NHTSA Complaint #10916045 — 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350

DIESEL FUEL LEAKS FROM A TINY CRACK FORMING ON THE OIL FILTER HOUSING. THE FILTER HAS MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE BOTTOM HOUSING OF THE FILTER TO FORM SMALL CRACKS PREMATURELY. THE MERCEDES PART NUMBER OF THIS FILTER IS A 642 090 60 52 MANUFACTURED BY MANN , MADE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WHERE THE FILTER FORMS CRACKS AND LEAKS DIESEL FUEL. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THERE ARE ANY VEHICLE FIRES AS A RESULT OF THIS DEFECT. WHEN THE FILTER LEAKS, THE FUEL STREAMS DOWN THE CENTER OF THE ENGINE BLOCK AND THROUGH A WEEP HOLE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE NEAR THE EXHAUST. THIS IS IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE EXTREMELY HOT EXHAUST PIPING THAT COULD IGNITE THE FUEL AND CAUSE A FUEL FIRE RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITIES.