NHTSA Complaint #10945206 — 2007 MERCEDES-BENZ E350

PUNGENT FUEL ODOR AFTER FILLING UP GAS TANK. THE SMELL IS SO STRONG THAT IT CAUSES DRIVERS NAUSEA, HEADACHES, AND DIZZINESS. LOCAL DEALER (RBM OF ALPHARETTA) STATES: "MY TECH FOUND THE FUEL SENDING UNIT SEALING RING TO BE CRACKED AND LEAKING WHEN HE PULLED UP THE BACK SEAT. THEN HE GOT THE VEHICLE UP IN THE AIR AN COULD SEE FUEL RESIDUE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK THAT HAD DRIPPED DOWN FROM THE TOP. THE SOLUTION FOR REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY, REASON FOR THIS IS YOUR VEHICLE IS A PZEV OR PARTIAL ZERO EMISSIONS VEHICLE. THE FUEL TANK AND SENDING UNIT ARE SEALED FROM THE FACTORY FOR ZERO EMISSION STANDARDS. WHEN YOU ARRIVED THIS MORNING I REVIEWED THE VMI FOR YOUR CAR TO SHOW YOU IT WAS NOT PART OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THE FUEL TANK YOU SPOKE OF. I STILL RAN COVERAGE FOR YOUR VEHICLE TO SEE IF MERCEDES WOULD COVER THE REPAIR BUT IT IS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD FOR THIS REPAIR." I'M NOT SURE OF THE INTEGRITY OF MERCEDES-BENZ, BUT I WILL SOON FIND OUT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM EXPERIENCED ON THE VEHICLES UNDER THE WARRANTY EXTENSION ISSUED BY MBZ, BUT SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN CALIFORNIA (PZEV), THEY ARE DENYING THE CLAIM. I'M ASSUMING THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE REPAIR COST IS MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN THE TRADITIONAL (NON-PZEV) DESIGN. THE PZEV VEHICLES NEED THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK REPLACED VERSUS THE SIMPLER (AND LESS EXPENSIVE) FUEL SENDING UNIT FOR THE NON-PZEV CARS. OTHERWISE, THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM...ONLY A DIFFERENT FIX. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE ADMITTED BY MY SERVICE ADVISOR. HE STATED, THAT THE CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THE CURRENT STATE. I AM CURRENTLY ESCALATING WITH MBZ LEADERSHIP AND HOPING THEY WILL HOLD INTEGRITY AS A BUSINESS AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND FIX IT UNDER THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY.