Has anyone heard of problems with fuel leaks that require replacement of the gas tank and lines? My father was just told he needs $2600 in repairs and it sounds strange for a car with no accident history. I'm wondering if this is a common problem?
I have not heard of this happening, but maybe the lines on the top of the tank are cracked and they want to give him a highball estimate because they may need to drop the tank to fix it. Tough to say without seeing the car, but like a doctor, you can always go get a second opinion.
E38 fuel tanks leak The fuel tank is indeed a problem in these E38s. I had my '97 leak in late 2008. My friend's '98 E38 tank was replaced in early 2008. We both live in PA and so likely it is a salt-induced corrosion issue. I keep my car excessively clean, but it did not help here. When I complained to the dealer about the high cost of the tank replacement, he offered me a bid to have him remove the tank, then send-out to a tank repair specialist. I chose that. For less than half the price, the tank was repaired in all susceptible mount areas, the leak of course repaired, and the dealer replaced the appropriate lines and bits while the tank was off the car. All in all, this worked out great and I've put many thousands of miles on the car since. Perhaps this helps other readers.