2010 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class Fuel System Problems

AFTER EXTENSIVE REVIEWS OF TDI FORUMS, COMMON RAIL FORUMS, DIESEL FORUMS I HAVE FOUND A COMMONALITY IN THE FAILURES IN THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP). MAINLY THOSE FAILURES WERE ATTRIBUTED TO METAL SHAVINGS/PARTICLES/RUST FOUND IN DIESEL FUEL SYSTEMS. THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNITS ARE USUALLY RUSTED IN EACH CASE AND MOST LIKELY IS THE SOURCE OF METAL/RUST CONTAMINATION AND ULTIMATELY CAUSE OF THE HPFP FAILURE. FAILURE OF THE HPFP CAUSES THE CR TO LOSE PRESSURE THEREFORE THE INJECTORS ARE STARVED OF FUEL OR WORSE CLOGGED WITH RUSTED METAL PARTICLES. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF FUEL CAUSES THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN INSTANTLY ALONG WITH POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. DEPENDING ON THE RESERVE VACUUM VOLUME IN THE BOOSTER, CONSUMERS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH VACUUM TO ADEQUATELY BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP. ALSO THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD FEEL VERY HEAVY AND THE CONSUMER MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STEER CLEAR OF AN ACCIDENT. I WROTE TO MBUSA NOTING THIS CAUSE AND URGED THEM TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY BEFORE ANY INJURY OR DEATH HAPPENS, ALSO TO INSTITUTE A VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL OF ALL CR DIESELS TO DETERMINE IF RUST FROM THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT IS PRESENT. I PROPOSED A REMEDY TO MBUSA TO CHANGE OUT THE RUSTED UNITS FOR STAINLESS STEEL ONES. I ALSO REQUESTED THAT MBUSA PROVIDE UNLIMITED WARRANTY REPLACEMENT FREE OF CHARGE TO ALL BLUETEC OWNERS AND REIMBURSE ALL THOSE PRIOR TO THE RECALL, INCLUDING ANY RENTAL CAR USE. *TR

ABOUT A WEEK AGO I BOUGHT DIESEL FUEL FROM A TRUCK STOP IN LONG BEACH, NOT MY USUAL PURCHASE FROM MY LOCAL GAS STATION. ONE WEEK LATER I GET A MESSAGE TO CHANGE MY FUEL FILTER AND GOT A TROUBLE CODE INDICATING A LOW FUEL RAIL PRESSURE. I HAD THE FILTER CHANGED AND EXPERIENCED HARD STARTING LATER ON. THE OLD FILTER HAD WATER AND SOME ALGAE CONTAMINATION WHICH IS VERY COMMON IN DIESEL ENGINES. I SUSPECTED WATER FROM THE TRUCK STOP WHERE I GOT FUEL FROM AND TRIED TO REMOVE IT USING A DIESEL ADDITIVE, SEA FOAM. STARTING MY CAR GOT WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE IT WOULD NO LONGER START. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND THEY CLAIM I BOUGHT BAD FUEL AND THE ADDITIVE RUINED THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. NOW THE DEALER IS CLAIMING MY CAR NEEDS THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM REPLACED INCLUDING THE INJECTORS, HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, ALL THE FUEL LINES, FUEL FILTER, FUEL TANK, LOW PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, AND FUEL SENSOR, WITH ESTIMATED COST OF $15,000+. NHTSA HAS IDENTIFIED THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURES (HPFP) ON A MAJORITY OF GERMAN VEHICLES, INCLUDING VOLKSWAGEN, MERCEDES, AUDI, JUST TO NAME A FEW. THE FUEL QUALITY IS DIFFERENT IN THE US COMPARED TO EUROPEAN STANDARDS AS MOST OF THE US USES ULTRA-LOW SULFUR DIESEL. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE REASON WHY A LARGE NUMBER OF IMPORTED DIESELS ARE FAILING, COSTING THE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS INCREASED INSURANCE CLAIMS AND VEHICLE FAILURES. *TR

THIS IS A DIESEL-ENGINE 2010 MERCEDES GL350 PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2010 (8 MONTHS AGO). IT IS CURRENTLY INOPERABLE AND THE DEALER IS CITING COMPLETE FUEL SYSTEM CORROSION DUE TO WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WAS A CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE GOING TO "LIMP MODE" (WHERE THE COMPUTER KEEPS THE CAR AT 20 MILES PER HOUR WITH LOW POWER - A DANGER ON THE HIGHWAY AND ON HILLS). FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY DUE TO THE ONSET OF LIMP-MODE. BUT THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR IS $15,492.03 AND WARRANTY IS BEING DENIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF THE ISSUE OF WATER IN THE FUEL PRIOR TO THE COMPLETE CORRUPTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM AND THEREFORE NO OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ANY POTENTIAL CORRECTIVE ACTION TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE. ALL DIESEL USED IN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AT VARIOUS RETAIL LOCATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. THUS FAR NO DETAIL HAS BEEN GIVEN AS TO HOW MUCH WATER WAS IN THE FUEL, HOW LONG THIS CORROSION PROCESS MIGHT HAVE TAKEN, OR WHETHER THERE WERE ANY MALFUNCTIONS IN ANY PART OF THE SYSTEM (E.G., FUEL AND WATER FILTERS AND/OR WARNING NOTIFICATIONS) THAT LED TO THIS EXTREME OUTCOME. GIVEN THE EXTREME EXPENSE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THE MANY QUESTIONS STILL REMAINING AS TO THE CAUSE, WE THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT TO BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE NHTSA.