It is 15 years from the in service date which your car more than likely past
unless it sold late in 2007.
Also cars with the metal PZEV tank were not included.

 

Not sure mine has metal tank or not , will call deleat ship tomorrow and see what happens

 

Any updates date regather warranty issue? Did MB cover it?im having same issue and received my warranty letter right SR 15 years WTF?

 

Had the same issue (2007 E550) - was told mine wasn't covered under the recall. Replaced the fuel sending unit (it had a crack in the top) under rear seat (drivers side unit mounted under seat in the top of the gas tank) issue was immediately resolved. The hardest part of the job was getting the retaining rings off the sending unit to remove from the car.

 

I realize this is a old thread. I have a serious gas leak with my 04 E500 Wagon. As others have noted, I had a strong gas smell when the tank was full. My first repair attempt was replacing the seal ring which had no impact. On the next refill I removed the inspection cover and watched the leak. It was coming from the pressure sensor on top of the sending unit. As I watched the leak, a second leak started from the top of the tank. At that point I realized I would need a new tank. I contact my dealer and was told the wagon tank was discontinued. If the sedan tank is not compatible, my only option is a used tank. I ordered a eBay tank but the sending unit sealing surface was damaged and I don't feel comfortable using it. It was a lot of work removing it and I don't want to do it a second time. Has anyone put a sedan tank in a wagon? I have owned this vehicle vehicle since June and only driven it for a month. Pictures of my original tank are attached. Obviously this was leaking well before I purchased it.

Top of tank leak:

Tank removed from the vehicle:

 

EPC says sedan and wagon use the same tank. You have to replace metal with metal (PZEV) or plastic with plastic.(non PZEV). I think all wagons are plastic/non PZEV.

Ideally the tank will come with a redesigned fuel level sender assembly with pressure sensor tower less prone to leaking. You’ll know because you’ll need a pigtail to connect the new assembly to the car harness. The sealing ring for the sender side and fuel pump side have been redesigned.

Consider the list of while you’re in there’s since the rear subframe/suspension has to come off to replace the fuel tank.

Sixto
05 E320 wagon 207K miles

 

Consider the list of while you’re in there’s since the rear subframe/suspension has to come off to replace the fuel tank.
Sixto
05 E320 wagon 207K miles

My conversation with Mercedes parts was the tank is discontinued. I can buy the sedan tank but "all sales are final since it doesn't match your VIN". I was hoping someone had already gone through this. Looking at pictures online, the updated tanks have a different color fitting on the main/large vent connection. You do not need to remove the rear subframe/suspension, everything is forward of the differential. The driveshaft, exhaust, emergency brake cable and under vehicle shield panels need to come off. The hardest part was disconnecting the 3 vent hoses that are above the differential.

 

My mind is on this thread https://www.benzworld.org/threads/analysis-of-fuel-tank-leaks-model-years-2003-2008.3013436/#replies post 44 where an experienced forum member had to drop the rear suspension.

Without VIN I’m comparing 211.070 (E500 sedan RWD) and 211.272 (E500 wagon RWD) in EPC. They show the same fuel tanks for both if we trust my eyes. Both original tanks have been superseded twice. One is plastic with removable fuel pump, one is metal with sealed in fuel pump. Metal is for PZEV application option 917 in datacard. I agree it’s tough to argue with the parts counter :/

You can take care of the leak from the sender module by replacing the module. URO brand is typically junk. MB or VDO is a safer choice. Leaks above the sender module could by a vent line or [hopefully not] a tank rupture. The filler is other side of the saddle tank so unlikely a filler leak will make it to the sender module side.

You can replace the sender module then see if that clears all the smells and wetness, maybe you’re seeing spray, before dropping the tank to explore. I haven’t read of other 211 fuel tank problems than failed fuel pump and leaky sender module if that’s any consolation.

As with other fuel tank threads, first confirm whether you have a plastic or metal fuel tank.

Sixto
05 E320 wagon 207K miles

 

They may have been talking about the PZEV tank? The rear subframe does not block removal.

