Other Fuel System Tank Filling/charging Problems of Mercedes Benz E55 - part 1

Strong gasoline odor in the back of the car after filling up the tank. Dealership confirmed that the tank needs to be replaced. This issue was covered at some point but was never done to this specific car vrtc-dcd-3206. I purchased the car a few weeks ago and was told by mb that the previous owner refused to do the fix/service. The problem is still there the cabin has an incredibly strong odor of gasoline. If the fix was offered at some point and was never done, why cant they perform it now? quote for fix attached.

See all problems of the 2004 Mercedes Benz E55 🔎.

After filling vehicle gas tank, extremely strong fuel odor noticed in cabin and outside of vehicle. Smell existed both at standstill and at street speeds (40mph) with windows down or up.

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Noticed fuel smell when filling tank more than half way. Investigated to find pooling fuel on top of fuel pump / sender assembly beneath rear seat.

Strong fuel smell after filling tank, drivers side fuel sending unit on drivers side of fuel tank leaking fuel. Noticeable cracks in corners of unit around fuel pressure sender.

Bought a pre-owned 2003 E55 from mercedes dealer 2005. Have had car serviced regularly and exclusively at dealer ever since. Have smelled gasoline smell in garage especially after filling-up car. Most recently, on 21-Apr-15 check engine light lit. Took car to dealer. Dealer said gas tank leaking and they would fix it - courtesy of mercedes-benz - no cost to me. . Read more...

See all problems of the 2003 Mercedes Benz E55 🔎.

My fuel tank has developed a leak where I can smell fuel both outside and inside the vehicle after filling the tank all the way. The odor is very pronounced and I am concerned about the safety of the vehicle if this much fuel is leaking from the tank. An independent repair shop confirmed a leak from the top of the fuel tank. Based on information I read on a Mercedes Benz forum website, it said to reference action number pe12001 (this appears to be a common issue with this series of vehicle). I hope the NHTSA will investigate this issue and force Mercedes Benz to replace these defective and unsafe fuel tanks at no cost to consumers.

After filling the gas tack - I started smelling fuel in the garage. I didn't see a gas leak on the floor but the smell of fuel was very strong. This happened multiple times over the course of the next month. It would go away after 2-3 gallons of fuel were burnt off. I believe there is a defect in the gas tank assembly as I found many other E55 owners with similar issues.

Strong smell of fuel coming from under vehicle. No gas leaks visible. Shortly after filling up the gas tank (I do not "top off") I thought I spilled gasoline on my pants. Turns out the fuel sender units may be leaking. There is a lawsuit against mbusa regarding this.

After filling up the gas tank to full, I drove my vehicle home and noticed a distinct gasoline smell in the garage a few hours later. The next morning, the smell in the garage was even stronger and upon opening the doors of the vehicle, it was clear that the gas smell was coming from the vehicle and was strongest inside. In November 2012, crown automobile, a mercedes-benz dealership, performed service on the car and "found the right side fuel level sensor seal leaking". The seal was replaced and the fuel tank was refilled and checked for leaks. At that time, no leaks were found. However, the smell has reappeared and is consistent with other complaints about this vehicle.

I have a 2004 Mercedes Benz E55 and after filling the car with fuel there is a strong smell of gasoline. The tank is located in the back seat and after opening the inspection covers I can see and smell gasoline that has leaked from the fuel sender unit. This looks to be a very dangerous issue and I know that I am not the only one this is happening too. Thanks.

Very strong fuel smell after filling up tank at gas station. Fuel pumps and senders located under rear passenger seat. There are 2 of these pumps one on each side of the vehicle. After removing the rear seat bottom access is gained to the fuel pumps/senders. Appears to be fuel puddling around the pumps/senders.

After filling up gas tank, fumes filled the cabin. I lifted the rear seat and exposed the driver's side gas tank sending unit & there was a gas puddle surrounding the ring. This leak, according to posts, seem to be a common problem.

