NHTSA Complaint #10730246 — 2004 MERCEDES BENZ ML350

CAR SUDDENLY DEVELOPED EXTREME GASOLINE ODOR AFTER A BRIEF 20 MILE TRIP. CURSORY CHECK DID NOT IDENTIFY SOURCE. UPON RETURN TRIP, SAME EXTREME SICKENING ODOR RETURNED. UPON PULLING INTO GARAGE GASOLINE WAS VISIBLY POURING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND POOLING ON GROUND. IT LOOKED TO BE COMING DIRECTLY FROM GAS TANK AREA BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE MAIN SOURCE AS IT WAS SPRAYED THROUGHOUT THE UNDERCARRIAGE. ASIDE FROM THE NAUSEA, THIS CLEARLY POSED A SIGNIFICANT FIRE DANGER AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TRANSPORTED TO THE DEALER AWAITING REPAIR COSTS NOW. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER INCIDENTS OR EXTERNAL REASONS THAT MIGHT HAVE LED TO THIS (SUCH AS RUNNING OVER SOMETHING OR HITTING SOMETHING IN THE ROAD). AFTER DOING RESEARCH THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN, AND CONTINUES TO BE EXPERIENCED BY OTHER OWNERS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.