2005 Mercedes-Benz E Class Problems

THE CAR HAS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THEIR VEHICLE, PARTICULARLY AFTER REFUELING. IT APPEARS THAT THE GASKET ON THE FUEL TANK LEAKS. *TR

DURING THE PAST 2-3 YEARS, MY WIFE AND I BEGAN TO NOTICE A GASOLINE VAPORS IN OUR CLOSED GARAGE IMMEDIATELY AFTER OUR 2005 E320 HAD BEEN REFUELED. WE ALSO NOTICED THAT AFTER A FEW DAYS DRIVING, THE GASOLINE VAPORS, DIMINISHED. MORE RECENTLY, IT ALSO SEEMED THAT THE GASOLINE ODOR HAS BEEN STRONGER AFTER REFUELING. IN ADDITION, MY WIFE, WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR, HAS RECENTLY BEGUN TO SMELL GASOLINE VAPORS FROM INSIDE THE CAR, AND WHILE DRIVING. DURING A RECENT VISIT TO MY DEALER FOR SERVICING, I ASKED THEM TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE. THEY REMOVED THE REAR SEAT, FILLED THE FUEL TANK, AND THEN DISCOVERED GASOLINE LEAKING AND PUDDLING AROUND THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE DEALER TOLD ME TO EITHER 1) REPLACE THE ORIGINAL FUEL TANK WITH A SLIGHTLY REDESIGNED TANK, OR 2) WHEN REFUELING, FILL THE GAS TANK TO A LEVEL LESS THAN COMPLETELY FULL. THEY ADMITTED THAT THE EXISTING DESIGN PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE LEAKING. THE DEALER STATED ALSO THAT A REPLACEMENT FUEL TANK WOULD COST US AROUND $2,600 AND THE COST WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER ANY VEHICLE WARRANTY, INCLUDING THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN DEC 2004 AND NOW HAS 75000 MI. IN ANOTHER 2 WEEKS, IT WILL BE 8 YEARS OLD. MY GREATEST CONCERN IS THAT THE GAS TANK DESIGN AND SUBSEQUENT GASOLINE LEAKAGE COULD CONTRIBUTE TO A VEHICLE FIRE AND SERIOUS BODILY INJURY IF THE VEHICLE WERE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. THIS IS NOT TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF HAVING TO BREATH GASOLINE VAPORS THAT ARE INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND WHILE DRIVING IT. WE BELIEVE THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN DEFECT, AND THAT IT SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND AT THEIR COST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. FURTHER, FOR US TO NOT ?FILL-UP? THE FUEL TANK AT ANY TIME, DOES NOT CORRECT THE FLAWED DESIGN, THUS IS NOT REALLY AN OWNERSHIP OPTION. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG AND ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 03/28/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG AND ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 03/28/06. *JB

POOR VISIBILITY AT NIGHT SECONDARY TO LIGHT LENS FOGGING DETERIORATION OF PLASTIC LENS MATERIAL NECESSITATING USING HIGH BEAMS ALL THE TIME. *TR

ON OR ABOUT JUNE 22, 2009, I WAS DRIVING HOME ON INTERSTATE 64 WHEN THE LEFT FRONT SPRING BROKE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I DID NOT HIT A POT HOLE AND THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS CAUSED THE LEFT FRONT SHOCK TO IMMEDIATELY BREAK. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR FELL ONTO THE TIRE WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE MERCEDES DEALER COULD OFFER NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS PROBLEM. I CORRESPONDED BY E-MAIL WITH 2 MERCEDES REPRESENTATIVES WHO TOLD ME THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY WAS OUT AT 50,000.00 MILES AND THE CAR HAD APPROX. 56,000.00 MILES AT THE TIME. I EXPLAINED THAT I KNEW THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN I CALLED, HOWEVER, I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A PREMATURE FAILURE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THE MERCEDES REPS TOLD ME I PURCHASED THE CAR AS A USED VEHICLE AND THEY COULD DO NOTHING AND HOPED THAT MY CONFIDENCE IN MERCEDES WOULD BE RESTORED AS I CONTINUED DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE CAR WOULD NOT BE SAFE UNLESS I REPLACED THE SPRING AND SHOCK ON BOTH SIDES. THE REPAIR BILL WAS JUST UNDER $1,800.00. *TR