My spring perch rot and fell down

[Olivier]

Was just having a visual inspection yesterday on the perch after seeing what happen to Andy and shock and horror, the right was fine but the left perch was holding by a small rusty threat
Now because the car is over 10 years old mercedes doesn't want to share the bill or repair and unless I fork out £460 to fix it.
What about the The Mobilo-life cover that is suppose to last 30 years? Any help, phone numbers I could call to get mercedes involve as this is obviously a flaw in their build or at least get this reduce, especially as this is so dangerous I could have had an accident.
here a a bit of mobilo, but its from 1998, my car is 1997
WARRANTY TO LAST 30 YEARS

 

[kwakdonut]

I didn't think Mobilo covered that sort of thing?

 

[grober]

Has your car got a full service history with Mercedes Benz? This often influences things. I would persist tho because this is a known weakness. The best you can hope for at this age of car is a shared cost or discount. For what's involved I think £460 is pretty reasonable if it restores the car to a safe long term condition.

 

[Olivier]

What is shocking is that this happen to two cars in a week, now, how many of those are on the road? Mercedes not doing a recall is a time bomb ready to explode as an accident is about to happen, this is why I would love to get a number to call mercedes and explain the situation, as it seems they might not be aware of the full extention and the danger of the perch failure.
This could be a good subject documentary: mercedes let those time bomb machine on the road, well aware of the danger but decided not to do anything...

 

[Olivier]

Has your car got a full service history with Mercedes Benz? This often influences things. I would persist tho because this is a known weakness. The best you can hope for at this age of car is a shared cost or discount. For what's involved I think £460 is pretty reasonable if it restores the car to a safe long term condition.

I asked for a share cost but it was refused
300 for one side, 460 for both.

 

[Olivier]

For what's involved I think £460 is pretty reasonable if it restores the car to a safe long term condition.

again this is worrying, this mean those cars are not safe on the road .
My perch were looking OK a week ago, I changed the tyre and a quick look under the car and all was OK, but obviously not, as the perch felt

 

[Olivier]

this is the perch. Shocking, lucky I asked for a visual inspection...

 

[hawk20]

Was just having a visual inspection yesterday on the perch after seeing what happen to Andy and shock and horror, the right was fine but the left perch was holding by a small rusty threat
Now because the car is over 10 years old mercedes doesn't want to share the bill or repair and unless I fork out £460 to fix it.
What about the The Mobilo-life cover that is suppose to last 30 years? Any help, phone numbers I could call to get mercedes involve as this is obviously a flaw in their build or at least get this reduce, especially as this is so dangerous I could have had an accident.
here a a bit of mobilo, but its from 1998, my car is 1997
WARRANTY TO LAST 30 YEARS

MobiloLife began on cars from October 28th 1998. So sadly your car is outside the scope of this guarantee.

Apparently, from the many threads I've read on this issue, the spring perches fail safe so that car is still driveable. Not good but driveable. Apparently that is why this has not had to be a safety recall.

However, as many threads show, MB have spent a fortune dealing with cases, even for those who have a rather patchy service record.

If you want a contact at MB try: -
Dermot Kelly M.D.
Mercedes-Benz UK Limited
Delaware Drive, Tongwell
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire, MK15 8BA

[email protected]
[email protected]

Polite letters written more in sadness than in anger seem to be most effective.

 

[Olivier]

VOSA, why not?

After numerous call to MB customers service, to the head office, MB is denying that its a manufacturor fault, still saying the car is over 10 years old and that a lot of this corrosion occur as the perch are not shielded from the weather etc... Bad protection/ design/ build then, is it?
Anyway, they even suggested to call VOSA to let them know my thought about the danger of this situation.
Well, dear MB, I will, I will call VOSA, telling them about the danger of this common weakness, about the danger on the road that those cars represent and I will also go further and contact watchdog.
If all goes well, MB would have to extend their warranty and recall those cars to be repaired at their own will or contribution.
This because 2 cars out of 3 that I know failed in only 1 week and MB is refusing to acknowlegde the seriousness and the danger of the situation that those failure are and want to charge the repair in full trying to deflect the fault to the " those perch are non protected from the weather"
Olivier

 

[Olivier]

MobiloLife began on cars from October 28th 1998. So sadly your car is outside the scope of this guarantee.

