NHTSA Complaint #10476612 — 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E350

2006 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL E350. STRONG FUEL ODOR EMANATING FROM REAR AREA (TRUNK) OF VEHICLE ON THE OUTSIDE. CAR WOULD NOT START AND TOWED BY AAA TO MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP/CAR REPAIR. AAA TOW DRIVER STATED THAT THE ODOR OF GASOLINE WAS SO STRONG HE WAS TEMPTED IN CALLING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED US AT FIRST THAT CAR WAS FULL OF WATER. ORIGINALLY THE MECHANIC CLAIMED HE FOUND A POOL OF WATER INSIDE THE CAR'S TRUNK. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED THE TECHNICIAN OF OUR COMPLAINT OF A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL COMING FROM BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HE FOUND A HEAVY POOL OF FUEL IN THE TRUNK AREA OF THE VEHICLE. THEY WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE FUEL LEAK. THEY CHANGED THE GASOLINE TANK AND FUEL PUMP BUT WERE UNCERTAIN OF THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE LEAK. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ONE WEEK. MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FUEL LEAK WAS CAUSED BY A FACTORY DEFECT AND NOT BY WEAR AND TEAR OF THE PARTS AND WE WERE CHARGED FOR ALL THE REPAIRS. WE ARE AWARE THAT SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED FOR THE SAME MERCEDES BENZ MODEL IN OTHER STATES. WE FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED URGENTLY BEFORE SOMEONE EITHER GETS HURT OR LOSES THEIR LIFE. *TR