MB free subframe replacement - anyone had a 205 C Class done yet?

[cws196]

As per title MOT has just picked up rear subframe corrosion on my 205 estate - not bad enough yet for replacement, but just wondering if anyone has had a 205 subframe done under warranty yet?

 

[ALFAitalia]

I did not think 205s were affected........

 

[SpikyMikey]

I did not think 205s were affected........

A bit of a worrying state of affairs if they are

 

[TrueSpirit]

F

Thread 'How serious is Mercedes C class subframe failure?'

May 14, 2021

Hi , how serious is the subframe failure on Mercedes Benz C class cars ?

• Fastcar155
• Replies: 102
• Forum: Wheels, Tyres, Brakes & Suspension

• 

Its chemistry. If the subframe is made of a material that can corrode then unless it is adequately coated ,it will rust . My e93 bmw m3 is also very susceptible and I may have to drop some money to replace the rear subframe.

 

[poormansporsche]

A bit of a worrying state of affairs if they are

Don't matter how much electronic safety tech you have if your rear wheels fall off

Perhaps they should have used some of that excess development money and pork to buy some hammerite .......

 

[SpikyMikey]

Don't matter how much electronic safety tech you have if your rear wheels fall off

Perhaps they should have used some of that excess development money and pork to buy some hammerite .......

They probably should have bought out Dinitrol GmbH

 

[TrueSpirit]

I think a part of the regular service regime should be the coating and recoating of all these parts that are susceptible to rust. Subframes especially are more likely to be made of steel than aluminium or other materials that don't corrode as easily. So yes every subframe on most merc and other manufacturer will be subject to corrosion risk if made of steel. There is nothing necessarily shoddy about merc's manufacturing process , however a complete lack of maintenance on these parts will lead to this result more often than it should

 

[Petrol Pete]

There is nothing necessarily shoddy about merc's manufacturing process.

There are quite a few W204 C class owners out there who would disagree with you on this point . The W204 C Class rear subframe is a known weak point through premature corrosion. MB are 'sort of' acknowledging the fault , but not quite fully owning up ...yet.

 

[ALFAitalia]

@TrueSpirit

Not true.....if that was the case subframes would be falling out of other vehicles wholesale......and they are not. In Mercs case it was poor design AND material choice. No amount of paint put on by the owner/dealer will help when they corrode from the inside out!!! Also Merc would not be replacing them for free.....which to me is an admission of guilt..

 

[TrueSpirit]

@TrueSpirit

Not true.....if that was the case subframes would be falling out of other vehicles wholesale......and they are not. In Mercs case it was poor design AND material choice. No amount of paint put on by the owner/dealer will help when they corrode from the inside out!!! Also Merc would not be replacing them for free.....which to me is an admission of guilt..

What material should they have used ? Pretty much every Japanese manufacturer forum has multiple posts regarding subframe corrosion on models 10 years old etc. It's a fiction that somehow a part like a subframe which has to be made of a strong material like steel can somehow last for decades without regular treatment

 

[cws196]

I did not think 205s were affected........

ditto - I hadn't heard about any but I do know the current sub-frame campaign just seems to be getting wider and wider

 

[190]

There is nothing necessarily shoddy about merc's manufacturing process

Oh there is.

It's about the gauge thickness and quality of the steel as evidenced by the fact that replacement subframes are made of a thicker gauge of steel. And anyway what's the point of galvanising the body and not the subframe. I'm not suggesting every steel suspension component should be galvanised but if you are going to use particularly thin steel to saved weight then it was only ever going to survive if properly protected both during manufacturing process and afterwards. The former didn't happen.

 

[poormansporsche]

Oh there is.

It's about the gauge thickness and quality of the steel as evidenced by the fact that replacement subframes are made of a thicker gauge of steel. And anyway what's the point of galvanising the body and not the subframe. I'm not suggesting every steel suspension component should be galvanised but if you are going to use particularly thin steel to saved weight then it was only ever going to survive if properly protected both during manufacturing process and afterwards. The former didn't happen.