Apparently, from the many threads I've read on this issue, the spring perches fail safe so that car is still driveable. Not good but driveable. Apparently that is why this has not had to be a safety recall.

However, as many threads show, MB have spent a fortune dealing with cases, even for those who have a rather patchy service record.

If you want a contact at MB try: -
Dermot Kelly M.D.
Mercedes-Benz UK Limited
Delaware Drive, Tongwell
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire, MK15 8BA

[email protected]
[email protected]

Polite letters written more in sadness than in anger seem to be most effective.

Thank you.
I will write him a mail.
I just called there actually and was talking to Helen who told mt that the perch are not protected from the weather and or soap when you wash the car and told me I should call VOSA as VOSA only will tell them that they need to rethink their policy on how dangerous the car is
You mentionned the car is still drivable, I wouldn't be the guinea pig who'll test this while cornering though.
Olivier

 

[hawk20]

Thank you.
I will write him a mail.
I just called there actually and was talking to Helen who told mt that the perch are not protected from the weather and or soap when you wash the car and told me I should call VOSA as VOSA only will tell them that they need to rethink their policy on how dangerous the car is
You mentionned the car is still drivable, I wouldn't be the guinea pig who'll test this while cornering though.
Olivier

If you do a search you will find quite a few threads on this issue. I think you will also find that many have already raised it with VOSA and with similar bodies in the US.

 

[grober]

I just called there actually and was talking to Helen who told me that the perches are not protected from the weather and or soap when you wash the car and told me I should call VOSA as VOSA only will tell them that they need to rethink their policy on how dangerous the car is.

This is basically a disclaimer of responsibility. They would not direct you to VOSA if there was the remotest chance it would come back on them.
By the way when "Helen" tells you " the perches are not protected from the weather and or soap when you wash the car" she is talking b******s When the car was new mastic is applied to the junction between the perch and body/chassis to prevent corrosion. Unfortunately this protective barrier often fails prematurely allowing moisture into the critical area encouraging rust to develop. This mastic layer can then offer a false sense of security as it can often mask underlying damage. this thread describes the problem and solution very well with pictures. http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/wheels-tyres/72197-w210-spring-perch-failer.html

 

[Olivier]

Intersting. Perhaps if one too many claim again to VOSA, there is a slight chance that it will be looked again with a closer eye then?
They canno deny that that this is dangerous and a bad design for that many times, can they?
Perhaps over confident would be a lack of confident? I am pretty sure if some inspectors see Andy's pictures and mine after awhile it bond to be something coming out of the red tape.

 

[AANDYY]

Another point I've just remembered!
2 weeks ago it passed an M.O.T!!!

 

[Olivier]

Another point I've just remembered!
2 weeks ago it passed an M.O.T!!!

Not the MOT here put I changed my wheels and we took the front out 3 times in a week, I had a wee look and nada, never saw it coming.

 

[Olivier]

MobiloLife began on cars from October 28th 1998. So sadly your car is outside the scope of this guarantee.

Apparently, from the many threads I've read on this issue, the spring perches fail safe so that car is still driveable. Not good but driveable. Apparently that is why this has not had to be a safety recall.

However, as many threads show, MB have spent a fortune dealing with cases, even for those who have a rather patchy service record.

If you want a contact at MB try: -
Dermot Kelly M.D.
Mercedes-Benz UK Limited
Delaware Drive, Tongwell
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire, MK15 8BA

[email protected]
[email protected]

Polite letters written more in sadness than in anger seem to be most effective.

I wrote a mail, the first address didn't work and came back, look like the second address went through

 

[spock500]

Just went out to check mine, looks fine..

 

[Olivier]

Did you pock them?

 

[spock500]

I can't get the wheel off just yet as using jack in the garage,

Had a look by putting on full lock, couldn't see looks ok, no rusty edges to the seams ect.. will have better look over weekend -

 

[Olivier]

Is this the way?

Just riveted, not welded?

http://www.motor-talk.de/forum/aktion/Attachment.html?attachmentId=674062