2003 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 complaints

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. *TR

GAS IS LEAKING FROM THE GAS TANK AFTER THE VEHICLE IS FILLED UP. IF YOU FILL UP AND LET IT SIT OVERNIGHT IN THE GARAGE YOU WAKE UP TO RAW FUEL LEAKING OUT UNDER THE CAR UNDER THE REAR SEAT DRIVER SIDE. WE HAVE HAD 6 FUEL PUMPS, SENDING UNITS AND LEVEL SENSORS REPLACED IN THE GAS TANK THE LAST 3 YEARS. THEN THE GAS TANK ITSELF WAS CHANGED ALONG WITH NEW SENSORS AND PUMPS. IT STARTED LEAKING A YEAR LATER. SAME SITUATION IF YOU FILL THE CAR UP IT STARTS TO LEAK. WHEN WILL THIS SITUATION BE FIXED. MBUSA HAS FAILED TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE TO OWNERS THAT HAVE PAID UPWARDS OF 90,000 DOLLARS FOR THESE VEHICLES. WHY? SO THAT MBUSA CAN SHOW THE NHTSA PEOPLE "LOOK WE HAVE NO WARRANTY CLAIMS ON FILE" JUST READ THE COMPLAINTS OF 2003-2006 E55 OWNERS. NOW THE NEWER E63 GAS TANKS ARE STARTING TO LEAK AS THE VEHICLES REACH 4 YEARS OF AGE. JUST LIKE OUR E55 STARTED TO LEAK AT 4YRS AND 50K MILES. HOW MUCH RED TAPE DOES NHTSA HAVE TO GO THRU? YOU HAVE HUNDREDS OF LEAKING E55S ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND YOU DO NOTHING? *TR

STRONG FUEL SMELL FROM THE DRIVER'S REAR SIDE OF THE CAR, TRUNK AND INSIDE THE CAR. MY WIFE FILLED THE CAR WITH CLOSE TO FULL TANK DUE TO RECENT CA GAS PRICES JUMPING 50C IN ONE WEEK. I HAVE TRIED TO VENTILATE THE VEHICLE AND PARK OUTSIDE, BUT THE SMELL IS STILL VERY STRONG. THERE NEEDS TO BE RECALL FOR THE FAILING TANK OR SENDER UNIT. *TR

IN HOT WEATHER OR WHEN I PUT MORE THAN HALF TANK OF GAS IN MY CAR, I HAVE VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL OUTSIDE THE CAR AND FUEL DROPS UNDER THE CAR AND SMELL INSIDE. I'VE CHECKED WITH THE DEALER, THEY'VE SAID THAT RECALL ON MY CAR WAS FIXED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND THAT'S THE END OF IT. BUT I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT, SINCE IT HAPPEN FIRST TIME, MY KIDS AND MY WIFE ARE NOR ALLOWED TO DRIVE WITH ME. I ONLY USE IT MYSELF TO GO TO WORK AND BACK. *TR

EACH TIME I FILL THE VEHICLE WITH GASOLINE, ESPECIALLY UNTIL THE TANK IS FULL, I HAVE A VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS ON A FULL TANK, AND THE LESS FUEL I HAVE THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO GO AWAY. MOST LIKELY A LEAK OF FUEL INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. REF: NHTSA ACTION# PE12001. *TR

MY PARENT FILLED UP THE CAR AND PARKED IN GARAGE. UPON RETURNING TO THE GARAGE, THEY EXPERIENCED THE STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE FILLING THE GARAGE. THEIR HOME HEATING SYSTEM IS CONTAINED IN A SPACE ATTACHED TO THE GARAGE SO THEY HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT AN APPARENT FUEL LEAK. *TR

REFERENCE PE12001 GASOLINE STARTED POURING INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT UNDER THE REAR SEAT BENCH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. EXTREME GASOLINE FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AT THE SAME TIME OF INCIDENT. ISSUE IS ONGOING. CALLED MERCEDES BENZ OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS AND EXPLAINED THE ISSUE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL 2008020001 WAS DONE ON THIS CAR IN 2008. BUT THAT THE RECURRENT PROBLEM "FIX" WOULD BE OUT OF MY POCKET. I CALLED MBUSA AND DOCUMENTED MY COMPLAIN BUT THEY WOULD TAKE NO ACTION. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN AND RECURRENT ISSUE WITH THE E CLASS W211 MERCEDES BENZ FROM 2003 - ON. CARS THAT HAVE BEEN "FIXED" START DUMPING FUEL INTO THE CABIN WITHIN THE NEXT 10,000 MILES OR SO. ALL IT WOULD TAKE IS TO DRIVE OVER A LIT UP CIGARETTE AT LOW SPEED AND THE OCCUPANTS CAN BE IN DANGER OF BODILY INJURIES OR DEATH. *TR

IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: PE12001 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICING UNDER (EMISSIONS RECALL CAMPAIGN # 2008-020001) AND FUEL SENDER UNIT WAS REPLACED. THIS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AT WHICH POINT THE SMELL OF FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE RETURNED AND THERE ARE NOTICEABLE LEAKS ON BOTH THE FUEL SENDER AND FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO HAVE THE DEALER SERVICE THE PART UNDER THE RECALL AS THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE FAULTY AS THEY WERE NO DIFFERENT THEN THE PARTS THEY REPLACED. THEY ALSO NOTED THAT THE PUMP MAY BE CRACKED. *TR

