Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Mercedes-Benz E550 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
When I filled up gas and start the car, it has gas smell. seems like fuel is pooling on the left side on top of the fule filter module underneath the cushion. Searched the internet and found out it is a common problem on Mercedes.
Car smells like gas inside and out until about half a tank after reviewing Mercedes Benz forms in the Benz world website it is a very common problem with the e500 and E550 in the years between 2005 and 2008 vehicles there are numerous complaints about it and not sure when it started I've just recently purchased the vehicle but the previous owner previous owner mentioned it to me as well I didn't thank to much about it till the smell has gotten so bad that the windows have to be rolled down to be able to breathe in the vehicle
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz E550. While fueling the tank at the service station, fuel spilled onto the ground. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the fuel container was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000. Updated 04/22/16 the consumer stated no replacement part was provided.
I just noticed a very potent gas odor on the rear both right and left side of the car. There are no leaks on the garage floor or my driveway. I know there was a recall for the 2003-2006 e-class, but was there one for 2007-2009 models as well? I just noticed it today and I am the 2nd owner of the vehicle, car has about 78K on the odometer.
After filling up the fuel tank there is a strong odor of gasoline. I smells inside and outside of the car until the car reaches three quarters of a tank or less. I have read in the Mercedes Benz forums that alot of people are having problems with this! I am driving a ticking time bomb.
After filling the fuel tank (without topping-off and without any spillage) and arriving at next destination, there is a strong gasoline odor on the driver side rear of the vehicle. This is the side opposite of the filler pipe, so it is not related to spillage during filling. The odor lasts until the tank is down to approximately 3/4. Upon inspection of the under side of the car, there is a small but noticeable wet area under the driver side rear passenger compartment. Searching the internet provides a vast number of people with 2003-2009 e class sedans (w211 body style) that have the same issue. I have provided links for review. This is a serious safety issue and should be addressed with a recall as soon as possible. Thank you for you prompt attention to this very concerning matter. …
I noticed a very strong odor of fuel in my garage. When I got in the car odor was even stronger. I looked on the floor of the garage but there was no liquid on my floor. I took the car to a local mechanic and they called the Mercedes dealership and the dealer stated it was a known problem and the fuel pump leaking and would need to be replaced. When the backseat was removed there was fuel on top of the fuel tank. This fuel pump was replaced but the odor was still there. I took the car to the Mercedes dealer and they kept the car for a week and explained to me the fuel tank was leaking and would need to be replaced. Again he stated this was a known problem. I inquired how this would be possible that a five year old fuel tank would be leaking. I stated it sounds like a manufacture defect. …
This is in reference to NHTSA action number pe12001. Many owners of w211 Mercedes products (e-class, model years 2003-2009) report fuel leaks and strong fuel fumes after a filling the tank. I am also experiencing this issue, with the strongest gasoline smell occurring around the driver's-side rear wheel well. This issue is reportedly with either the filler tube, the gasoline tank, or a combination of both parts. Many owners have fixed their issues by replacing both the filler tube and the tank at a cost of around $2000, or less depending on the owner's success in negotiating dealer participation in cost. I am holding off repairing this issue to see if Mercedes Benz initiates a recall based on NHTSA recommendations.
After filling up my fuel tank completely full, I found that after having my car in the garage for a few hours it had a noticeable odor of gasoline both in the garage and inside the vehicle. This has occurred since my ownership of the vehicle began in March 2012 and is still an issue one year later. Upon further research recently on mbworld.org, I found out that this was due to a faulty "fuel sender" assembly that was causing gasoline to leak and possibly pool on top of the tank. While there are no visible leaks, I am quite concerned about the gasoline vapors, as this is a known issue on the w211 vehicle and Mercedes-Benz has thus far refused to pay for any repairs to make my vehicle safe again.
Very strong smell of gasoline outside the car when parked; and inside when driving or when stopped while driving slow. This happened a day after servicing the car transmission at the same dealership.took it back to dealer, they claim it's a very common issue and the car is hazardous to drive because gas leak is on top of exhaust and can start a fire. It needed $3,000 repairs (gas tank + fuel pump & sending unit.) I was driving a time bomb with my children the night before without realizing it. There should be a recall for this dangerous factory dangerous design & poor engineering quality of gas tank.
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 E550 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2007 Mercedes-Benz E550?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz E550, 86% of the model year's 37 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2007 Mercedes-Benz E550 fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2007 Mercedes-Benz E550, 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 E550 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 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.