2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55: gas smell in the cabin

Filed Dec 4, 2023 · Fuel system · HI

The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he smelled an abnormal gasoline odor inside of the vehicle. After a visual inspection of the rear seats, the contact observed gasoline pooling underneath the rear seats. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to TSB: 2008-020001. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Aug 19, 2020 · Fuel system, Transmission · 103,700 miles · WA

While the vehicle was on the highway on a long road trip, there was an increasingly large rattle when the vehicle was under load. Eventually the rattle stopped. Then when I tried to fill up the car with gas, it leaked everywhere causing a massive fire hazard. While this was put under extended warranty for 15 years by mercedes benz, a 2003 model is out of warranty by 3 years. This is completely unacceptable as it left me stranded in rural montana on a road trip (I'm from wa) and posed a massive fire hazard in the blazing heat of summer. I had to tow it back on a uhaul to prevent further damage to the car or a potential fire. Even the mechanics at a near-ish (200 miles away from the montana highway I broke down on) were hesitant to even move the car due to fire hazard. This issue should have been recalled for safety reasons or been given a much longer extended warranty. In addition to the shake, now the brakes will not let go when I try put the car in neutral. This would normally be a separate issue, but if it creates a spark next to the fuel issue, it could mean that the car is quite literally a bomb if driven. The whole interior smells like fuel as well. Mercedes seems to admit there is a problem by complying with a class action lawsuit against the fuel tank and adding the warranty but refuses to do a recall or longer extended warranty due to greed. This can cause dangerous situations like my own and even worse ones where the fuel may ignite in the future.

Filed Apr 30, 2019 · Fuel system · 100,000 miles · LA

I just purchased a used 2003 mercedes-benz e55 amg. Upon driving it home from the state where I purchased it, I smelled a strong fuel smell. This is strong inside the cabin and also outside the cabin, to the point that others around the car noted the fuel smell. I can smell it while driving and when the car is stationary. A google search indicated that there was an investigation into this years ago and mbusa offered an extended warranty of an additional 5 years beyond the initial 10 years in lieu of having a court require a full recall. After, further investigation on my part, I learned that it is not a matter of if but when this will happen to your w211 vehicle. I called my local mercedes-benz dealer and they told me that the extended warranty for the fuel system on my car ended last year. I do not know why the previous owner(s) did not take care of this problem. Maybe they did not know about the extended warranty. This should have been a full recall! This is a health and safety hazard. I have asthma and I am now afraid to drive this car due to the potential health risk involved. Mbusa should not have been able to wiggle out of fault on a very poorly designed fuel system by offering the extended warranty that only gave owners a few years to learn about it and also get the work done.the extended warranty was finally offered by mbusa in 2015, only giving the previous owner of my car a few years to learn about the warranty and get the work done. Not to mention that my car went through several owners during that time frame. Meaning that the owners did not own the car long enough to discover the issue and find out about the extended warranty. There is a good chance these owners never received a letter from mbusa about the extended warranty. As a matter of fact, my car was actually in italy when the extended warranty was issued. It was later brought back to the us.

Filed Jan 16, 2019 · Fuel system · 83,000 miles · WA

Strong fuel smell after fill up. Fuel leaking on to top of tank and vapors entering cabin

Filed Oct 31, 2015 · Fuel system · CA

Bad fuel pumps under rear seat causing fuel smell in my entire car.

Filed Apr 22, 2015 · Fuel system · CA

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. My concern is: if mercedes knew about this defect (see link to mercedes lawsuit (below)) for the past several years and I brought the car to them for servicing, regularly, for the last 10 years (and spent more than $10,000 in service over those years) why did the dealer not preemptively alert me earlier to this very dangerous liability and rectify it years ago? Http://www.scribd.com/doc/100877072/mercedes-lawsuit.

Filed Apr 15, 2015 · Fuel system · 87,000 miles · IL

There is a strong smell of gasoline at the back of the vehicle aswell as in the cabin.

Filed Mar 27, 2015 · Fuel system · CO

Fuel appears to be leaking under seat from gas tank strong smell of gasoline in garage, very concerned about explosion due to fumes.

Filed Dec 31, 2014 · Fuel system · 39,625 miles · TN

Reference the federal safety agency 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.

Filed Dec 8, 2014 · Fuel system · 168,600 miles · TX

This vehicle was previously serviced in 2008 for the same issue as part of a recall campaign by mercedes-benz, #2008-020001. I was not the owner at the time. The identical issue is now present once again, very strong gasoline odor in the interior, and a less-present odor at the exterior. The defective fuel sender units will now be replaced at my personal expense, however since this is a repeat of a previous issue which had already warranted a recall, I believe this should be the responsibility of mercedes-benz USA.

Filed Nov 2, 2014 · Fuel system · 52,400 miles · AL

Filled my just purchased 2003 e55 amg with gasoline on 10/30/14 and drove straight home. After a few minutes my brother told me the garage had a strong gasoline smell. Drove to work the next morning and noticed the smell was extremely strong in the car and left windows down to ventilate. Drove home with windows down and still noticed smell that seemed to be coming from back seat of car. Entered car and "gasoline smell" into internet search to find there is a large scale issue, investigation, and lawsuit. When picking the car up from dealer I noticed the entire rear seat bottom was not attached. Thought it may have been due to an inspection. However, it turns out that the access panel for the fuel sending unit is directly under the seat. After learning this I removed the rear seat to find gasoline on the access panel. Removed the panel to find a puddle of gasoline on top of the tank around the sending unit. Immediately called the dealer and they said to park the car and a tow truck would deliver it to them. Then the dealer called and provided a number for me to call mercedes benz USA to arrange a tow truck. Mercedes arranged the tow truck and hauled the just purchased car back to dealer. Dealer is supposed to be checking it on monday 11/3/14 to let me know the status.

Filed Oct 4, 2014 · Fuel system · 82,000 miles · CA

I got home from the store smelt gas thought nothing of it at first. The next day I was driving my vehicle with the windows down got a big smell of fuel, that got me thinking. Later that day when I got home I started smelling around my vehicle. Opened trunk smelt gas. Then I smelt both rear wheel wells and smelled a strong fuel odor on the drive side rear wheel. Further investigation I got under the vehicle to check it out. I could see fuel running down the side of my fuel tank. So I removed my rear seat and the cap under the seat to see the fuel sending unit from above. When I removed that there was a stream of fuel shooting out of my sending unit. I did some research on this claim and I found out its a common occurrence. That there was a previous recall and that didn't do the fix. I have a picture of the sending unit shooting the spray of fuel but there is no area to upload it on here. I would like to know what is going with this. Thank you.