Strong fuel smell began occurring inside & outside of vehicle after filling the car up with gas. Fuel leak discovered at gas tank fuel level sending unit. This is a widely known defect on the mercedes w211 platform from 2003-2009 year models. Mercedes dealers contacted will only make the necessary repairs at my expense which could exceed $2000. This defect is hazardous to anyone driving with this fuel leaking condition and is also very environmentally unfriendly as raw fuel being released.

I own two mercedes E55 vehicles. One is 2005, one is 2006. On the 2005 I have had what has become a common symptom of fuel smell first outside the car (especially after filling the tank completely), which migrates to inside the car as the problem worsens. I believe a recall compaign was performed on the car in 2011 to address this issue. The problem returned. The car is obviously out of warranty and has had the issue addressed a few times now. As the original owner, I have had first hand experience of the issue over the course of 9 years. I did not think too much of it at the time, except now that I have another 2006 E55. . . Virtually identical. . . Exact same thing is happening. The 2006 was purchased used in July of 2013. I complained to the used car dealer about the issue (it came with a 6 month warranty) and they said it was possibly a leaking o-ring on a spark plug. The fuel smell remained after the repair however, very strong when tank filled or the car on an incline. . . Especially on hot days. Only after searching the internet did I find that many others had the same experience. . . And I was 2 for 2 on my cars. Same models, same symptoms. The 2006 unit is far worse, however and may have never had the original recall performed. I pulled the back seats and inspected the fuel areas. . . And sure enough small puddles of gas and stains from previous puddles. The smell is so strong now I avoid using the car. When you have a single car with a singular problem you don't suspect much. When you read about others with a similar issue, your suspicions may raise a bit. However, I promise you when you buy another identical car and it has the exact same overwhelming problem, that's when you wake up. The fuel smell is so strong, I have not had a single occupant not notice in the last 3 months. I'm parking the car until I can figure out a way to get it resolved.

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Strong smell of gasoline in and around car after filling up. Smell remains until fuel level is consumed below 3/4 of a tank. Fuel spills from the car when accelerating. When car is filled with fuel the pump is turned on until it shuts off, never topped off. Car was originally purchased in California when new and is operated in colorado between 5000 and 10000 feet in elevation. Can no longer park the car in the garage due to overwhelming fumes. I am concerned this is a health hazard as well as a fire danger awaiting a source of ignition not to mention any added magnitude it may contribute in the event of an accident.

Filled my gas tank with fuel and subsequently after filling up and getting back inside the vehicle I could smell a strong odor of fuel inside the vehicle. I took the vehicle to a friends house down the street got on the internet to research the problem and found out theres an existing problem with the top of the fuel tank that has explained theres a seal problem. I took the rear seat out of the vehicle to access the area along with some other nuts and bolts and found a pool of fuel sitting on the top of the fuel tank. After putting everything back together I noticed underneath the vehicle it had leaked onto the pavement. I am very concerned the vehicle is not safe and mercedes is aware of the problem and hasnt done anything to address the situation. Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Purchased pre-owned car on date above. After filling gas tank fumes are apparent inside and outside vehicle. After using approx. 10%- 20% of fuel odors are gone. So I usually fill the tank only part way. This temporarily prevents the problem. When family members drive the car, they do forget not to fill the tank !.

After filling tank & parking in garage, noticed strong fuel smell the next morning. Subsided once fuel level was around 3/4 of the tank. Next time filled up, same thing occurred. Called mercedes & stated possible problems with fuel sending unit seals. Took to dealership on may 24th and stated fuel sending units must be replaced along with fuel shut off switch and the fuel tank as well due to hairline cracks at neck causing the leak. Total cost is $3100. I have searched online & noticed this seems to be an issue plaguing these cars. I understand issues will happen, but given the nature of these & the broadness of vehicles affected that there should be a recall for this issued. I would like mbusa to reimburse me for these expenses.

After filling up the fuel tank. . . Strong fuel odor inside the vehicle.

