Rust Appearing On My 2004 C CLass

[Topboy]

Morning all.

I have noticed that I have small rust bubbles appearing on my Merc on the passenger side door, under the black vertical strips. I haven't taken the strips off to fully investigate, although another appears relatively loose. I have the later 'facelift' model from July 2004.

I was wondering whether anyone else had rust problems on this model? I thought that the rust issue was a problem with earlier MB's.

I presume a trip to the dealer is in order since I still have full MB service history?

 

[verytalldave]

I too have a 2004 W203 and I too have experienced exactly the same thing.
When I looked at my car at the dealers when it was for sale, it was virtually perfect - except for a few bubbles of rust breaking through on the drivers side black door trim.
The passengers side was, and still is perfect.
I negotiated the deal with a few stipulations - one being that the affected trim strip be replaced or refinished. Carlians (the dealer) had a refinisher come in and fix the rust. Now 9 months later its still perfect and no hint of reappearing bubbles.
I understand those trim strips are easily replaceable - but I dont know how.
So the choice is yours, refinish or replace. Either works.
Strange that the rest of the car was perfect except that small, almost inconsequential trim strip. Obviously a weakness in design.
Any other W203 owners from this era had the same experience?

 

[jberks]

take it back to an MB dealer. I'd be very surprised if they didn't fix it FOC and don't worry if you have patchy FMBSH - it doesn't really matter for small issues like this one.
DO NOT attempt to strip it down or meddle with it yourself as this WILL invalidate the Mobillio cover on that part, and you'll be on your own.

 

[Topboy]

take it back to an MB dealer. I'd be very surprised if they didn't fix it FOC and don't worry if you have patchy FMBSH - it doesn't really matter for small issues like this one.
DO NOT attempt to strip it down or meddle with it yourself as this WILL invalidate the Mobillio cover on that part, and you'll be on your own.

Thanks for that JB.

Meddling it with myself never entered my head!

Off to book an appointment with MB.

 

[Aletank]

And we was all hoping MB had fixed the rust issues with the post 2004 facelift cars :roll: But the saga continues !!

 

[racall]

Ive got corrosion on those black strips as well. MB wouldnt replace them as it is not from the inside.Ive got a new trim but are baffeld as how it comes off as there is a small screw that i cant get to. How does the trim come off the door at the bottom of the window? Slide or just pull if off??

 

[harp1963]

Hello all, new to the site. Well I am lucky enough to own a CLK 200K year 2000, and a new C class Sport C220 CDI.
My CLK has been back to the dealers to have corrosion fixed no less than 4 times all on different areas. The car is going to Mercedes today to correct a further ares of corrosion today. I have maintained a full srevice history with the car so that it has no financial cost to me. What I was told by the body shop was the cars corrosion problem has got worse since MB decided to use water based paints??
Please keep up the service history and then if you get any rust issues, bat it back to MB.

 

[jberks]

Ive got corrosion on those black strips as well. MB wouldnt replace them as it is not from the inside.Ive got a new trim but are baffeld as how it comes off as there is a small screw that i cant get to. How does the trim come off the door at the bottom of the window? Slide or just pull if off??

Unless the rust is caused by damage, I can't see how they could justify this argument. If they say it wasn't from the inside out, and the paint isn't damaged, then the only possible explanation is that it wasn't painted properly in the first place and the bare metal or thin paint has resulted in the corrosion, which is a failure of their quality control and hence down to them. I reckon a bit of batting back and MB would stump up, it's just that sometimes you have to argue a bit. Golden rule, if answer 1 is no, repeat the question. Initial replies are by computer and it almost always says no. Phase 2 is human and a better response is far more common.

Not sure on the 203 but the 210 had 2 small screws down the edge. I never removed them but it looked like you just removed the scews and peeled away from the rubber seals.

 

[silentdriver]

new W211 may be rusting

I have a 07 220CDI, now recently i noticed on the bottom RHS corner of the boot lid just on the lip bubbles, showing under neath black.also on the same side but on the bumper , the part of the bumper that meets the boot lid ,a small patch of bubble.what looks like a thin film of cling film .help!!! is my new car rusting!!!

 

[jberks]

probably is a bit of film or something not pdi'd properly. an 07 C is fully galvanised.
As always though, if in doubt, pop it back the dealer. In the unlikely event that it is corrosion (doubtful as one area is plastic! ) they'll sort it. But no 2007 C classes don't rust.

 

[silentdriver]

thanks for that. iam now begining to think have i or some one damaged this area, by shutting the boot lid realising something is trapped between lid and bumper, but continue to try and shut boot for it only to damage the paint work..hmmmmm.

 

[racall]

pillar trims

Has any one removed or replaced the black door trims??
I think you have to remove the strip under the window first to get at the small screw but how do you remove the under window strip on the outside of the door pull or slide or what???

 

[Aussie Nick]

And we was all hoping MB had fixed the rust issues with the post 2004 facelift cars :roll: But the saga continues !!

We all know that there is a rust issue with some of the Mercs if not qiuite a few other models in Europe and especially the UK. I think that there is little doubt that the salt on icy roads is causing the problem.
Is it not equally a government responsibility to tackle this problem as well as that of the car manufacturer? Spraying salt all over the road does little for the health of the environment as well. Surely there is an alternative binding substance?