Mercedes-Benz has been producing great cars for many, many decades. The German company has become especially well-known for its luxury automobiles including its E-Class line. Although Benz customers are generally very satisfied with the performance of their compact executive vehicles, issues do crop up that require repair.
One such issue that Mercedes-Benz W211 owners have encountered is a problem with the fuel gauge/indicator. The fuel indicator tends to fluctuate wildly, sometimes dropping from eight bars to zero and then back up to four. As well, the range display indicator will not display a full series of numbers but instead shows dashes in place of numbers. Further irritating drivers, the reserve fuel light sometimes goes on and off intermittently.
This would seem to be a malfunction in the electrical system. More specifically, the likely the culprit is the fuel level sender. It is the job of the fuel level sender to let you know what the fuel levels are in your tank so that you will know when to refuel. If the sensor is not functioning properly then it may be sending the wrong signal to the gauge. However, while this may give you a false reading, a wildly fluctuating reading on the gauge is probably an electronics issue within the gauge itself.
If you are experiencing problems with the indicator lights on your fuel or range gauges, then you should bring your W211 in to a German auto maintenance mechanic for a complete inspection. The system may need to be reset in the best case scenario. Worst case scenario may require the replacement of the system.
Search for a local, independent Mercedes-Benz repair shop with Mercedes-Benz mechanics that have dealer-level expertise at a fraction of the expense.