I smell fuel inside and outside the car after filling the tank. I smell this more in cooler months than warmer months. I've been smelling fuel for over 2 years now but didn't think much of it. I have recently had an engine light come on and did some research. The fault points to the fuel system. I'm wagering that when I remove the back seat, I'm going to find evidence of a fuel leak like many others online have found. The car has not been in any recorded accidents that I'm aware of. It's used premium fuel since I've owned the car at 50,000 miles. I now have over 163,000. I also take additional interest in the fuel issue now that I have a child in the back seat that has also commented about the smell.

Strong odor of gasoline in the interior of the car after filling the tank. Odor has persisted for a week. Refer to NHTSA action number pe12001.

Reference the NHTSA action# pe12001 there is a fuel leak at one or both of the fuel sending units and at one or both of the fuel pumps located in the gas tank of this car. When filling the gas tank to full, gas leaks and produces a very strong gasoline smell inside and around the exterior of the car. I have removed the rear seat to gain access to the units and I have observed standing gasoline on the top surface of the sending unit seals. There are electrical connections inside of these units and they appear to have been shorting due to the leak. This is potentially a very hazardous, life threatening condition.

There is a strong odor of gasoline in the vehicle after filling the fuel tank. I have verified that gasoline puddles on top of fuel module underneath access cover on driver's side under rear seat. The car also causes a strong odor of gasoline outside vehicle when parked in an enclosed garage. I am concerned about the car catching fire or it causes a fire in my house when parked in the garage. The dealer acknowledges this defect, but indicated there is currently no recall to fix it.

After filling up the gasoline tank, the car will begin to emit a very strong fuel odor on the drivers side rear wheel well which will last approximately 2-3 days until the gasoline tank begins to empty out, then the fuel smell will go away until the I fill the tank again.

I began to notice strong odor of gasoline in my garage intermittently - I park the car in garage daily but only noticed gasoline odor some days- took to dealer Dec 2012 and dealer stated there was fuel leak at fuel rail pressure regulator - dealer replaced fuel rail and regulator- I thought problem was resolved since I did not notice gasoline odor for a while- then started to have intermittent gasoline odor again- noticed small oil leak under engine and took it back to dealer Feb 2013 and mentioned that I smelled fuel odor again- dealer located minor oil leak at rear main seal that did not need immediate attention and did not comment anything further about the gasoline odor- I monitored the situation for next few weeks- months since I did not have time to keep taking auto back to dealer - finally figured out that intermittent nature of gasoline smell was related to filling tank- noticed the odor after full fill-up,then stopped after few days- no odor if just fill up 1/2-3/4 tank.

If I fill the tank full of fuel (not overfilling), fuel leaks from fuel tank, pools on top of tank by the fuel pumps under the rear passenger seats and the smell of gas inside the car is overwhelming. I will not take my children in the car after witnessing these issues. After checking the mercedes forums, this issue is rampant on the e class models, and despite replacement of new parts, the problem reappears. I complained to the mercedes dealership in plano and they refused to replace the defective parts even though they acknowledge this was a known issue.

Upon filling the fuel tank, there is an obvious odor of fuel which is noticed outside the vehicle but difficult to pinpoint where it's coming from. I went to the dealer and they said all the recalls or safety recalls were performed on my vehicle already. But the odor of gas is very strong and not resolved yet.

Reference NHTSA action number: pe12001 after filling the gas tank, a smell of gas was noticed in the garage. Upon backing out of the garage onto my sloped driveway, gas was observed to be leaking from under the car onto my driveway and street. After about 50 miles of driving, the smell of gas no longer was present and no leak was noticed.

Initially, after topping off the fuel tank and parking the car in my garage, I noticed a strong gasoline odor. A close inspection of the engine bay, gas cap, and under the car did not reveal any noticeable leaks so I suspected that some gasoline must have dripped down the overflow tube when filling. After driving the vehicle for a day the odor began to dissipate. The problem re-occurred after filling the tank again where I was careful to ensure that no fuel leaked outside of the filler tube. Occasionally, I now receive an intermittent emissions light on my dash. The warning light does not stay on long enough to record a code when checked at the service department. The odor appears to be coming from the interior of the car. I now now fill it to no more than 3/4 of a tank and drive it very little until I can have someone successfully locate the source of this leak.