EVERY TIME I FILL MY VEHICLE UP WITH FUEL, THERE IS AN OVERPOWERING ODOR OF GASOLINE BOTH OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, AND INSIDE THE CABIN. THE SMELL IS STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE A HEADACHE IN SHORT ORDER. WHEN REMOVING THE BACK SEAT OF THE VEHICLE, YOU CAN OBSERVE STANDING FUEL ON THE FUEL SENDER ASSEMBLY. I'M UNSURE IF THIS PROPAGATES FROM THE SPOT OF THE BUILD UP, OR IS FROM ANOTHER PLACE AND THIS IS WHERE IT ULTIMATELY ENDS UP. A LARGE CONCERN FOR ME, BESIDES THE EXPOSURE TO GASOLINE FUMES, IS THE PROXIMITY TO THE FUEL BUILD UP TO ELECTRICAL WIRING, WHICH I BELIEVE WOULD CONSTITUTE A FIRE HAZARD. I PREVIOUSLY HAD A VOLUNTARY RECALL DONE ON MY CAR IN 2008 THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM, BUT I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT ACTUALLY FIXED THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. *TR

FUEL PUMP AND ASSEMBLY WERE LEAKING FUEL INTO CABIN AREA DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN AND PLASTIC PARTS. *TR

SMELL OF GAS IN THE CAR CHECKED AND FOUND A POOL OF GAS ON TOP OF FUEL SENDER BELOW THE REAR SEAT BEHIND DRIVER SIDE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E55. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIRS UNDER A RECALL WHERE A NEW SLEEVE WAS INSTALLED ON THE FUEL CLAMP. THE RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL SMELL EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE AFTER REFUELING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000. UPDATED 09/15/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE IN 2008. HOWEVER, THE DEALER ONLY CHANGED ONE FUEL SENDER PUMP AND NOT BOTH. THE SECOND FUEL PUMP IS LEAKING FUEL AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE IT FREE OF CHARGE. UPDATED 10/12/11

FUEL LEAK AT FUEL TRANSMITTER PASSENGER SIDE UNDER REAR SEAT. *TR

I AM A SINGLE 1 OWNER OF A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E55 AMG AND IT IS LEAKING FUEL INTO THE BACK SEAT ABOVE THE TANK. THE RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED IN 2008 WERE PERFORMED AND IT IS NOW LEAKING AGAIN, AND HAS WRECKED THE INSULATION ABOVE THE TANK. MB REFUSED TO HELP. *TR

MY 2003 MERCEDES E55 AMG SEDAN HAS A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED BACK IN 2008. APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED AND I FEAR AN EXPLOSION FROM MY GARAGE FILLING UP WITH FUMES AND 2 SOURCES OF FIRE, MY FURNACE AND MY WATER HEATER. *TR

I CAME OUT TO MY CAR THE MORNING AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK FULLY AND SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE CAR. I DROVE IT TO THE DEALER AND IT TURNS OUT THE FUEL FILTER/FUEL SENDING UNITS HAD CRACKED AND WERE LEAKING FUEL. THERE IS A SENDING UNIT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK UNDER THE REAR PASSENGER SEATS, AND THE FUEL WAS LEAKING OUT THE TOPS OF THESE SENDING UNITS INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE I CAUGHT IT EARLY, THE GASOLINE HAD ONLY POOLED ON THE TOP OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AND NOT SPILLED INTO THE SEATS AND FOOTWELLS. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS CRACKED SENDING UNITS AND SAID BOTH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A VOLUNTARY RECALL ON MY CAR IN 2008 BY MERCEDES-BENZ FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED BUT CLEARLY HAD NOT FIXED THE ISSUE, AS THESE PARTS FAILED AGAIN LESS THAN 2 YEARS LATER. THIS COMPLAINT IS THE SAME AS ANOTHER COMPLAINT ALREADY FILED ON THIS VEHICLE MODEL AND YEAR. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH SENDING UNITS AS A REPAIR TO THE ISSUE. *TR UPDATED 05/02/11 *BF UPDATED 12/29/11 *CN

SUDDEN ENGINE STOPPAGE WHILE DRIVING WITH LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND POWER STEERING. *TR

ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED WHILE IN CENTER LANE IN TRAFFIC WHILE MANEUVERING TO MAKE LEFT TURN. THIRD TIME THIS HAPPENED. LOW PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE TWICE BEFORE BY MERCEDES DEALER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES E55. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN HE NOTICED AN OVERPOWERING GASOLINE FUEL ODOR FROM THE VEHICLE INTERIOR. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS TO THE FUEL TANK SEALS. LATER WHILE REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A LARGE PUDDLE OF GASOLINE UNDER THE VEHICLE. HE FURTHER INSPECTED THE FAILURE AND FOUND A LARGE PUDDLE OF GASOLINE FUEL ATOP THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER AN UNKNOWN MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR THE FUEL ASSEMBLY IN 2008. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E55. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE BRAKES SUDDENLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE ABS PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.