Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Everytime I fill the gas tank I smell gas strongly I paid out of pocket to have the fuel pump done the gas cap the purge valve and I'm still getting a check engine light for a evap leak and still smelling gas from inside and outside the car I also have a rattle noise comeing from inside the gas tank u can take the gas cap off and heat it inside the gas tank from outside and inside the car it's a constant knocking noise inside the gas tank I replaced everything and their is still a knock noise and fuel smell I have proof receipts from Merceds dealer of all work I did and I have videos of the noise I can't afford a new gas tank I bought the car in Connecticut with a 2 year extended warranty the warranty place won't cover a new gas tank I saw their were recalls for gas smells on other models same year as mine but not the c class a lot of other people I noticed on google have had this same …
76000 ml nice and clean but, all of the sudden strong smell of the gasoline inside. When did my research online found a lot of similar complaints with same symptoms as what was investigated on report# vrtc-dcd-3206 by NHTSA. Upon filling up the gas tank to full, gas leaks from sanding unit under rear passenger seat. Can not understand why same recall is not applicable to the c-class mb, makes no sense to me as to the others unhappy mb owners. My next car is Lexus, done with mb
Strong gasoline ordor coming from left rear wheel well every time the car is refueled. The strong ordor lingers on for 2-3days filling the garage and house with fule ordor. Seems to be the same problem as e class, which is under an extended warranty for the fuel ordor issue. Mb service rep said that c class vehicles are not covered by the extended warranty and owners are responsible for the cost of repair.
Mileage 54,606 1 owner car strong gas odor when the tank is filled, and moving. Took to dealer. Dealer stated we need to drain tank and replace leaking l/h fuel sensor module. L/h fuel unit fuel sender o rings fuel sender lock rings all for the low cost of $1,095.84 for now we are not filling tank. I've read on line this is a problem with mb a recall should be done.
Very strong odor of gasoline fills the garage and house when the vehicle is parked inside after fueling to full tank. The gasoline odor is so strong that I feel it is unsafe to park the vehicle in the garage because of the fumes, and the potential for fire
Several times I've filled my gas tank I got a strong smell of gas before entering my vehicle. I had then made sure not to fill the tank up due to this leakage. I believe its very dangerous. The smell doesn't go away until I drive the car for several days.
Strong smell of gasoline inside and outside of the Mercedes C280 2007 when it's filled up, or filled past the second notch on the fuel meter. Inspection of the fuel tank underneath the rear seats reveals a visible fuel leak on the left sending unit a the top of the fuel tank. Google search results suggest this leakage May be related to a March, 2008 emissions recall conducted by Mercedes Benz (emissions recall campaign # 2008-020001) which involved potential cracking of the fuel filter module in vehicles exposed to high ambient temperatures. I contacted two different mechanics who own Mercedes repair shops, and they both confirmed these are common problems with Mercedes vehicles of different models and years. Fixing is very expensive (close to $800). Meanwhile, the leaked fuel could ignite a fire, explosion, and, to the least extent, is sending fuel fume out to the environment. …
After filling up the gas tank I noticed a strong odor of gasoline in the cabin while at a stoplight. Upon returning home, the car was shut off and could smell the gasoline on the drivers side exterior. After the car was sitting in the driveway for roughly 3 hours, we noticed a "pool" of gasoline on the driveway surface. Contact with Mercedes-Benz of waco revealed that the technicians there have done many tank/sending unit replacements as these are "known to fail and being out of warranty these repairs would cost no less than $1800 out of pocket and will likely not fix the problem. We suggest you research recall status and complaints made before doing a possible temporary fix." we are concerned with driving the vehicle in this condition and are extremely upset with the lack of safety recall for this problem.
Noticed strong fuel smell. Fuel tank behind driver side had crack-had it replaced. 4th of July weekend noticed I could not fill up tank beyond 1/2 tank took it back into service defect was located in passenger side tank. On 7/15 car stalled on freeway---showed 1/2 tank of gas-assumed it was the battery. Took it into service again and it was the float in the tank that needed to be checked---problem solved-----so far. Was told by dealer my year/model did not qualify for recall. Recalls are determined by factory where it was built and excessive complaints for said problem from that factory. If the same fuel pump was found to be defective for other model years why wait for consumer to complain and pay out of pocket for repair.. Mercedes should recall pumps gratis ----sounds like good customer service to me.
After my car was serviced on January 11, 2013, I noticed a strong smell of gasoline every time I filled my gas tank. The smell was evident inside my car and in the garage and even in my house. After the third filling of my gas tank and an ever-worsening smell, I took the car back to the dealer to ascertain and fix the problem (March 15, 2013). They found fuel leaking from the driver's side fuel level sensor and replaced it for $1200. I saw an article in the los angeles times on March 20, 2013, that federal safety regulators are investigating this problem in the e-class, and you should know it is occurring in the 2007 c-class, also. I can still detect an odor, though not as strong, after I fill the gas tank.
Fuel System complaints in other C280 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280, 38% of the model year's 56 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280 fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.