Hi - new here, but wanted to post on a few forums to see if others have had a similar issue and seek out advice/experience. And also to give a watch-out to others as well.

I have a 2010 GL350 Bluetec. Bought it in August 2010 new, and it has about 12K miles now. Had an early issue with the suspension/bearings, but that was resolved by the dealer. The car has been terrific since then.

About 2 weeks ago the CEL went on and car went to limp mode. The nearest dealer showed an utter lack of interest in figuring out the problem, so I went to another dealer who has been great so far (where I bought the car and who fixed the prior issue - but farther away).

They have now determined that there is corrosion in the fuel system, including in the fuel tank. They are still trying to figure out all the areas of damage, so I don't even know the full scope of the problem yet. The dealer says they have been in contact with MB USA, and have been advised that this issue comes from water in the fuel, leading to the corrosion. This is also a problem that MB USA says they will not cover under warranty.

I only buy diesel from mostly name brand stations (e.g., Shell). I don't go to any one station since I'm driving around and will fill up as needed wherever I am. But I'm also not going to some backyard refiner to get the cheapest price. Fuel tank cap was never left off in rainstorm/car wash/etc. - no single events of misconduct that could possibly introduce water into the tank.

So I now have a practically new Mercedes with what are shaping up to be some very expensive repairs resulting from just doing the thing you have to do to keep a car running, namely putting diesel fuel in the tank. As I said to the customer service rep at MB USA, if I can't go to a gas station and fuel up my car without worrying about incurring thousands of dollars of damage from that fuel, then the car is really not a viable automobile.

Has anyone else had this problem? I am trying to figure out if this is a one-in-a-million bad luck situation, or one that is more common and thus suggests poor construction/design of the fuel system. Has MB USA also denied coverage under warranty in other cases?

And for those of you with a Bluetec diesel - beware! It would be useful to hear from folks if there is anything that can be done to mitigate and minimize the likelihood of it happening to others.

This is such a disappointment and frustration, as I've been really enjoying my diesel. And I really would have expected more from Mercedes USA....

Thanks in advance for any advice and suggestions! And I'll continue to post as this situation evolves.

 

Here in the U.S. we have a lower quality fuel is so far as Cetane.

My last car needed 49 cetane fuel but most fuel here in the states runs around 40 to 42 cetane so in the 200 K miles in my last car it never went without with a cetane booster fuel additive.
At 135 K miles I had the injection pump seals replaced and the inside of the pump it looked new.

I always go to a place that has high turn over in fuel , truck stops are the best.
If you go to a place that has high turn over in fuel there is less likelihood you will have water in the fuel.

Some states have B5 fuel and this can be used in your GL but no more, of a larger %. Bio Diesel picks up water easier that just #2 diesel.