After filling the gas tank over 3/4 full there is a strong fuel odor outside the car from the driver rear wheel well area. The odor is strong enough that the car cannot be parked in a closed garage. The odor persists until the fuel level is back below 3/4 full. The issue repeats consistently every time it is filled over 3/4 full so I am unable to ever fill the tank completely. The service campaign #2008020001 for the fuel filter module was performed at park place mercedes in August 2008. Shortly afterward I started getting some bad fuel odor inside and outside the car so the work was redone be the dealer in September 2008. The issue reappeared in 2012 about 30k miles later.

After filling up the gas tank in my 2005 Mercedes Benz E55 up with gasoline, there are overwhelming gasoline fumes that engulf the interior and is also prevalent from the outside of the car. When entering my closed garage after a gas fill up, the entire garage is engulfed by the very strong and distinct odor of gasoline. To further the description, please refer to the current investigation with the NHTSA action number: pe12001 as reference to what is happening with my vehicle. Thank you for your assistance.

Please reference the NHTSA action# pe12001 spontaneous fuel leak from the top of the tank upon filling up. Took car to dealer, they stated fuel noted on top of tank. Required fuel sender unit replacement, not under warranty.

After filling the tank to more than 3/4 full, gas leaks out from tank into the cabin under the rear seat. The car fills with gas fumes. This is a common problem on w211 models.

There was a smell of gas in the car that especially occurred after filling up the tank. The smell was very strong after parking the car in my garage after driving. I then noticed some gas spilling out of the car. I had to stop driving the car because of concerns over safety. I spoke directly with diana sanchez who is a case manager at Mercedes Benz USA (ph # 1-800-367-6372) . I also spoke with romey p. At extension 7832. I also had a 3rd call with debbie who would not provide her last name. In all my direct discussions with Mercedes Benz USA, they would not agree to do anything about the issue. This was shocking given the safety issue caused by leaking fuel. I had read on-line about hundreds of other individuals reporting the exact same issue with the E55. I gave all this information to Mercedes Benz. I also spoke with eddie mccracken at Mercedes Benz of georgetown texas, and while he was aware of the issue they would not agree to repair the leaking fuel tank unless I paid for all the work myself personally. He did acknowledge that they were aware of defects with the gas tank deals.

2004 mercedes E55 amg leaking fuel after every fill. Very strong fuel smell inside the vehicle after filling up (stopped fill before click). Repaired passenger side fuel sending unit under back seat at mb service but issue is still occurring after repair. During a 6 or 7 month period, mercedes has tried to fix on 5 occassions without success. They replaced all kinds of sensors in the engine dept and had the car for over a month but the issue was with the fuel related parts. They miss diagnosed the problem for the first 6 months. Finally mb diagnosed the issue late 2010 and replaced one of the sending units, the sending units were also replaced under recall for this vehilcle in July 2008. Mb stated the car was now repaired but after leaving the dealership the check engine light came on again. The car has now failed air care, an additional expense. All issues relate to fuel tank, evap valve and defective fuel sending units. Hestitation, check engine light, rough engine operation fuel leaks and smell. This is clearly a safety issue, fuel vapours are combustable. Now mercedes has washed their hands of the issue and we (consumers and owners of E55 amg's) are left to repair the problem at our expense. The recall campaign #2008-020001 in 2008 has resulted in repeated falures of the sending units however Mercedes Benz is not taking responsibility. There are over 40 owners of these vehicles on line with exactly the same issues. Mb USA needs to accept responsibitly and recall these vehicles for a fuel cell saftey issue. There is a potential for combutstable fuel vapours and I pray it does not happen before mb USA takes responsibility. Although the number of owners are only approximately 40 at this point, there may be many more out there with the e-class mb fuel leak issue. Mb USA needs to own up to the problem.