Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Mercedes-Benz E350 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-350. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH and coming to a complete stop, the vehicle started sputtering and stalled. The contact pushed the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact towed the vehicle to her residence five days later. The contact used an OBD reader to determine that the failure was associated with the fuel system. The contact replaced the fuel relay and fuses, fuel pump and fuel filter herself; however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer and diagnosed with a fuel leak. The contact was informed that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated while driving immediately after refueling, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
This vehicle has a very profound strong gas smell inside and out of the car. Upon further research, it has been notably stated that this particular vehicle model from years 2003-2009 had the same common issue that when refueling and topping off at full tank capacity, there is a fuel leakage seeping from the top of the gas tank which sits underneath of the back passenger seat. Apparently there is a health hazard recall listed upon this vehicle for this issue but when I called my local mercedes benz dealer they said that there was no recall with this issue and refused to acknowledge the problem. But in fact there are many videos of evidence online illustrating and showing other same vehicle owners addressing the fuel tank leakage from within underneath the back passenger seat, and there is also many written testimonials cases stating the existance of the same issue. …
At approximately 11:50 a.m. On Tuesday, February 11, 2020, I pulled out of our driveway onto spruce dr. Nw, going south and the car immediately started accelerating on its own, careening down spruce dr. Nw. I was desperately trying to miss parked cars on the street but my car was moving faster and faster, out of control through the intersection at the end of my block. Then my car was flying through the air, between 25-40 MPH, slamming into a creek bank and ending on the driver side down a 30 foot ravine at the end of spruce drive nw. I was trapped inside the car with my seat belt on and according to the police report the side airbag had deployed. Thankfully, I did not hit any cars! It was truly a miracle that I was alive and that my neighbors heard and saw the crash. …
When I was filling up the fuel completely, I had a smell of fuel from the back when I parked the car, so I tracked the car and found the fuel drops coming down from the left side in the back, so I stopped the car and took it home and I checked the transmitter unit in the back seat as a mechanical engineer, and I found fuel leaking from the top of the transmitter unit, when I asked about this problem, I found that there is a 15-year guarantee on this subject and I added some evidence that supports the problem, including some customer complaints, and a response to them by the maintenance department im living in saudi arabia and for contact me +[redacted]
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz E350. Each time the contact fueled the vehicle, she noticed an oder of fuel around the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to Mercedes-Benz of oxnard (located at 1511 auto center dr, oxnard, ca 93036) where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank had a leak and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the repair fees. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty. No further assistance was offered. The approximate failure mileage was 165,000.
I contactedthe dealership regarding my fuel pump issue. The dealership informed me that it was not one of the covered VIN's with the fuel pump issues. It has strong smell of gas when filling up and does not run smooth . It has not started once when turned on. I was informed by my mechanic of the warranty on the defective fuel pump/filter. Why wasn't my VIN included in the extended warranty? Were their changes made to the parts? How was my car excluded from the warranty process?
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Mercedes Benz E350. After refueling the vehicle, there was a strong odor of fuel coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank and the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000. Updated 05/03/16 the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired. Updated 05/04/16.
When I was filling up the fuel completely, I had a smell of fuel from the back when I parked the car, so I tracked the car and found the fuel drops coming down from the left side in the back, so I stopped the car and took it home and I checked the transmitter unit in the back seat as a mechanical engineer, and I found fuel leaking from the top of the transmitter unit, when I asked about this problem, I found that there is a 15-year guarantee on this subject
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Mercedes Benz E350. The contact stated that after refueling the fuel tank, the odor of strong fuel would emit in and around the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel filter seal needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
Fuel System complaints in other E350 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2009 Mercedes-Benz E350?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz E350, 52% of the model year's 64 complaints. The component named most often is delivery › fuel pump (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Mercedes-Benz E350 fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2009 Mercedes-Benz E350, 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 2009 Mercedes-Benz E350 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 98,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to fuel & propulsion system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.