NHTSA Complaint #10776088 — 2005 MERCEDES BENZ 211

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE MY VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED TO SEE IF ANY FUEL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. NOTHING APPEARED TO BE LEAKING. I THEN OPENED UP THE HOOD FOR THE ENGINE, AND OBSERVED THE COMPARTMENT FOR ABOUT A MINUTE TO SEE IF THE ODOR WAS DETECTABLE FROM THE ENGINE. IT WAS NOT. I WALKED BACK TO THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE AND BEGAN TO DETECT THE ODOR ONCE MORE. I OPENED THE DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER DOOR AND FROM THE BACK SEAT I COULD DETECT A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR, SO I GOT DOWN ON THE GROUND TO SEE IF THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. NO FUEL DETECTED. THE NEXT DAY, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING OVERNIGHT, AS SOON AS I GOT INTO THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A REALLY STRONG ODOR OF FUEL. I STARTED THE VEHICLE NORMALLY, BUT THE VEHICLE TOOK LONGER TO START, IT TURNED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE STARTING. THIS WAS NOT NORMAL FOR MY VEHICLE. I GOT OUT AND GO INTO THE BACK SEAT AND THE ODOR WAS OVERWHELMING, THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT.