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 2005 Mercedes-Benz E500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2005 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated that fuel was leaking from the fuel tank. There was an abnormal odor of fuel inside the vehicle. The contact refueled the vehicle and there was an abnormal odor of fuel outside of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, who stated there was no warranty coverage. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
Car smells like gas. Constantly a couple machanic. Did some repairs. But there's a small leak as well from a smoke test. Gas leaks in more than one area. Oil leaks everywhere. Evap leak didn't pass smog. Then went to a smog station and repair. Check engine light back on again. I saw Mercedes had an extended warranty to avoid recalling several safety complaints. I got the car from a guy who never looked into recalls or extended warranty for these complaints. Please help me to get refunded what I payed so far with repairs on gas leaks. Also to repair the whole gas system. It is dangerously ongoing. I never got notified by Mercedes nor did the previous owner.
The 2005 E500 W211 gas tank cracks leaking fuel sending unit and fuel pump. The odor of gas permeates the cabin, recall campaign number 2008-020001, and it's extension information of 15 years dated Jan. 2015 signed by Ralph S. Fisher GM customer assistance center. The dealer in Hawai'i refuse to honor the recall warranty. It's traveling a bomb.
Upon fueling the vehicle there is a very pungent gasoline vapor smell from both the exterior & interior of the car. The smell begins to dissipate when fuel in the tank reaches 3/4-1/2 tank. The smell of fumes is enough to produce nausea, headaches, itching skin, watering eyes & even vomiting in drivers & passengers. Even with windows down & sunroof open, the smell is intolerable. The car will "sputter" when stopped at traffic lights. The vehicle currently has 105,800 miles on it. This issue was first noticed at approximately 103,000. An appointment has been scheduled with a mb dealership for inspection on 2/6/2016. I do not feel comfortable driving the vehicle due to the physical symptoms we've presented from the fumes & fear of a fire due to the potential of a faulty fuel tank/system. My 5 & 6 year old sons sit in the rear of the vehicle & can't tolerate the fumes. …
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 design of fuel pump in all the Mercedes Benz is very very defective , the company has shown gross negligence to safety of consumers, when ever I fill up the fuel tank , it starts leaking and starts emitting very foul smell in side and out side the car, I think if there is too much leakage of gas which is fitted under the back seats of car , if there is smoker passenger , the car can catch fire right away, I have complained to the dealer to fix this problem , the do not want to cover under warranty for safety , because the car is more than 4 years old and the mileage is more than 50,000, I complained to the head office in new jersey , they suggested me to replace the tank , and pay for it ,the estimate is about $4000.00 , since it is safety issue they should recall all the cars, which are in thousands with the same defect, I hope you can take care of this problem or file a class law …
I took my car to the dealership because it was a red battery on the dash board, I was told I need a fuel pump, I told the dealership I have a warranty for this, but I was told the paper I have explain what a warranty is, I called Mercedes headquarters several times and I was told I keep calling about the same thing its in the notes it is up to the service manager to approve the warranty I had to pay for the car repairs even tho I had a warranty. I took my car to another mechanic and I was told I need a battery, my car in the streets while I was driving to the dealership I called and had it towed to the dealership my grandbaby and I was in the heat for over an hour waiting for the tow truck, I also took my car to Goodyear and they put it on the computer 2x and they did not know why the red light was on they but though I just need another battery
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mercedes Benz E500. The contact stated that the fuel system and gasket were leaking and the fumes were strong that the vehicle was unable to be used. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and the top seal and the fuel pump were repaired. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The dealer stated that the since the vehicle was repaired previously at a independent mechanic, the dealer will no longer cover the recall even though the repair cost were covered by the contact initially. The manufacturer was made aware of failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Mercedes Benz E500. The contact stated that the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact mentioned that there was a manufacturer's recall related to the failure, but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 167,000.
I am referencing action # pe12001. After each of my last two feelings, the car is emitting a very strong smell of gasoline. I park my car in my garage and the smell is strong enough that I can smell it in my home. I am extremely fearful that there will be a fire. I do not desire to park my car outside, but I believe the car is unsafe to keep in garage. I have lost confidence in my car fearing that even driving it around town could pose a danger to me and my passengers.
NHTSA investigations
Fuel Leakage From The Fuel Tank
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation on January 23, 2012 as PE12-001 based on 20 consumer reports in model year (MY) 2003-2006 E55 AMG vehicles.Based on new reports in other E-Class vehicles, ODI upgraded the investigation to Engineering Analysis (EA) 13-003 on March 15, 2013, and expanded the scope to all E-Class vehicles through MY 2008.The complainants alleged a strong odor of…
Fuel System complaints in other E500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2005 Mercedes-Benz E500?
NHTSA has 76 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2005 Mercedes-Benz E500, 54% of the model year's 140 complaints. The component named most often is storage › tank assembly (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Mercedes-Benz E500 fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz E500, though it has 3 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 2005 Mercedes-Benz E500 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 95,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 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.