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Hey all you w211 amg gurus
I was pouring over this thread and my 03/04 e55 has had a repair done in 2008 as a recall according to my VMI for the fuel filter module(pic of invoice included). I assume this is for the leaking problems many of you experience.
That being said, it says on my VMI under service packages FUEL TANK with code 47001(pic attached as well).
Does this mean I am entitled to the fuel tank replacement along with all relative components even though I smell no fuel and have no visible leaks?
Based on what Ive gathered from this thread they basically replaced the bare minimum but should have done the full tank etc....
Any Insight would be greatly appreciated!
-Mike
This recall that was done to your car back in 2008 is something entirely different. You are not entitled to any further repair unless you have a fuel leak or smell. You still have 3 years of this extension though so don't worry.
Hi everyone... First post and all of that. I bought a 2004 E55 a few weeks ago.
I just had a good experience at MB of Rocklin, CA. (Sacramento suburb)
They were able to source everything for my E55 in the same week. They had the tanks shipped from the east coast, completely assembled with new sending units and fuel pumps ready to go. I'm about an hour away from the dealer, so my scheduling is a bit rough, but I was able to drop off the car on Monday morning and it was complete and ready for pickup on Thursday around 11am.
I just talked to my service advisor to make sure they replaced everything and he confirmed that they have and - and this is the good news - the parts for the E55 aren't currently on backorder. Still several available nationwide.
Now is a good time to get this work done!
Edit: Forgot - the only questionable thing was that they tried to quote me $1,400 to change the two motor mounts and the trans mount. Yeah, no thanks.
Last edited by NDizzle; Oct 9, 2015 at 11:47 AM.
Reason: f
Just to clarify, if you have an E55 and your Mercedes VMI lists 'tank' for your unit (and I suspect all E55's do), THEN YOU NEED A NEW FUEL SENDER, NEW FUEL PUMP, AND A NEW FUEL TANK!!
These are the instructions from Mercedes themselves and are part of their settlement with NHTSB!!!!
If you only got part of the fix, then just know that your dealer did not follow the instructions, and your problem will only come back after the other components eventually fail.
After all this controversy, I took your advise went back and asked for the tank to be replaced as well. On back order of course. I contacted my source and he shipped out the tank this morning. It will be in San Diego on Tuesday.
I officially apologize to you JoeNobody. So this way the whole issue is taken care of and hopefully we won't ever have to deal with it ever again (although so far the smell didn't come back)!!!
After all this controversy, I took your advise went back and asked for the tank to be replaced as well. On back order of course. I contacted my source and he shipped out the tank this morning. It will be in San Diego on Tuesday.
I officially apologize to you JoeNobody. So this way the whole issue is taken care of and hopefully we won't ever have to deal with it ever again (although so far the smell didn't come back)!!!
I'm fairly certain the tanks between the CLS55 and E55 are nearly identical. The fuel components are 99% identical as well.
The fuel filter clogs on the driver side, and the plastic starts to crack under the backpressure. Eventually it takes out the internal sensor and leaks up into the "catch" on top of the tank so it doesn't drip down on to the exhaust. CAUSE: defective and inferior plastic housing of the filter sender.
The passenger side fuel pumps fail either through strain (clogged filter on other side) and/or defective plastic. The pumps will draw more power than normal, melt the electrical connector, and fuel comes up through the plug.
There may be other leak issues related to the inferior plastic housings from VDO.
The tank itself doesn't have any real issues. They have to drop the exhaust on the CLS in order to change it, and frankly, I don't trust a dealer enough to let them do that much work to my car.
The sealing rings on the tank itself are INSANELY tight, and if you ever see the tool used to lock it and the rubber seals themselves (I have one of the real claw tools), then you'll agree that it doesn't leak from the metal tank itself when tightened properly. The dealer didn't tighten mine properly, fyi.
No reason not to change the tank though, if you just want it changed. Clean tank = cleaner filter = happier fuel pumps = less likely this whole **** storm will come about again.
