NHTSA Complaint #11084860 — 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E320

FUEL LEAKING TO THE INSIDE OF PASSENGER COMPARTMENT UNDER ACCESS PORT UNDER REAR SEAT CUSHION, THAT'S THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL PUMP. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH TUCSON MERCEDES BENZ TO INSPECT THE CAR SINCE I BELIEVED THAT A MERCEDES RECALL WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH SERVICE ADVISOR MARK SCHOFIELD AND HE ASSURED ME TWICE THAT THE RECALL IS IN PLACE AND THEY WOULD FIX THE FUEL SYSTEM DEFECTS WITHOUT CHARGE. HE CALLED ME THIS EVENING AND TOLD ME ALL ABOUT WHY TUCSON MERCEDES WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR, I WAS TOLD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM ENDED 2/21/2018. I BOUGHT THE CAR ON 4/5/18, FILLED IT UP WITH GAS ON 4/08/18 AND THE CAR WAS FILLED WITH FUMES THAT NIGHT AS WELL AS IN MY GARAGE. TUCSON MERCEDES FIRST SAID THAT THE TANK WAS LEAKING AT THE VENT TUBE BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT ACCESS POINTS. HE TOLD ME THAT THE COST WOULD NORMALLY BE $3000 BUT HE REDUCED IT TO $2000. I ASKED MARK HOW THE FUEL COULD RUN ACROSS THE TOP OF THE TANK, CLIMB THE LOCKING RING AND PUDDLE ON TOP OF THE LEFT SIDE FUEL PUMP? HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT MERCEDES COULD NOT JUST REPLACE A PORTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM WITHOUT REPLACING THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE TANK. ALSO, NOT TRUE. HE SAID THAT UPON A SECOND EXAMINATION WAS MADE AND THERE APPEARS TO BE A CRACK ON TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP AND NOW THAT'S WHERE THE LEAK IS COMING FROM. NOW HIS PRICE TO REPAIR ALL IS $770 + TAX. AFTER A FEW WORDS MORE, THE PRICE DROPPED TO $700 + TAX. I FEEL THAT MERCEDES SHOULD JUST FIX MY VEHICLE AND CALL IT GOOD. THIS LEARNED THAT THIS CAR HAD A FUEL PUMP INSTALLED AT 59,000 MILES. I MISSED THEIR SELF IMPOSED CUT OFF DATE BY ABOUT 6 WEEKS, NOT SO MUCH TIME FOR SUCH A SERIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT TO HEALTH AND SAFETY. THE FUMES INSIDE MY CAR AND GARAGE COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE OR WORSE YET, AN EXPLOSION. THE PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED AFTER THE FIRST TIME I FILLED THE TANK.