2006 MERCEDES BENZ AMG E55 Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E55. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE FUEL FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WALTER'S MERCEDES-BENZ OF RIVERSIDE (951-441-6182, LOCATED AT 3213 ADAMS ST, RIVERSIDE, CA 92504) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP LEAKED FUEL. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SUPPORTED THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 151,877.

Mileage: 151,877

FUEL LEAK IN GAS SENDING UNIT. *TR

Mileage: 115,348

STRONG SMELL OF GAS AROUND REAR OF DRIVER SIDE AND ALSO INSIDE OF CAR. I REMOVED THE BACK SEAT AND FUEL PUMP COVER TO FIND GAS POOLING INSIDE THE COMPARTMENT. GAS WAS ALSO STEAMING OUT OF A PLASTIC PIECE CONNECTED TO A HOSE. PHOTOS WERE TAKEN FOR DOCUMENTATION.

Mileage: 110,204

STRONG SMELL OF GAS AROUND REAR OF DRIVER SIDE AND ALSO INSIDE OF CAR. I REMOVED THE BACK SEAT AND FUEL PUMP COVER TO FIND GAS POOLING INSIDE THE COMPARTMENT. GAS WAS ALSO STREAMING OUT OF A PLASTIC PIECE CONNECTED TO A HOSE. *TR

Mileage: 110,204

AFTER FILL CAR WITH FUEL AND PARKING IT, THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL. *TR

Mileage: 96,100

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 CAMPAIGN 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. *TR

Mileage: 58,100

STRONG GAS SMELL INSIDE VEHICLE AFTER FILL UP, OR WHILE SITTING ON AN INCLINE. REMOVE ACESS COVERS TO FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SENDING UNIT, PUDDLED GAS OBSERVED ON TOP OF TANK. *TR

Mileage: 88,800

AFTER FILLING UP THE CAR WITH GAS, IT SMELLS OF GAS FUMES FROM THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WELL. HAPPENS EVERY TIME I ATTEMPT TO FILL THE TANK. I'VE BEEN FILLING GAS TANK TO ONLY 3/4 TANK TO REDUCE THE GAS FUMES EMANATING FROM THE CAR AFTER GAS FILLUPS. MAYBE POOR SEAL WITH FUEL PUMP AND GAS TANK ITSELF. CAR WAS LOOKED AT IN A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS, AND BASED ON ONLINE REPORTS, IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE. *TR

LEAKING FUEL FROM TOP OF DRIVERS SIDE TANK. FLOW OF FUEL ALLOWS IT TO COME IN CONTACT WITH HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM. FIRE RISK VERY POSSIBLE. *JB

Mileage: 67,991

GAS FUMES FROM INSIDE CAR CAUSED WIFE AND DAUGHTER TO BECOME SICK AND NAUSEAS (DAUGHTER HAS ASTHMA). DROPPED OFF VEHICLE AT SCOTTSDALE SCHUMACHER EUROPEAN FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT ON AUGUST 23TH, 2012. I FILED A WRITTEN COMPLAINT WITH MERCEDES-BENZ AT THE SAME TIME OF DELIVERY. RECEIVED BACK A WRITTEN LETTER FROM CUSTOMER RETENTION MANAGER/[XXX] ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2012 DENYING/ REFUSING REFUND OR REPLACEMENT. ON SEPT 11TH, 2012 I PICKED UP AND PAID $1167.00 FOR LABOR TO REPLACE FUEL TANK AND ASSEMBLY (DEALERSHIP DID NOT CHARGE FOR PARTS). ON AUGUST 23RD, 2013 THE FUEL SYSTEM IS ONCE AGAIN CAUSING UNBEARABLE GAS FUMES INSIDE CAR. THE FUMES ARE SO STRONG THAT ANY SPARK MAY INDEED SET THE CAR ABLAZE..UPDATED 09-18-13 *BF UPDATED 9/24/2013 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 73,873

SENDER UNIT LEAKED UNDER BACK SEAT. PRESSURE VALVE FAILED IN FUEL TANK. I HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS. POOL OF GASOLINE UNDER READ SEAT. STRONG ODOR OF GAS WHEN THE CAR WAS FILLED UP. LOCAL DEALER GOODILLED PART OF THE REPAIR DUE TO MY CONSTANT BUSINESS AND PREVIOUS PURCHASES. *TR

Mileage: 89,097

REFERENCE NHTSA ACTION # PE12001. AFTER REFUELING CAR, INTERIOR WOULD HAVE AN OVERWHELMING SMELL OF GASOLINE AFTER LEAVING IT PARKED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED FUEL POOLED UP UNDERNEATH REAR PASSENGER SEAT AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF FUEL PUMP. *TR

Mileage: 42,000

PLEASE REFERENCE EXISTING NHTSA COMPLAINT #PE12001. MY 2006 MERCEDES E55 HAS RAW FUEL PUDDLING UNDER THE REAR SEAT AREA BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THERE APPEARS TO BE A LEAK FROM THE HOUSING OR TANK ITSELF IN THIS AREA. THE FUEL LEAK IS SUBSTANTIAL AND THE VAPORS FROM THIS LEAK ARE OVERWHELMING INSIDE THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN NUMEROUS DETAILED PHOTOGRAPHS OF THIS LEAK. I ALSO HAVE A VIDEO CLIP THAT APPEARS TO CAPTURE A HISSING SOUND OF PRESSURIZATION INSIDE THE TANK FORCING FUEL VAPOR INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE ANY OF THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU TO HELP WITH YOUR INVESTIGATION. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED SEVERAL DOZEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT PROBLEM FROM OTHER MERCEDES E55 OWNERS, AND PERHAPS FROM OTHER MERCEDES MODELS THAT USE THE SAME GAS TANK / SENDER UNITS. DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT IS PUDDLING UP IN THE BACK OF MY CAR, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AND THE RAW FUEL SMELL IS GIVING ME A HEADACHE EVEN WHEN I KEEP THE WINDOWS ROLLED ALL THE WAY DOWN. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN APPLYING PRESSURE ON MBUSA TO PROVIDE A VALID AND COMPLETE FIX FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 36,100

JUST BOUGHT THE CAR, AND FIRST TIME I FILLED THE TANK UP (NEVER TOPOFF) STARTED NOTICING A SMELL OF GAS, AS THE WEEK WENT BY SMELL INCREASED.....FOLLOWED FORUMS SUGGESTIONS AND FOUND A PUDDLE OF GAS ON TOP OF THE SENDING UNIT UNDER THE REAR SEAT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. CAR IS HARD TO DRIVE DUE THE SMELL, AND I'M ACTUALLY GETTING HEADACHES FROM IT. OWN 4 MERCEDES INCLUDING THIS, WHICH IS THE LATEST MODEL OF ALL, AND NEVER HAD A SAFETY ISSUE THAT RELATES TO GASOLINE ON ANY OF THE OTHERS. *TR

Mileage: 72,500

FUEL TANK LEAK. *TR

Mileage: 27,000

I AM GETTING A STRONG GAS SMELL FROM THE CAR WHEN STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE CAR WITH IT RUNNING AND LONG AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SHUT OFF. IF I PARK THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AFTER A DRIVE AND THEN COME BACK TO IT 30 MINUTES LATER MY WHOLE GARAGE SMELLS LIKE GAS BUT CANNOT SEE ANY LEAKING. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

LEAKING GAS INTO CAR CABIN....APPARENTLY THIS IS A WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEM. WE ARE TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW. *TR

Mileage: 84,424

ON 1/25/2012 I NOTICED A SMELL OF GAS UPON REFUELING MY VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE FIRST AS A DEFECTIVE FUEL SENDER AND AFTER REPLACING THE FUEL SENDER AS A DEFECTIVE GAS TANK. ESSENTIALLY FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE GAS TANK UNDER THE BACK SEAT AND POOLING UNDER THE BACK SEAT. THE SMELL OF GASOLINE VAPORS WAS EXTREMELY STRONG AND ALARMING. I REPLACED THE FUEL TANK AT MY OWN COST. *TR

SUMMARY: BOTH FUEL SENDING UNITS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. FUEL WAS PUDDLING UNDER THE REAR SEATS AND WAS DRIPPING ON TO THE GROUND. MY 6 YEAR OLD SON GOT IN THE CAR THIS MORNING AND COMPLAINED THAT IT SMELLED LIKE GAS. THIS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE LEAKING FUEL CAME IN CONTACT WITH A HOT EXHAUST PIPE? A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM IN 2008, HOWEVER, THE RECALL DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, IT ONLY DELAYS IT UNTIL YOU ARE OUT OF WARRANTY AND ARE FORCED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A COSTLY REPAIR. *TR

Mileage: 67,205