2003 Mercedes-Benz 211 Owner Complaints

THE STRONG SMELL OF GAS FUMES IN THE CABIN OF THE CAR, ESPECIALLY AFTER FILLING THE FUEL TANK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10559283

Incident

Jan 9, 2014

Mileage

132,331 mi

MY 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E55 (W211) HAS DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK AT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT/PUMP. THE UNIT CRACKS AND ALLOWS FUEL TO LEAD INTO THE CABIN, UNDER THE REAR SEATS, WHERE THE FUEL SENDING UNIT/PUMP IS LOCATED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, WHO SAID THIS WAS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THIS MODEL MERCEDES BENZ, BUT THAT THE FACTORY HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN OPENED FOR THIS ISSUE AT NHTSA AND I WAS HOPING TO GET HELP IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FIXED. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED AND CONCERNED THAT MB HAS NOT TAKEN THE RESPONSIBLE ACTION TO FIX THIS PROBLEM TO DATE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10558501

Incident

Dec 27, 2013

Mileage

40,500 mi

AFTER A GASOLINE FILL-UP A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IS NOTICED OUTSIDE THE CAR AFTER THE CAR IS STOPPED. THIS CONTINUES UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 1/8 TANK OF GASOLINE IS USED. THE ODOR IS SO STRONG THAT IT CANNOT BE PARKED IN A CLOSED GARAGE FOR FEAR OF A FIRE OR AN EXPLOSION. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10557239

Incident

Feb 15, 2010

Mileage

96,292 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN ANOTHER CAR CUT IN FRONT OF ME.WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE COMPLETELY FAILED AND A RED WARNING SIGN APPEARED ON THE DASH SAYING BRAKE MALFUNCTION STOP VEHICLE". I WAS FORCED TO RUN A RED LIGHT IN ORDER TO PREVENT HITTING OTHER CARS AND WAS ABLE TO ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP.THE INCIDENT NEARLY KILLED ME AND PUT OTHER DRIVERS AT A SERIOUS RISK AFTER SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF AND TURNING IT BACK ON ALL CAME BACK TO NORMAL AND THERE IS NOW NO MALFUNCTION ON THE DASH AS IF THIS NEVER HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10548604

Incident

Oct 19, 2013

Mileage

94,465 mi

THERE ARE WIRING DEFECTIVE FOR 2003 MB E320 AND MAY BE OTHER YEARS AND MODELS, THAT USE SINGLE BOARD FOR TAIL LIGHTS (BRAKE, NIGHT LIGHT, SIGNAL, REVERSE AS ONE BOARD). IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH REPLACE THE BOARD ($65/BOARD OR $130 FOR TWO PLUS $125 LABOR), IT WILL GO OUT LESS THAN ONE DAY USE. IT IS DANGERS THAT STOP LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING, AND WILL EVENTUALLY INJURY OR FATALITY WILL OCCUR. MERCEDES BENZ WAS NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES AND THERE IS NO INDICATION FROM THEM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS WIRING HARNESSES AND WIRES FOR TAIL LIGHT BOARDS. DEALERS SAID IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10532585

Incident

Jul 30, 2013

I HAVE REALIZED FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW THAT MY CAR HAD INSIDE GAS FUMES AND I WAS LOOSING GAS, AS WELL AS MY GAS FUEL INDICATOR BEING OFF, BUT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY, UNTIL RECENTLY. MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT WHEN I FILL MY GAS TANK, IT LEAKS. I RECENTLY HAD A MECHANIC DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AS LEAK IN THE GAS TANK AS WELL AS LEAKY/BAD SEALS AND THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND FUEL SENDER NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE RECOMMENDED WORK IS VERY EXPENSIVE, WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD. I INQUIRED AT THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL AND MB WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I NOW FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AS WELL AS HAVING MY GRANDCHILDREN RIDE IN MY CAR, AND DO NOT THINK THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR. HOPING YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10486146

Incident

Nov 9, 2012

Mileage

84,000 mi

I WAS SITTING WITH THE CAR IN PARK BUT STILL RUNNING AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME UP SAYING THAT THE CAR WAR TO LOW.LOOKING ONLINE AND READING OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPING TO THE MAKES ME THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED. THE SAME THING HAPPENED ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS AGO WHERE I HAD TO HAVE THE RIGHT SIDE AIR SCK REPLACED BUT WITH THIS PROBLEM BOTH SIDES ARE SITTING LOW WHICH MAKES ME THINK THAT THE PUMP HAS WENT BAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10465825

Incident

Jun 28, 2012

Mileage

66,000 mi

DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM OF RESERVOIR, WHICH IS PART OF THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE SYSTEM (SBC). THERE WAS A SYSTEM RECALL #2004 050014, FOR THE SBC. DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT TO REPAIR, WHICH IS A KNOW FACT FOR MANY OWNERS TO HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. DUE TO THE VAST AMOUNT OF OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE, REGARDING THE RESERVOIR AND SBC UNIT, THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT UP TO MERCEDES BENZ USA. MERCEDES BENZ DEALERS REFUSE TO REPLACE RESERVOIR, BECAUSE THEY CLAIM IT TO BE A DIFFERENT ITEM. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE TWO ITEMS WORK HAND IN HAND AND ALSO SEEMS TO BE A COMMON FAILING UNIT. THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE UNIT CAN CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT TO MANY OWNERS IF MERCEDES BENZ DOES NOT TAKE CARE OF THIS RESERVOIR AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10459610

Incident

May 22, 2012

I HAVE A 2003 E500 MERCEDES BENZ. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE SBC PUMP WOULD SMOKE FROM THE HOOD. ON APRIL 18, 2012 WAS THE FIRST NOTICE OF PUMP SMOKING. SHORTLY AFTERWARD THE PUMP WOULD CONTINUALLY CYCLE OR RUN. ON APRIL THE 27TH THE PUMP STARTED SMOKING AND WAS EXTREMELY HOT AND THE BRAKE VISIT WORKSHOP LIGHT APPEARED IMMEDIATELY. ON APRIL 30, 2012 I VISITED ATLANTA CLASSIC CARS MERCEDES ON BOGGS ROAD IN DULUTH, GEORGIA. AFTER A 4 HOUR WAIT, THE SERVICE ADVISOR KIM CATES, TOLD ME THAT THE SBC PUMP RESERVOIR WAS DEFECTIVE. I RECALLED THAT A RECALL WAS SUMMON IN OCTOBER 2004 FOR SBC PUMP FAILURE. (CAMPAIGN NO. 2004050014). THE DEALER REFUSE TO REPLACE PUMP AND FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECALL CAMPAIGN CITING THAT CERTAIN PARTS OF THE (SBC) BRAKE SYSTEM PUMP IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. I WAS STUNNED TO KNOW THAT A DEALER CAN PICK WHAT PART OF A SAFETY DEVICE THAT HAS MALFUNCTION TO FIX. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT DEVICE ON A CAR (BRAKES). I AM ASKING FOR HELP AS MANY PEOPLE HAS HAD THIS VERY PROBLEM WITH THERE SBC PUMPS. THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE,DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURIES. *JS

NHTSA ID

10456977

Incident

Apr 27, 2012