NHTSA Complaint #11131566 — 2005 MERCEDES BENZ E500

2005 MERCEDES E500 WAGON HAS A STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS COMPLETELY FILLED. THIS ODOR PERSISTS FOR A FEW DAYS UNTIL THE FUEL LEVEL HAS GONE DOWN. THIS HAS PERSISTED FOR ABOUT A YEAR. DUE TO THIS SAFETY ISSUE, MB HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS PART TO REPAIR IT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MB OF PLANO FOR REPAIR. ONCE THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE TECHNICIAN FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURE WHICH REQUIRES THEM TO REMOVE THE MUFFLER SYSTEM TO REMOVE THE FUEL TANK. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT A MUFFLER BRACKET WAS RUSTED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED ME THAT THIS BRACKET IS ONLY AVAILABLE AS A PART OF THE COMPLETE MUFFLER AND WOULD COST ~$600 TO REPLACE AND WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE MUFFLER WAS OPERATING PROPERLY AND DOES NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR ANY OTHER REASON. THE DEALERSHIP APPEALED THE WARRANTY AND THAT WAS DENIED. I APPEALED TO THE MERCEDES EXECUTIVE REFERRAL TEAM AND THEY ALSO DENIED THE CLAIM DUE TO THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. IF I AM NOT WILLING TO SPEND $600 TO REPLACE A PERFECTLY GOOD MUFFLER, THEN I WILL HAVE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN THAT HAS A LIVE GASOLINE LEAK INSIDE THE CABIN BECAUSE MERCEDES BENZ WILL NOT REPLACE THE MUFFLER BRACKET. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH RALPH AT MERCEDES BENZ EXECUTIVE REFERRAL AS WELL AS THE MERCEDES BENZ OF PLANO SERVICE DEPARTMENT.