Does Mercedes stand behind its brand?
When we pay more for luxury cars, does that translate to a guarantee of safety? Are the car makers’ promises guaranteed? Or, is the safety mirage a well spun marketing campaign? Sadly, the answer came to me first hand, and I am making this post because I am almost certain that many Mercedes drivers may be in my same predicament.
When I visited my sister in the Midwest, she gave me an E-320 model Mercedes to drive, and later offered the car for my keeping, which served as an extra car, and had not been driven much, as evident from the year and mileage comparison with other same year models. My sister expected me to pay maintenance costs, and I didn’t mind the extra costs associated with such a high end car. I didn’t even mind paying a few thousand a few years ago, to change both batteries, the alternator and the overhead dome, when the mechanic could not detect the origin of a battery drain. However, what transpired recently is an entirely different story.
A few months ago, I noticed a smell of gasoline as I stepped into the garage, adjacent to the kitchen. After backing the car out of the garage, I repeatedly looked for any possible fluid leaks on the garage floor, but never found any. Therefore, I dismissed the matter as a non-emergency. I remember thinking that after all, with such a top brand car as Mercedes, the company would send all related recall notices. However, we never received any such recall notice about the defective gasoline tank.
When the car came up for Inspection and renewal tags, I took the car to Carx, (4,24,21) and not to my usual Mercedes mechanic. I asked the mechanic to check for any possible gas leaks, since the car had to be on the lift as part of the inspection. To the mechanic’s surprise and mine, he found a puddle of gasoline in the tray beneath the engine. With a clear case of a gas leak, the car obviously would not pass the inspection unless rectified. However, we both expected the fix to be a worn out hose or another simple loose connection to the tank. In order to access any such part related to the saddle design gasoline tank on the E-320 model Mercedes, several parts had to be removed, which required nine hours of work, at least, adding up to a cost of $1,500, before the repair kit cost that included the tank, priced at $1,995. I gave the go ahead with reluctance, cognizant of the fact that a new gas tank installation with all the fitting may cost more than the market value of the car.
I called a couple of friends who are Mercedes enthusiast owners, and one such owner indicated that the gas tank might still be under warranty. I told the mechanic to wait, while I did some research on my own. Then, I called the local Mercedes dealer, and so did friend. He was told to tow the car to the dealership, for a no-cost tank replacement. Meanwhile, my research revealed a prior class action suit that included the year of my car, because of defective gas tanks. The verdict even extended the warranty to fifteen years. I called the Mercedes dealership to double check about the warranty, before towing in the car, but customer service related that there were no recalls involving gas tanks for the model. However, when I introduced the undeniable fact of the class action lawsuit, and the warranty extension to fifteen years, the rep finally agreed, and replied that the warranty expired in March of 2020, and my 2005 model plus fifteen years would mean my car is out of warranty. So, I am out $3,400 for a defective product.
If a product is deemed defective, and a class action lawsuit ensues, why not inform all car owners. Moreover, why not honor any such repair(s) regardless of the time frame, and particularly, when no record exists that the owner had been informed? Without such inadequate information passed along to owners and drivers, unscheduled major safety hazards may ensue. Why would a car manufacturer who champions driver and passenger safety not stand behind the product, all the way? A defective gas tank can, and will cause an explosion, as I witnessed during a collision at the bottom of my driveway. So close, I constantly wonder if I could have been a victim of that same incendiary circumstance.
Finally, I wish manufacturers would honor promises made, especially to loyal customers. Why wait for lawsuits to do the right thing? When cars, old or new cost as much as houses, shouldn’t guarantees and customer service go the extra mile? Shouldn’t manufacturers, at least, repair defective parts that can cause someone’s death? Sadly, now when I glance at the Mercedes-Benz three pointed star that supposedly represents a commitment to quality and hear their tagline of “all or nothing,” I instinctively shrug. Such a letdown in safeguarding customer loyalty and quality control with a brand that stood for that.

So, hopefully, this note serves as a warning to any Mercedes owners who are smelling a gasoline odor in or around the car. Get the car checked ASAP. No one should be caught in a car fire! Do not assume that if Mercedes didn’t send you a recall alert that there may not be a problem, especially when the trouble may lead to grave injury or sudden death.
Here are two links to the defective fuel tank and the lawsuits:
https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2014/mercedes-benz-extends-warranty-gas-tank.shtml
https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/2188-mercedes-benz-defective-fuel-tank-class-action-lawsuit/