Gas Tank Falling Off!!
 

One full gas
tank ago, I noticed that my fuel level only went up just past the 3/4 mark. I know I
had put 16 gallons in, so I knew the sender might just quirk (it has on occasion), but today
I filled it again, and it went to just below 3/4 of a tank!  I have gone 75 miles and
get a reading of 1/2 a tank.

Tonight I parked my car in the driveway when coming home (slight angle). When I put into park,
I heard something that sounded like sloshing liquid. So I let it roll a few inches and
stopped the car again, now that I was listening, I really heard the sloshing sound, and could
tell it was coming from the rear. It just be the gas tank I thought. But it was more than
just sloshing fuel, it sounded as though the driver's side of the gas tank was banging on the
back seat and then in the trunk a few times for a few seconds after the force of stopping the
car. So I am convinced that one of the 2 straps (?) that support the gas tank has come off!
Can I check this by removing the rear seat-back? If I can't figure this out tonight, I will
be taking the car in tomorrow when I'm at work. And maybe this could also be the reason for
my "Acceleration Resistance," ...because of the force of the gas tank that is not supported
properly.

Can I and how do I check this myself?
Techs: ever heard of this on a 6 year old car? (Maybe it could be from a somewhat aggresive
driving characteristic... but still...)

After taking out the entire back seat and lining, and the entire trunk EVERYTHING, I realized that I could not access the fuel tank from the cabin or trunk! Oh what a night...!

I took some photos and I might as well post them anyway. This is of the back end of the trunk with all peices and linings (except for trunk side lining) removed.

http://www.a-p-group.com/cklasse/TrunkBare.JPG


This next picture is where the back seat backing goes. The pic was taken from the passenger side rear door.

http://www.a-p-group.com/cklasse/BackStBare.JPG


I got no where tonight... I hope that my mechanic can check it out tomorrow. I am sure if he puts it up on the lift, he'll be able to see what's up.
And just to add to my original post, I hear a very loud sloshing and thunks as the tank is hitting something.




((And just for curiousity, what is this? It is under the rear seat in the center. I would think it's the parking brake cable... can you adjust it here? And if so, do I need to? (Or was it only adjusted once at 15k miles?) Thanks!))
http://www.a-p-group.com/cklasse/PkBrkAdjst.JPG
(left side is rear of car, right side is towards the front)

Hei david man..

What's that green thing in the trunk? I posted a pic... Anyway... I too noticed that sloshing noise.. I knew it was the gas in the tank.. but I didnt know it was anything to be concerned about? I really hope that's not the thing clunking in my car... (RE: my VIBRATION post) anywho.. good luck in fixing that...

~manny