NHTSA Complaint #10683710 — 1998 MERCEDES BENZ E320

ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015, 4:45 PM, AN ATTENDANT AT SAM'S CLUB GAS PUMPS, TULSA HILLS SHOPPING CENTER, TULSA, OK, OVERFLOWED THE GAS TANK, CREATING A SPILL LARGE ENOUGH THAT ABSORBENT MATERIALS WAS USED TO SOAK UP THE GAS ON THE PAVEMENT (VIDEO AVAILABLE FROM SAM'S). UPON LEAVING, THE ENGINE DIED BEFORE EXITING THE STATION. RESTARTED AND DIED AGAIN AT THE FIRST TRAFFIC LIGHT ABOUT 1/4 MILE AWAY. RESTARTED AND ABNORMAL NOISES WERE HEARD DURING THE NEXT MILE AND WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THERE WAS A LARGE EXPLOSION UNDER THE HOOD, PRODUCING LOTS OF BLACK SMOKE BUT NO EXTENDED FIRE. LOCAL POLICE HELPED IN REMOVING THE CAR FROM TRAFFIC AND LATER LOADING THE CAR ON A WRECKER. THE DESCRIPTION FROM THE MBZ REPAIR FACILITY GAVE THIS EXPLANATION AND REPAIRED THE CAR AT A COST OF $2,600. THE GAS OVERFLOW CAUSED THE CHARCOAL CANISTER TO FILL UP WITH LIQUID GAS AND WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED THE LIQUID GAS WAS SUCKED INTO THE INPUT MANIFOLD, CAUSING AN UNDETECTED EXPLOSION AND CRACKING THE MANIFOLD. THE EXPLOSIONS GOT LARGER AS THE CAR WAS DRIVEN AND FINALLY AN EXPLOSION BLEW MOST OF ONE END OF THE INPUT MANIFOLD OFF (MANIFOLD AVAILABLE). END *TR