Same on the Es. Exhausted has to be lowered. I replaced my seals myself when it started because I thought that was the problem before I ever found out about the whole leak issue. I had the original black ones in. Replacements are green. It's intended to know if they were replaced.
I'm fairly certain the tanks between the CLS55 and E55 are nearly identical. The fuel components are 99% identical as well.
The fuel filter clogs on the driver side, and the plastic starts to crack under the backpressure. Eventually it takes out the internal sensor and leaks up into the "catch" on top of the tank so it doesn't drip down on to the exhaust. CAUSE: defective and inferior plastic housing of the filter sender.
The passenger side fuel pumps fail either through strain (clogged filter on other side) and/or defective plastic. The pumps will draw more power than normal, melt the electrical connector, and fuel comes up through the plug.
There may be other leak issues related to the inferior plastic housings from VDO.
The tank itself doesn't have any real issues. They have to drop the exhaust on the CLS in order to change it, and frankly, I don't trust a dealer enough to let them do that much work to my car.
The sealing rings on the tank itself are INSANELY tight, and if you ever see the tool used to lock it and the rubber seals themselves (I have one of the real claw tools), then you'll agree that it doesn't leak from the metal tank itself when tightened properly. The dealer didn't tighten mine properly, fyi.
No reason not to change the tank though, if you just want it changed. Clean tank = cleaner filter = happier fuel pumps = less likely this whole **** storm will come about again.
this is almost entirely correct except the fuel tanks are not metal they are plastic and the tanks at times actually do leak themselves from the upper center area of the tank and seep downward to where the sender caps are.
this is almost entirely correct except the fuel tanks are not metal they are plastic and the tanks at times actually do leak themselves from the upper center area of the tank and seep downward to where the sender caps are.
US tanks are metal because of the ULEV and SULEV standards. Rest of world models using plastic tanks.
US tanks are metal because of the ULEV and SULEV standards. Rest of world models using plastic tanks.
you are absolutely incorrect. you have an e55? go out and knock on your tank. its plastic. in fact this entire thread only pertains to plastic tanks to begin with. i believe you are thinking mercedes PZEV vehicles with the metal tanks which didnt start till later model w211 and it was non AMG.
you are absolutely incorrect. you have an e55? go out and knock on your tank. its plastic. in fact this entire thread only pertains to plastic tanks to begin with. i believe you are thinking mercedes PZEV vehicles with the metal tanks which didnt start till later model w211 and it was non AMG.
My tank is metal, but I have a CLS. It's cheap, thin, flimsy like metal. There may be some plastic somewhere in connection with it, but I haven't seen it.
When in doubt, make them change the tank. It's gasoline.
My tank is metal, but I have a CLS. It's cheap, thin, flimsy like metal. There may be some plastic somewhere in connection with it, but I haven't seen it.
When in doubt, make them change the tank. It's gasoline.
Yes, plastic. I changed my pump/filter modules and (green) seals last year. With about 70k miles on the clock the old unit seemed to be in excellent condition with no indication of overheating due to clogged filters.
While it's a U.S. version E55, it has spent most of it days in Germany and has never had ethanol laced gasoline in it. As far as I can determine, the fuel leak problems associated with U.S. based autos are nonexistent in Germany. I am of the belief that the original plastics and seals, including the tank are possibly reacting to the ethanol in the fuel. I am also a great believer in the regular use of high quality fuel system cleaners such as Techron or LiquiMoly which also eliminate carbon buildup.
The entire exterior of the top of my tank is metal where the plastic seal rings are tightened. The interior (when I was in there) had a distinct metal ring to it when I banged crap against it in an attempt to fish through the filter sender units hoses.
The bottom of the tank could be plastic. It still had some gas in there, and I wasn't going that deep.
Could be aftermarket I suppose. If you want pictures, I can get around to it this weekend.
Are you saying that your plastic seal rings for the fuel pump/sender unit are connecting from plastic to plastic on your tanks?
