E320 front drivers side sitting on tyre, help

[pauljan]

Hi to every one, we have a 1998 E320 and just as I was driving out of my lane, I heard the car making a strange noise from the front of the car, I got out and had a look and the front drivers side is sitting on the tyre, I was able to reverse the car back home. I rang to tell my husband and he is not too happy, does any one know what this could be please?

 

[television]

This sounds like a broken spring, and a bad break at that,

Welcome to the forum, If you would like more advice, please ask

 

[pauljan]

Hi Malcom, Thanks for the reply, do you think this is expensive to replace?

 

[television]

The springs cost around £70 and can be fitted by an indie in a couple of hours,

Where abouts are you in the UK

 

[mattsurf]

Just had my springs replaced last week at WDM in Birmingham

The cost of a genuine Merc spring for an E320 is £45 each and fitting for all 4 cost about £100 (+VAT)

Your will certainly need to replace both front springs (you should check the rear springs)

The other item that can fail is the spring perch which has been known to rust through completely - I understand that this is not a massive job to fix

Hope you get it sorted soon

Matt

 

[pauljan]

Thanks everone for information received.
Hope to have a look at the car tomorrow, shall keep you posted

 

[television]

Thanks everone for information received.
Hope to have a look at the car tomorrow, shall keep you posted

Thanks for posting back and good luck, always replace springs in pairs, only use MB springs

 

[kth286]

That is highly likely a big rust problem as your car is very prone to the problem.

The spring perch will have collapsed/rusted at it's attachment point to the inner wing.

If one side has gone the other side is likely to need attention also.

BUT it is likely the subframe crossrail will also have rusted and possibly other parts underneath the car.

You need to get the car to a Mercedes main dealer NOT anyone else.

Do not let anyone else touch it before the main dealer has looked. He may get authorisation from Mercedes to get it repaired free of charge.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Completely agree, rusting spring perch is a very likely cause of this problem. This is the part that the top of the spring 'locates' into. It can end up looking like this:

 

[hmang]

do mercedes offer any help to repair this well known problem??
it could be quite dangerous and is a corrosion issue

 

[television]

Thanks Parrot for that picture, unbelievable

 

[jberks]

do mercedes offer any help to repair this well known problem??
it could be quite dangerous and is a corrosion issue

Normally yes. They'll quite often sort it FOC.

 

[pauljan]

Spring Perch Omg!!!

Hi
Thanks to everyone who replied.
Yes it is the spring perch and it has rotted quite badly, my husband has been contacting MB UK and other main dealer garages and no one wants to know, they say it is 10 days out of waranty, so they cant do any thing.
Has anyone replaced these? and if so how much do they cost, also is it a big job?

 

[television]

I think that you write to MB, this whole thing is crazy in this day and age.

 

[mattsurf]

Was the car serviced by Mercedes?

If the car was, shouldn't this be spotted at the service? It is a known weekness, therefore they should check. If it fails I would have though that it could be very serious and cause a major accident.

A car which is just out of warranty an suffers a major structural failure like this is an absolute disgrace, if you had an accident I would have thought that you would be in a position to take legal action against MB

 

[Bolide]

10 days out of warranty... I'd go and sit down with the dealer principal and suggest they find a way to cover this under goodwill

Warranty or no, this is a known problem and MBUK should be tripping over themselves to fix it

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk