NHTSA Complaint #10501337 — 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E500

I HAVE NOTICED STRONG GASOLINE ODORS EMANATING FROM MY CAR AFTER REFUELING. I PURCHASED A NEW MERCEDES BENZ GAS CAP AND INSTALLED IT. FILLED THE GAS TANK AND GASOLINE ODOR WAS STILL VERY STRONG. I DO NOT 'TOP OFF' WHEN REFUELING. RESEARCHED ISSUE ONLINE AT BENZWORLD.ORG AND DISCOVERED THAT THE GAS ODOR ISSUE I AM EXPERIENCING MAY BE RELATED TO A PROBLEM BEING SEEN IN NUMEROUS MERCEDES BENZ E-MODEL VEHICLES. AS ADVISED BY THE OTHER OWNERS HAVING THIS ISSUE I DETACHED THE REAR SEAT CUSHION FROM THE CAR AND REMOVED THE BOLTS FROM THE CIRCULAR ACCESS PANEL THAT COVERS A PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IN THE DEPRESSION ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK WHERE NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL WIRES ATTACH TO THE FUEL PUMP I FOUND A SIGNIFICANT QUANTITY OF RAW GASOLINE POOLED. THIS PRESENTS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION AND I AM NO LONGER WILLING TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THE POOLING OF RAW GASOLINE ALSO REPRESENTS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE DUE TO THE EVAPORATION AND CREATION OF TOXIC FUMES. I UNDERSTAND THAT MERCEDES BENZ DEALERS ARE DEMANDING $2,000. OR MORE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM BY REMOVING AND REPLACING THE GAS TANKS IN IMPACTED VEHICLES. I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS DEFECTIVE COMPONENT SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE TO RECALL IT AND REPLACE IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE NHTSA'S CURRENT INVESTIGATION ACTION NO. FOR THIS ISSUE IS PE 12001. *TR