I recently filled the gas tank on my 1998 C230, 88K miles. When I got back into the car, the fuel gauge showed completely empty and the fuel light came on. It remained that way until the next time I started the car. Later that week, when the fuel was approximately at 3/4 of a tank, the gauge again showed empty and the fuel light came on again. This has happened on several, but not all, occasions since then, usually when I fill up. I'm confused about what's causing this and how to fix it. Is it an sensor, or an electronic issue? Any ideas or help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

It is probably a bad fuel gauge sending unit. It is a common MB failure.

I had the same intermittent problem with my '98 C280 Sport. I had heard that this may happen, so I was not surprised when it did.

It corrected itself a couple of times and hasn't happened since.

Too, I noticed every time the temperature reached in the mid - 90's this summer my 'check engine' light would come on. As soon as the weather cooled off, the light would go out and not come back on.

I have a 03 C230...It happened to me as well. I ran down the gas until 8 miles or so and finally found a gas station... Filled up and the gauge stayed on empty. Drove it home and restarted the car twice....Gauge came back to normal...Hasn't happend since....

Been there, done that. It could be a fuel sensor..a sending unit..or a SAM unit. If you get it fixed, it will most likely just fail again. Defective parts are replaced with other defective parts. Aren't you glad you have a Mercedes, number 26 in the JD Powers consumer satisfaction ratings and 10 out of 17 in reliability?

http://www.imakenews.com/autospies/e_article000166266.cfm

http://www.fortune.com/fortune/investing/articles/0,15114,517706,00.html

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/business/2003/10/08mergerstraining.html