Subframe!

[Ash c220]

Hi. Ive owned my 2008 c220 cdi with 92000miles on for just under 2 years.
And ive just been told, like others by the looks of it, that my subframe has completely rusted out and infact sheared in two pieces! (Told hours before i set off on a 3hour motorway journey!!)
Ive noticed on another thread that im not the first to experience this problem with alot of members getting the work carried out by MB free of charge(!)
Does anyone know how i stand with this and if experienced how did you get MB to cough up?

Thanks in advance,
Ash

 

[bembo449]

very unlikely you will get anything out of MB on a car the age of yours pal , no harm in trying of course

 

[Wighty]

Yes some Main dealers have covered the cost of replacement even back to 2008

 

[Ash c220]

Update… the car is currently at my local MB dealer where they are looking at it (free of charge) and putting a case to MB to do it as ‘goodwill’ … fingers crossed now…

 

[Gazwould]

Service history dependant ?

 

[Wighty]

Service history dependant ?

I think that hasn’t always been a requirement , because no servicing involves the rear subframe?

 

[Ash c220]

Service history dependant ?

Unsure to be honest. Ive only had the car just under 2 years and i told MB that it had patchy service history before me but ive had it serviced 3 times in those 2 years and they seemed happy to have it in ‍.

as mentioned its a non serviceable part so should be ok. The guy on the phone said as long as the car looks to be in a good state of repair that should be enough. And i know im biased but its pretty immaculate!

 

[Ash c220]

New update… MB rang me this evening, and due to condition and maintenance history of the car they ARE replacing the subframe FREE OF CHARGE!! And the work will be carried out tomorrow. Absolutely over the moon about it to be honest. Just goes to show it’s always worth asking.

 

[Rory]

Great news!

Quite interesting there's a subframe immediately available and the dealer can fit it next day.

 

[Blobcat]

Great news!

Quite interesting there's a subframe immediately available and the dealer can fit it next day.

It’s quite common unfortunately which is why they’re in stock…

 

[Ash c220]

Great news!

Quite interesting there's a subframe immediately available and the dealer can fit it next day.

Yeah I thought that was a bit suspicious but ill take it. Lol

 

[Rory]

I'm most surprised the dealer has capacity to do it straightaway - thought garages were mad busy. Have a fault on mine and indie can't do it for 2 weeks although he did say he'd try and squeeze it in but I don't need the car at the moment. Subframe change is obviously a hefty job.

 

[Ash c220]

I'm most surprised the dealer has capacity to do it straightaway - thought garages were mad busy. Have a fault on mine and indie can't do it for 2 weeks although he did say he'd try and squeeze it in but I don't need the car at the moment. Subframe change is obviously a hefty job.

Yeah i know what you mean, i always use an indie and theres always a wait but when i rang MB and explained the problem they wanted the car for inspection the same day! Wether it was the severity of the fault or just quite i dunno…

 

[V6Matty]

MB dealers always leave one ramp spare for serious faults, so as it’s a critical safety part of the car they are obliged to get it in as soon as possible, likely in lieu of DVSA issuing a recall for all cars that may be affected

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

^ You bet! They don’t want this hitting the media and the ministry getting involved I can just see the headlines now...
Reminds me of the Alphasud fiasco in the 80s - those things rotted away before they were out of warranty it took Alpha Romeo 20 years to recover sales

 

[supersim65]

Wow! That's a great result. My fairly old SLK had started showing signs of subframe rust. Where are you based? I'd love to know where the dealers who are open to trying this are.

 

[Ash c220]

Wow! That's a great result. My fairly old SLK had started showing signs of subframe rust. Where are you based? I'd love to know where the dealers who are open to trying this are.

Im based just outside Bristol and took my car to Sytner Mercedes in Patchway. As I’ve discovered its worth the phone call! But i must say mine wasn’t just rusty it was completely rotten and corroded into 2 pieces.

 

[Frontstep]

Its certainly unsafe in this condition,

Always baffled me why they made them so badly, its not as if corrosion is a new phenomena.

Same with brake pipes.

What I don't understand though is why its suddenly rotted.

Servicing and Mot inspections would normally identify it before being this bad.

I can't understand a mechanic not noticing and commentating on it just from looking underneath it whether on his check list or not.

 

[Naraic]

Im based just outside Bristol and took my car to Sytner Mercedes in Patchway. As I’ve discovered its worth the phone call! But i must say mine wasn’t just rusty it was completely rotten and corroded into 2 pieces.

How did you get it to them?

 

[Iboughtabenz]

The rear subframe on my 2010 w211 failed a fortnight ago. I called Mercedes to find out if there’s anything they can do. They asked me to book it at my local MB to have it diagnosed at £172 an hour! So I booked it for the following week hoping I wouldn’t have to pay because it’ll all be done on goodwill. They called back a few hours later and confirmed they would do it on goodwill!

If anyone’s experienced the same issue I would strongly encourage them to seek help from MB first before considering having it done at their local indie because 1) is a big job and you want it done properly, 2) it costs approx £1500 to be done by an indie who knows what theatre doing. @Conor