Other Fuel System Tank Filling/charging problems of the 2004 Mercedes Benz E320

There is a very strong gas order in and around my vehicle when I fill the gas tank. I have avoided filling my tank more then 3/4 full due to this order. This cannot be safe. I have never experienced anything like this with any other vehicle I have ever owned.

There is a very strong smell of gasoline fumes emanating from the automobile, especially outside the auto it seems from around the driver's side and rear of the car. It is there especially after filling the gas tank but continues even afterwards. The odor is very strong and there is obviously a problem.

Very strong gasoline odor coming out of left rear wheel well after filling up the gas tank. The odor reduced as I drove for a few days. It seems like gasoline is leaking from the top of the fuel tank.

Constant problems with fumes/fuel leak?? the entire passenger compartment fills with strong fumes after filling gas tank or when near empty?? have had it checked for leaks multiple times without locating any leaks ongoing problem--at times its impossible to sit in the backseat of the car the fumes are so strong!!! and the garage is filled with the smell of gasoline yet no leak or spill anywhere???.

Experience strong smell of gasoline after filling tank. Smell diminishes when tank is less full but returns with next fuel fill up. Smell noticed both inside and outside vehicle exact date first occurred is unknown, but was first noticed years ago.

After filling the tank at a gas station, I went home (5 miles) and parked the vehicle in the driveway. When went back out to driveway about15 minutes later noticed a bad gas smell around the vehicle. Smell was worst under left rear door. Looked under vehicle and could see smell gas in the tray below the gas tank. I pulled the tray down slightly and a few drop of gas dripped out. I could feel gas in the tray with my fingers. I think gas tank is leaking from top of tank. Glad I didn't park in the garage.

After filling fuel tank, fuel leaking from top of the fuel tank into panel under the rear seat.

After filling up fuel, but not topping off, there is a very strong odor of fuel in the cabin. After evaluation the fuel sending unit is leaking severely and the seal shows signs of leaking. Only 76,400 miles on a 2004 E320 dealer quoted $2500 for replacement of the sending unit, new seals and new fuel tank.

After filling the tank there is a strong smell of fuel inside the cabin and above the left rear wheel. The fuel vapors saturate the garage space and also enter the house environment. The fuel leaks from the top of the fuel tank at the fuel sending unit. There was approximately 200 cc of gasoline pooled in the plastic cover of the sending unit. This fuel evaporates through the cabin and ouside through the space of the rear left wheel. The car, my family, and my house is at the risk of fire and gasoline explosion. The mb authorized dealer declined to repair free of charge this serious manufacturer's defect because the vehicle is out of warranty. The repair cost is approximately $2400 which includes replacement of the entire fuel tank and the sending units.

We discovered that the car was leaking gas. We took it to the dealer who told us that the gas tank in this model had a problem and that it would be quite expensive to fix, approximately $2,000, he advised that this will likely only happen when we fill the tank and that we could prevent the problem by not filling the tank full. . . Which we have done since but it is a great inconvenience and it scares us to think that we are driving a car with a leaking gas tank. Recently we became aware that there are many, many more owners like us and and that there was a complaint process that we could use with the ntsb. . . . I am responding within 24 of hours of knowing this. The mercedes dealer was not forthcoming about this and did not fully advise us of the seriousness of the problem and we are very disappointed. We are now experiencing issues with the car in passing emissions testing in TN (where we now live). . . . Fl did not have an emissions testing policy. We have an estimate from a certified mercedes repair shop that it will cost almost $2,000 to fix this problem and we feel that it is a serious safety issue.