My tank is a non PEZV, plastic tank. Vehicle is a 211.283, E500 4Matic. I defiantly have a top of tank leak which is either the vent hose connection or the fitting in the tank. There is a green sleeve(gasket) in the vent hose connection that I could try. Given the hours it took to remove this tank, I don't want to reinstall my original tank.

 

The tank can be leak checked without putting it back in the car. Seal up the fill and vents and whatever, put some gas in it and tip it up on its side until wherever you think is leaking is under the fuel level

 

Oh wow, you’re that far along! Alternative to checking for leaks with gas is shop/shop vac air inside and dish soap solution outside.

Sixto
05 E320 wagon 207K miles

 

Finished the tank installation and my leaking issues are fixed! I was able to send my eBay tank back and found another one from a 08 wagon at a local salvage yard. My original tank was leaking from the large vent where it connected to the plastic pipe. The most significant difference between the tanks was the vent connection metal insert. Both had a metal sleeve to support the plastic fitting but the new tank added an additional rib and protruded outside of the fitting. The sleeve in the old tank was loose, like the fitting had swelled.

Another issue I found was the new sending unit was not compatible with my (2003) original pump. The crossover pipes, that feed fuel back to the pump, have a larger OD that would not snap into my old pump.

Thanks to tabijan for the pressure test idea. I verified the new components before installing. This is NOT a job I want to repeat!

2003 vent hose connection:

2007 vent hose connection:

New tank ready to install:

 

Rocky did you have any fault codes present when you had the fuel leak?

I’ve had a fuel leak since I bought my car 2 years ago and just only fill 10 gallons at a time. Fuel leaks when I fill the tank all the way up, leaks to the driver side all the way down to the plastic skid tray under the car.

gas smell when I have the AC on and the car is not moving.

I have a fault code P2013-002 “major leak in purge system. Hose in system not connected or filler cap open”. I researched the code and it comes up when a fuel tank vacuum test is performed every 3 driving cycles. If the tank doesn’t hold proper vacuum the code is thrown. Could the seals or a sender unit problem cause this?

 

I never had codes. My issues were the same as yours. I could only keep about 10gal in the tank at any time. If you replace the tank with a used part make sure you get the newest one possible. The large vent connection at the top of the tank is a weak point in the early vehicles.

The sending unit in my vehicle was so bad I could watch it fil the pocket in minutes. At one point, I had to break the connection to the fuel rail and let the vehicle pump out ~10gal. About 1/3 of the tank is higher than the sending unit so it can leak a significant amount of fuel if the tank if full.

 

Do a visual inspection of the top of the fuel level sender unit. It’ll be obvious if there’s a leak that should be addressed regardless of other possible leaks.

Sixto
05 E320 wagon 207K miles

 

I just saw this discussion, and it has piqued my interest. The input and photos from rocky472 are very much appreciated. I picked up a 2004 E 500 4MATIC wagon in mid-2022 (photos after the detailing work, paint correction, and ceramic coating are in the "W211 E-Class Pictures" sticky thread in this forum) for my mom to replace my parents' older wagon totaled in a head-on collision on the highway that summer (we were all OK). So far, we haven't experienced the fuel leak issue when the tank is nearly full, but I am careful not to top-off the tank when fueling the vehicle... My understanding is that the plastics used in both the fuel sender unit assembly housing (most commonly-experienced culprit) and the vent connection at the top of the tank (the problem I believe experienced by the guy who has the Big Boys Car channel on YouTube with his rare AMG CLS 55 IWC Ingenieur Edition, but he hasn't resolved it yet and is just avoiding topping-off the tank when fueling the vehicle, which is also a good idea to avoid because of the challenge and expenses in obtaining the parts should the evap system require repair/replacement on these cars...) deteriorate over time (often quite prematurely) with prolonged exposure to gasoline (not sure if this is just a problem related to exposure to the fuel blend used in the U.S. or not...). I was planning to replace the entire fuel sender unit assembly at around 180,000 miles instead of just replacing the fuel filter, since the cost of an OEM VDO replacement unit (and the other required components, such as the harness adapter with the reversed polarity, new seals, lock rings, hose & clamps, new relay, fuse, and maybe even the other fuel pump on the right side of the tank and avoid the compatibility issue mentioned above altogether) is fairly reasonable for non-AMG 211 cars from parts dealers like FCP Euro, and it would also serve as preventative maintenance with respect to the fuel leak issue at the top of the old plastic fuel sender unit housing described above. Regarding these non-PZEV tanks, I know a number of Mercedes-Benz master mechanics in the area, and, while I have heard that they had replaced just the fuel sender unit under warranty, a number had also replaced the entire fuel tank at the dealerships... I think that this may have to do with the second issue, the plastic of the vent connection at the top of the tank. As rocky472 points out, the design had changed by the time the 2007 tank he picked up had been manufactured. And, if you look at fuel tanks from 2008, 2009, and later, you will notice that the color of the plastic material has also changed to a more orange color... I really think that this should have been addressed with an actual recall. What does Mercedes-Benz know about this issue that they haven't made public?

