55 Plate E 280CDi Broken Front Spring!!!

[G-Force]

My mate just phoned me from Manchester this morning, his W211 55 plate E280 Cdi looks as if it has got a broken spring, he stays in Glasgow and drove down to Manchester last night, went out this morning to drive to head office and noticed the car sitting at a funny angle.

The car is just out of warranty, so it will be interesting to if MB cover this.

Seems odd that such a young car can throw a spring (if thats what the problem is) car has covered about 55k.

Any thoughts????

 

[SilverSaloon]

My mate just phoned me from Manchester this morning, his W211 55 plate E280 Cdi looks as if it has got a broken spring, he stays in Glasgow and drove down to Manchester last night, went out this morning to drive to head office and noticed the car sitting at a funny angle.

The car is just out of warranty, so it will be interesting to if MB cover this.

Seems odd that such a young car can throw a spring (if thats what the problem is) car has covered about 55k.

Any thoughts????

i think Druk had the same problem on his 53 plate.

 

[blondebier]

If the roads up there are anything like down here I'm surprised they last 55K.

There are potholes everywhere...

 

[BTB 500]

W211 55 plate E280 Cdi looks as if it has got a broken spring ...

The car is just out of warranty, so it will be interesting to if MB cover this.

The car has to be almost 5 months out of warranty ... 06 plate started 1st March 2006.

Might get a goodwill contribution, but is it going to be expensive enough to bother trying?

 

[mcsailing]

Broken Spring

I had a broken spring on our A class which was just out of warranty by six months and MB did as a goodwill
The garage did say they are seeing more cars with the problem
Ours had only done 21K

 

[neilrr]

I thought it was due more to people driving over speed bumps too fast rather than potholes.

 

[G-Force]

Total agreement with the comments about the state of the roads, and with the amount of speed bumps about the govenrment should pay for any suspension related problems (IMO) because they have got a cheek to take road tax off us with the state of our local roads.

I have owned many different cars and never had any suffer a broken spring before, i was just a bit supprised/disgusted to hear of it happening to fairly new MB-especially after reading some of the above posts!

 

[jpwilliams]

My mate just phoned me from Manchester this morning, his W211 55 plate E280 Cdi looks as if it has got a broken spring, he stays in Glasgow and drove down to Manchester last night, went out this morning to drive to head office and noticed the car sitting at a funny angle.

The car is just out of warranty, so it will be interesting to if MB cover this.

Seems odd that such a young car can throw a spring (if thats what the problem is) car has covered about 55k.

Any thoughts????

Olly@PCS (BlackC55) Has posted a warning about this. Do a search and read the thread. I`d be very very surprised if MB did not make a goodwill contribution in this case.

Regards

John

 

[BlackC55]

I don't think its anything to do with speed bumps etc. The springs are just crap.

 

[rpe2]

Well put.

Richard

 

[corned]

211's and broken springs are synonymous.

You only need to spend a few minutes with the search facility and you will get plenty of results on this subject. Virtually an epidemic I'd say.

Mine broke recently, but as there were a few miles under the belt I was told firmly to f**k off by the dealer when I made an approach for goodwill.

I understand the springs are made of a special pre-war bakelite material. Or glass made to look like steel. Or maybe something even more brittle...

 

[Mactech]

I don't think its anything to do with speed bumps etc. The springs are just crap.

I suspect you are right! The design spec would normally have a safety factor of at least 5 for the worst case load cycle, so springs failing at less than 50K miles and only 3 years old is plainly the springs out of design spec.
Blew up a series of race engines couple of years ago when the valve spring spec (from Japan!) was just marginally out of toerance, so it takes very little to have major issue.
Both my Mercs have no springs. That German bloke, Herr Suspension...

 

[G-Force]

Just done a search myself, interesting thread BlackC55 thank you, i haven't heard how he got on yet so i'll keep you informed, im gonna get my olwn car checked at the weekend too for safety........ i cant believe how common a FAULT this is....

i think i might get myself a set of Eibach's just to be on the safe side as my car is getting on a bit in the age/mileage department and i cant afford to change it just yet.

Thanks for your input guys.

 

[G-Force]

My mate just called to say that MB have replaced both front springs under warranty!!!!!!

He was telling me that before he bought his current car he had a C270 diesel and it needed 2 rear springs fitted after it was picked up on a service, that car was a 2004 plate
It makes you wonder how such a common fault over so many years has still not been fixed.

I think the fact that MB had the springs in stock and repaired the car (even though it was just over it's 3 years) tells it's own story.

 

[Nibbo]

211's and broken springs are synonymous.

Not just 211's; my W203 just failed it's MOT with a broken spring.

MB must know from the amount they are selling that they have a problem or are they just happy to profiteer from the sales?

 

[GrahamC230K]

As I said in another thread, it's not just MB. It seems to be a of modern cars.

 

[crockers]

I had to have two new rear springs at around 55k ..............under warranty, and that is on a W203.

If I wanted to sharpen up the handling, what would be my best route? Bearing in mind I wouldn't want to pay masses....

 

[BlackC55]

A set of uprated springs from Eibach or H&R.

 

[BlackC55]

Not just 211's; my W203 just failed it's MOT with a broken spring.

MB must know from the amount they are selling that they have a problem or are they just happy to profiteer from the sales?

I must replaced at least 8 springs a week ATM. And that is just my little garage.

 

[glojo]

211's and broken springs are synonymous.

You only need to spend a few minutes with the search facility and you will get plenty of results on this subject. Virtually an epidemic I'd say.

Mine broke recently, but as there were a few miles under the belt I was told firmly to f**k off by the dealer when I made an approach for goodwill.

I understand the springs are made of a special pre-war bakelite material. Or glass made to look like steel. Or maybe something even more brittle...

I just did a google search on broken front springs and was in undated with all different makes of vehicle, but never let the truth get in the way of a good olde fashioned rant.

I think it terrible that they should break at such an early age but is there a reason?

Contrary to what is being alleged there is not every owner of every 55 plate Mercerdes complaining about broken springs? Why are they breaking? I include Lexus the unbreakable in this statement as there was one owner who had only clocked up 55,000 miles when his went bang