Or if I had my tin foil hat on......

A C.B.A was done and MB assumed ker-ching, cost saving now and lots of expensive spare parts sales further down the line but underestimated the £hit storm......

 

[SpikyMikey]

Or if I had my tin foil hat on......

A C.B.A was done and MB assumed ker-ching, cost saving now and lots of expensive spare parts sales further down the line but underestimated the £hit storm......

‘Too Dangerous to Drive’: 2010-2022 Mercedes-Benz Models Plagued by Rear Subframe Rust Defect, Class Action Says

 

[Connoisseur]

What material should they have used ? Pretty much every Japanese manufacturer forum has multiple posts regarding subframe corrosion on models 10 years old etc. It's a fiction that somehow a part like a subframe which has to be made of a strong material like steel can somehow last for decades without regular treatment

Have to disagree. Have owned and run several Japanese designed and built Lexus, including. saloons, 4x4 and V8 grand tourers. All went over 10 years + without a sniff of sub frame nonsense a la Mercedes, or any other major issues for that matter. So which Japanese manufacturer/models do you say are suffering with sub frame issues at 10 years plus?

 

[TrueSpirit]

Have to disagree. Have owned and run several Japanese designed and built Lexus, including. saloons, 4x4 and V8 grand tourers. All went over 10 years + without a sniff of sub frame nonsense a la Mercedes, or any other major issues for that matter. So which Japanese manufacturer/models do you say are suffering with sub frame issues at 10 years plus?

a simple web search will reveal endless threads on most manufacturers. I know we're somewhat in a bit of an echo chamber about how bad mercedes are (they're bad but no worse than bmw. Most bmws I owned had rusty subframes ) https://www.civinfo.com/threads/subframe-corrosion.433857/

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/210683-terminal-subframe-corrosion-63-plate/

https://www.noteownersclub.co.uk/threads/subframe-corrosion.9914/

MOT Advisory 'Subframe Rusty' - Page 1 - General Gassing - PistonHeads UK

https://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/threads...but-not-seriously-weakened-5-3-3-b-i.1795262/ (German)
https://911uk.com/threads/front-subframe-corrosion.111115/ (German)

https://www.mazda6club.com/threads/rear-subframe-corrosion.442203/ (Mazda)

fabled Toyota build quality on a 3 year old car https://www.gr-yaris.co.uk/threads/corrosion.11025/

Aygo sub frame

Looking at a 2008 Aygo as a first car for my grandson noticed on Motorscan that it failed the mot on corroded sub frame although dealer has promised new mot and six month warranty. Can you Aygo lovers give me some advice please ?

www.toyotaownersclub.com

 

[Connoisseur]

I drive a Mercedes I love, not an echo chamber, and nothing is perfect, honestly.

But why you think posting a (very) small selection of historic individual posts about underbody corrosion on Japanese cars equates to another maker’s mass programme of gratis subframe replacement I’ll never understand

 

[poormansporsche]

I drive a Mercedes I love, not an echo chamber, and nothing is perfect, honestly.

But why you think posting a (very) small selection of historic individual posts about underbody corrosion on Japanese cars equates to another maker’s mass programme of gratis subframe replacement I’ll never understand

I compare Japanese cars to old Mercs. Solid engines so they live longer than run of the mill cars that just get scrapped. "So" "Rust" "Appears" to be an issue. Example a 20 year old Celica will be rusty as £uck underneath but the equivalent Ford was scrapped years before for other reasons. He ho

Horses for courses really.

 

[Smart320]

Have a 21 year old Rav. Been getting Advisories, rust on rear suspension components, for the last 5 years . Garage tells me it’s solid , like most 20 year old Toyota’ they see .

 

[TrueSpirit]

I drive a Mercedes I love, not an echo chamber, and nothing is perfect, honestly.

But why you think posting a (very) small selection of historic individual posts about underbody corrosion on Japanese cars equates to another maker’s mass programme of gratis subframe replacement I’ll never understand

You think i should post every single thread ?