an E Class has a smaller tank.

pearlpower

Nice work, mine: 10474378

GregMB

Pearlpower,

What year is your E55?

-G

AMG903L

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...type=DrillDown

I hope we see one of these for our cars soon. Of couse this might be like the 2008 W211 fuel leak recall that didn't fix anything.

BenzoDoc

Car currently at dealership for 3rd or 4th time for same issue. Will file claim. Thank God for warranty.

GregMB

Updated list as of today - 10/1/2012:

Now at 112 names.... please continue to forward me the missing information so that I can get this list filled out completely for NHTSA. I appreciate everyone's help and involvement!


-G

GregMB

Update as of 10/3/2012:

A total of 115 affected members, with only 26 cases reported officially to NHTSA... we can do better than this!




-G

aynorfarms

Make:

MERCEDES BENZ

Model:


E350

Year:


2006

Complaint Number:


10478281

Summary:


FOR SEVERAL MONTHS THERE HAS BEEN A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AFTER FUELING THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR HAS BECOME STEADILY WORSE AND WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ASSISTANCE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN I INQUIRED HOW THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED, I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE DUE TO IMPACT OR TRAUMA (WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY INCIDENT). WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST $2,300.00 TO REPAIR VEHICLE. CALLED MB-USA AND ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE. WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON THE FUEL TANK AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COST. AS THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE, I HAD THE WORK PERFORMED AND RECEIVED A 10% "GOODWILL" DISCOUNT. PICKED UP VEHICLE AND DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE AND CONTINUED TO SMELL FUEL. CALLED DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAME TO PICK-UP. ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY DID NOT TIGHTEN A CLAMP OR SOMETHING. WE PICKED IT UP AGAIN AND THE ODOR WAS PERSISTENT. IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK AND WE SUBSEQUENTLY TRADED THE VEHICLE IN. BOTTOM LINE.... I DO NOT THINK THAT A FUEL TANK SHOULD FAIL ON A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 90,000 MILES. I HAVE THE OLD TANK AND BELIEVE THAT MB SHOULD REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF THE TANK.

aynorfarms

Folks,

I have been posting on the MB facebook page. Perhaps it would get their attention if more comments hit there??

dunnman99

I found this while looking for a replacement fuel filter.

Nasty job. Requires draining fuel tank, removing rear seat, and extracting fuel filter/fuel pressure regulator combination.

Are you aware that there is a voluntary recall campaign on this item?

It is possible this can be replaced for free by your Benz dealer.

Reference:

Campaign No. 2008020001, March 2008

http://answers.edmunds.com/question-...lem-52818.aspx

dunnman99

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w211...ml#post5473262


As you can see from the picture, it looks as if the crack is not visible.