Just filed a complaint as mine started leaking today and wouldn't you know I'm 800+ miles away from Ohio out at Offutt AFB for training and have no idea what to do since I'm due to drive back home in 2 days =(

Just drive it and keep the windows cracked and a fire extinguisher within arms reach :)...

Yep. Got the smell...filed the NHtsa complaint
 

Filed mine today. A new fuel tank is in my future. :smash:

I've been having the fuel smell/leak issue for about 2 years now, and have been only filling it to 1/2 tank. About 2 months ago, I took my car to a hand car wash on a really hot day, and it died after the guy had finished pulling it through the hand wash. I spent about 7 hours trying to get it started before having it towed on a flatbed back to my house (it was late Friday on memorial day weekend).

I've been pretty bummed and its been too hot to get out and work with it, so the car's been sitting out in the garage idle, and dumped so low I can't move it.

So, today I got out in the garage, pulled the seat out, and checked in the fuel bucket. I've been getting a leak on the passenger side. It looks like there's a little fuel pooled around the cap portion, but I couldn't see a leak in the seal. I attempted to prime the pump and checked the Schrader valve on the rail under the hood. No fuel. I closed it and checked for spark using a spark tester. The car is getting spark properly. Upon pulling off the cap of the fuel bucket and struggling to get the clip off the outside, I noticed the plastic around the harness plugs is burned and it looks like it's melted around where they plug in above the fuel pumps/bucket.

I've read a few things about burned harnesses, but haven't seen an exact fix. I'm not sure if I should order an entirely new fuel bucket with pumps, a new harness, or what. I'm guessing I'll start with a harness. Does anyone know the typical reason for the short in the harness? Is it related to the fuel leak?

Oh, and I'll file a new complaint on the NHTSA sight tonight. I'm sick of this crap.

(pics to come of the sending unit and burns)

Here is the main leakage on the passenger side:
Attachment 379088

You can see the burns on the connectors in the harness plug:
Attachment 379089

The worst part of the burn. You can see it melted through the plastic all the way on the back side of the port:
Attachment 379090

These plugs are basically fused into the plastic here. Can't pull them yet.
Attachment 379091

Taurran, out of curiosity, how many miles are on your car and have you ever changed the fuel filter?

~100k now. I purchased the car back in 2009 with ~70k miles on it. I haven't changed the fuel filter in that time. I've been considering what might cause excessive heat on this circuit and you may be right that it's something restricting fuel flow. I checked the fuel line on the sender unit and it looks fine. I'll pull the sender unit on the drivers side and check the filter.

In the meantime, I finaly used an exacto knife to trim back some of the melted plugs and ended up pulling them out. It ended up snapping some off because it was fused together so badly. Here's the pic of the fuel bucket cap. I'm going to have to replace the whole unit regardless to fix the leak, so I'm debating now whether I should get the OEM MB part, or go with the Airtex aftermart one. I'd probably rahter have the OEM pumps/bucket just in case MB ever is forced to take action on this issue.

From the top:
Attachment 379086


From the bottom. Notice you can see right through it:
Attachment 379087

Oh, and so far the shopping list includes:

- Two fuel pump relays
- New fuse (already installed)
- Fuel pumps and bucket assembly (passenger side)
- Fuel pump harness
- Fuel filter

Anything else I should consider changing? The sender unit on the driver's side looks fine and I don't see any apparent signs of leakage.

I've never seen one that bad before. I have seen some of the external connectors getting a darker brown. I've seen a lot of C Class models with the wires burned. I just replaced my filter that had about 90k on it. The connectors on the pump showed very slight evidence of getting darker brown, but not burnt.. Something is causing an excessive amp draw there, possibly a partially clogged fuel filter, or bad pump(s). The recommended interval is to change the filter at 60k miles, but varies by year/model. I would definitely do the filter. When you remove the filter/LH sender unit (the filter is part of the sender) you won't be able to see much. Don't forget you'll need the 2 seal rings for the senders as well!

The dealer told me my harness had a burn when they were checking my pumps earlier this year. Pumps were changed in 08 due to the recall, and apparently there was a "revision" after that so the older pump harness doesn't mate up with the new one. Well, that's what my SA told me, so I needed two new pumps again, instead of just one. My extended warranty doesn't cover revisions so I had to eat it on one pump.

Please send those pics of the burn to NHTSA. They would probably want the part as well so don't throw it away.

So since MB is delaying this process, would it not be better to seal the tank (remove the pumps and filter), install an external pump under the car and an inline filter ?

Thanks.

I didn't think there was a leak in the two seal rings when I expected them (the black rings that screw on over the senders to seal them in?). I'm guessing you think I should replace them while I'm in there even if I don't see a leak?

It seemed to me that the leak was coming through the melted hole in the sender, but I could be wrong.

Edit I found both seals and rings.

Those black seal rings have been updated with a green seal ring, I think because the original black rings tended to split and leak, so best to get them new

taurran pm your email for the contact at NHTSA
I'll instruct you what to do in the pm

Filed mine.

My wagon is leaking. At the dealer now. $1K to fix. Unbelievable.

Have you read the NHSTA stuff? Mercedes basically says this is unrelated to the recall, so shove it.

My service adviser was a hoot. Very supportive but little he could do. He calls and explains the problem and says it will take a few days to get the parts. I know this is really common, so I ask him to check if he has them.

Surprise, surprise, all the parts are kept in stock.

Oh no, it isn't a common problem at all.......

Thanks for filing the claim on everyone's behalf!

Got a check engine light today. The code(AUTO ZONE SCANNER) relates to the fuel cap needing replacing? CAR RUNS STRONG... LIKE ALWAYS
is it more than likely the dreaded tank leak? car has 3/4 tank of fuel but no GAS smell.

Get a new cap and monitor. The cap seal is old and can go bad.

E500 crashed and strangely caught on fire here:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/ar...Seminole-crash

I just recently had to change my fuel sending unit on the driver side as well. Didn't think the gas smell was so bad until I saw fuel spilling out of the bottom of my car :crazy:

Question. On the passenger side is it normal to see gas like in your pic? Is it because thats where the gas tank is?

Wow another one?! Did someone forward this to Neil (lawyer handling this stuff)?

Could it be that the car caught fire because it hit the concrete abutment?

Complaint filed

Filed my complaint yesterday. Gas was actually leaking on the driveway.:eek: