W211 Fuel Pump or Sending Unit??.. Gas smell
 

Hey...I have an 06 w211 e55 amg...car drives perfect but been smelling a little gas lately probably for the last 2 weeks..
drove car today no probs..go back out to start this evening and it now all of the sudden fires up and idles for a minute then dies.. however, it still shows 1/4 tank or so...does this sound like the passenger side pump or the drivers side sending unit/filter???

Thanks !

Sounds like a fuel leak to me. Failed parts won't make the smell of gas unless they're leaking. Crawled under the car and looked for leaking fuel lines or disconnected vent lines?

Fergup, when was the fuel filter replaced last? Inspect the fuel pumps for leaky connections. I have had fuel hoses on older MB vehicles develop leaks. Recommend buying any needed replacement hose from a MB dealer.

Ive never replaced the filter.. and dont know if its ever been done in 11 years.. that said... i just went back and put 10 gallons in.. started fine and running fine.. ..so along with the gas smell.. this is the clear first sign that the infamous sending unit is going bad per the tsb and recall from a some time ago.... the unit is on the left side. when the right side tank gets low enough...it has to send gas over to the right side where the pumps are....so my right side tank emptied, and while there was still a 1/4 tank of gas..it is on the left side which, with the sending unit being faulty is not sending over to the right side pumps....

MB has extended the warranty on W211 fuel tanks/pumps/seals, etc. due to leakage issues. It's worth calling your local dealer..........

i thought that 15 yr extended was only for certain states.. i have some articles i am researching now on this.. but it appears this was limited.. not all w211 e55 amg could be part of this..

+1 on what ILUVMILS posted. just did a pre-purchase on an 05 e320 from the orig. purchaser. they had the tank replaced at the dealer in jan. 2017. have the dealr run the vin. good luck, chuck.