The entire exterior of the top of my tank is metal where the plastic seal rings are tightened. The interior (when I was in there) had a distinct metal ring to it when I banged crap against it in an attempt to fish through the filter sender units hoses.
The bottom of the tank could be plastic. It still had some gas in there, and I wasn't going that deep.
Could be aftermarket I suppose. If you want pictures, I can get around to it this weekend.
Are you saying that your plastic seal rings for the fuel pump/sender unit are connecting from plastic to plastic on your tanks?
Yes, plastic threaded locking rings to plastic threaded tank.
Does the system need to be leaking in order for Mercedes to cover the replacement of the tank, senders, filters etc.? Or can one take their E55 into the dealership and have everything replaced courtesy of Mercedes?
Does the system need to be leaking in order for Mercedes to cover the replacement of the tank, senders, filters etc.? Or can one take their E55 into the dealership and have everything replaced courtesy of Mercedes?
You have to have the symptoms showing. Riffs you can get it replaced. You might be one of the few who doesn't have the issue. Not every single US W211 has the issue.
Does the system need to be leaking in order for Mercedes to cover the replacement of the tank, senders, filters etc.? Or can one take their E55 into the dealership and have everything replaced courtesy of Mercedes?
Fill your tank up to the brim
drive up and down the steepest hills around you (or drive like a loon and get some high lateral g-forces)
pull up on the rear seat then remove the access covers for both driver and passenger side
Inspect for leaking fuel or fumes.
If you see fuel, take some photos, and schedule an appointment with Mercedes dealer.
Contrary to Mercedes absurd claim, the problem is far more widespread than "1% of possible vehicles"
Car was back at MB to get the tank and other small parts replaced. Unfortunately they mastered to mess up my front alignment, broke the power folding mirror and my AIRmatic is stiff like a brick. They couldn't even push the mirror housing all the way in and the CI showed mirror blinker defective. Nobody said anything about the mirror until I noticed it. And since they are non-US options I have to order them myself in Germany.
Last time I dropped off my car at this MB dealership. How in the world can you damage a customer's car and think you can get away with it?
I got my car back from the dealer and the driver dynamic seat was leaking from the thigh cushion (probably caused by a heavy mechanic dropping his *** onto the seat). I didn't notice until a few days later when the seat was hissing and then I found a dynamic seat malfunction code that first appeared while the dealer had the car.
How they messed up that much stuff on your car is definitely bothersome. I would contact the service advisor at the dealer, and if they're not helpful then write a letter to MB corporate and see what they say.
Well the car was in for a fix that another dealership ****ed up already. Then they didn't fix it correctly either and I had to go back (that's why I also asked about the tank fix) and because the last SA ****ed up so badly I was dealing directly with the SA manager and shop foreman.
My car was in the first shop for 12 days for a repair. They didn't fix it correctly and I went to them because my car was so low that it basically sat on the street (there is another thread about this) and it turned out I needed new AIRmatic struts which they put it. It took them a total of 3.5 weeks to begin with. The result was that the suspension was stiff like a brick and they ****ed up my front alignment (steering wheel was 30 degree to the right while driving straight). How if you work on the rear stuff? And the power folding mirror was the third thing. Then it took me 2 weeks to get the SA manager on the phone because my SA never returned any phone call. So he wanted to make it right. The tank issue looks solved. The mirror they couldn't order (of course not its a non-US option). So I the customer have to order it again from Germany. They didn't want to cover it. It took us 2 hours of fighting with these idiots. All they did was giving us a credit for s future service in the amount of the mirror. And I have to do the work myself too. The suspension is still stiff and the steering wheel is still not straight.
We think we need to escalate the whole incident to MBUSA but what do they do? Take the complaint and stuff it in a box probably.
MBUSA will be more helpful. I would write them a letter and physically mail it. You'll get a call from them probably in a week or two.
We will. But it needs to be drafted well. We don't do ghetto 10 minute quick n dirty stuff. Hopefully something good will come out in the end for our time wasted on all this just because someone didn't do his job well.
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