One final question on this for rocky472:

My conversation with Mercedes parts was the tank is discontinued. I can buy the sedan tank but "all sales are final since it doesn't match your VIN".

Did the parts dept. of the Mercedes-Benz dealership provide the Mercedes part # of the wagon's fuel tank in their system (no longer available) vs. the part # of the one supposedly only for the sedan? If so, what were those part #s?

Thanks!

 

[

One final question on this for rocky472:

Did the parts dept. of the Mercedes-Benz dealership provide the Mercedes part # of the wagon's fuel tank in their system (no longer available) vs. the part # of the one supposedly only for the sedan? If so, what were those part #s?

Thanks!

The dealer looked up the tank based on my VIN. It was also listed on their website as discontinued, P/N 211-470-25-02.

I used a shop vac exhaust to pressurize the tank. An interesting side note is the inlet has a one-way valve to stop fuel from leaking out. After I removed the shop vac hose the tank actually held pressure.

The vent connection is not visible from the access port under the seat. You might be able to use a camera to inspect the joint. In my case I could see fuel leaking from the top of the tank when full.

 

Isn’t the filter part of the US driver side level sender assembly? I haven’t heard of a separate fuel filter.

You pretty much can’t fill past half if you have a leaky sender. It’ll slosh on turns. To avoid evap system problems, don’t fill past the automatic stop of the pump. It bit me once in an S210 but thankfully resolved itself. I’ve filled past stop maybe twice in 40k miles with the S211 with no CEL yet.

Sixto
05 E320 wagon 207K miles

 

Isn’t the filter part of the US driver side level sender assembly? I haven’t heard of a separate fuel filter.

Yes, that's correct, but some replace just the filter inside of it without replacing the entire sender assembly. Frankly, there are some challenges with attempting this (it has been discussed frequently on this forum). I'll be replacing the whole thing instead.

 

Well hopefully it’s the fuel sender unit on my car and not the vent. Dropping the gas tank for me would mean doing some drivetrain work aswell which I’m not excited about. I guess I’ll take off the back seat and hope I can see something. Is the plastic vent connection reachable without dropping the tank? I have a feeling that whatever the problem is will be extremely visible given the error code that I have. Seems like the gas tank won’t hold vacuum for long at all.

 

Don’t apply vacuum to the tank, only pressure.

Sixto
05 E320 wagon 207K miles

 

When I read up on the fault code it says that the car leak tests the system by pulling a slight vacuum and seeing if it holds. I haven’t done any leak testing myself but the car is throwing a massive leak code because of the loss of vacuum when testing itself.

if I try anything myself I’ll make sure to not pull avacuum

 

Yes, let the system pull a vacuum. I don’t know how much the system pulls but it doesn’t take much to collapse some metal tanks. Maybe plastic tanks hold up better.

All you’re doing for now is exposing the top of the sender to see I f there’s a pool of fuel or evidence of a leak. You can’t test the vent if the sender’s leaking.

Sixto
05 E320 wagon 207K miles

 

Is that the vent line to the right of center in this picture?

Sixto
05 E320 wagon 207K miles

 

Is that the vent line to the right of center in this picture?

Sixto
05 E320 wagon 207K miles

Yes. The circled connection is what leaked on my original tank.