Official Mercedes Rear Subframe Extended Warranty (Multiple Models)

[Petrol Pete]

I have it on good authority from my Indy that the rear subframe on S/W212 is covered on Mercedes 30 year non perforation warranty and will be replaced foc.

OK . instruct your indy to replace it for you , with you not paying him a penny because he can claim it all back from MB.

Nice work if you can get it.

 

[Petrol Pete]

My S212 went to MB last week for a health check on the rear subframe as it came as an advisory on it's MOT.
No holes, just surface corrosion so wont be submitted for replacement.

That are in focus.

 

[Catweasle]

OK . instruct your indy to replace it for you , with you not paying him a penny because he can claim it all back from MB.

Nice work if you can get it.

The Indy can’t replace it, it has to be done at a main dealer apparently.

 

[Petrol Pete]

The Indy can’t replace it, it has to be done at a main dealer apparently.

OK , my fault , I was Appling clumsy sarcasm here ( the lowest form of wit) . Me , pretty much saying that your indy is talking Shite.

Apologies for any confusion.

 

[SpikyMikey]

Odd that the S204 is not covered?

Did they sell the wagon in the States?

 

[badgx]

^^^ that's a good point? Maybe they didn't have wagon versions

 

[ALFAitalia]

No 204 estates in the US....

 

[st13phil]

That been said, MB have been known to be inconsistent when it comes to responding to warranty claims.

^ This is the root of the issue.

There should be no obfuscation or sloping shoulders by dealers on this, and it’s down to MBUK trying to maintain the fiction that rotting subframes are somehow the owner's responsibility.

They should be honest enough to accept that it’s a design / manufacturing failure and simply replace the subframe on affected vehicles without going through the “will they or won’t they pay” nonsense.

 

[ALFAitalia]

A quick Google will tell you that many manufacturers and many, many different models suffer from subframe corrosion...in my ALFA 159. One website I looked at said that pretty much any model of car could suffer from serious subframe corrosion when they get past 10 years......they are a thinly protected lump of mild steel that lives with all the wet and salt....so it's not really surprising. The variation is on HOW BAD it get rather than if it rusts. Other manufacturer wash their hands of it after 10 years or less.....so if Mercedes cough up I'd say that's a big bonus. By the letter of the terms and conditions of the Mercedes corrosion warranty, subframe corrosion is not even covered....so it's just goodwill on their part. Has made me very careful looking at w212 models though.

 

[markjay]

There's a TIS on WIS, since a few years now, regarding 'additional checks' to the rear subframe on 'certain models', which is in effect MB half-admitting that the issue exists. Dealer, however, are generally unaware of it, an on the occasion that I specifically asked for the rear subframe to be checked, they did do it (as part of the scheduled service and at no additional charge), but it was clear that had I not specifically asked for it, it wouldn't have been done.

(Notwithstanding that the corrosion, as others pointed out, starts from within and will only be detected once it has made its way through the metal to the external surface)

 

[Charliecloud]

That are in focus.

Can help with that, as technician took the photos, owners not allowed in service bay due to elf&safety don't you know.

 

[Will]

On the plus side, the subframe is a simple bolt off/on repair.

Earlier cars with corrosion on the bodywork was far more expensive and time consuming to repair. The cars mentioned in this thread generally have good paint and body panels compared to previous generations.

Credit to Mercedes-Benz for replacing these FOC, I would argue that even ten years is more than enough warranty wise. All cars have their faults and issues, they shouldn’t have to warrant subframes for 20 or 30 years IMHO (obviously nice for owners if they can get them for free..)

 

[markjay]

On the plus side, the subframe is a simple bolt off/on repair.

Earlier cars with corrosion on the bodywork was far more expensive and time consuming to repair. The cars mentioned in this thread generally have good paint and body panels compared to previous generations.

Credit to Mercedes-Benz for replacing these FOC, I would argue that even ten years is more than enough warranty wise. All cars have their faults and issues, they shouldn’t have to warrant subframes for 20 or 30 years IMHO (obviously nice for owners if they can get them for free..)

The only issue is that you'll still have to pay for any seized parts that won't come off without a fight... and, personally, I would have also asked them to replaced any potentially-perishable rubber parts e.g. bushes etc at my own cost. So the FOC replacement would have still cost me, but that's fine.

 

[st13phil]

The variation is on HOW BAD it get rather than if it rusts.

The big issue with the affected Mercedes subframes is that the rot is very hard, sometimes impossible, to detect with a routine visual inspection. It's a classic "silent killer" situation.

Credit to Mercedes-Benz for replacing these FOC, I would argue that even ten years is more than enough warranty wise.

I differ on that. It is absolutely not acceptable for hidden corrosion and the attendant risk of catastrophic failure of a structural component to occur on a car even 10 years old, when the "normal" lifespan of a modern car is at least double that.

Mercedes-Benz make a big play of the 30-year "anti-perforation" warranty for cosmetic body panels. To slope shoulders when a structural component fails due to undetectable internal corrosion in less than one-third of that timescale is disingenuous at the very least.

 

[Will]

The only issue is that you'll still have to pay for any seized parts that won't come off without a fight... and, personally, I would have also asked them to replaced any potentially-perishable rubber parts e.g. bushes etc at my own cost. So the FOC replacement would have still cost me, but that's fine.

To be fair most old Mercedes or other similar cars with 10-15 year old brake pipes and bushes/mounts/suspension parts would probably need work around this area anyway so paying a token amount towards total replacement of the subframe for a few bolts or to do the brake pipes etc isn’t a bad outcome considering the betterment of the situation

 

[Will]

The big issue with the affected Mercedes subframes is that the rot is very hard, sometimes impossible, to detect with a routine visual inspection. It's a classic "silent killer" situation.

I differ on that. It is absolutely not acceptable for hidden corrosion and the attendant risk of catastrophic failure of a structural component to occur on a car even 10 years old, when the "normal" lifespan of a modern car is at least double that.

Mercedes-Benz make a big play of the 30-year "anti-perforation" warranty for cosmetic body panels. To slope shoulders when a structural component fails due to undetectable internal corrosion in less than one-third of that timescale is disingenuous at the very least.

Fair opinion. My view is that there’s always some inherent issue with almost every make or model of car. Remember when W/S210 spring perches used to fall off?

MBs of this era seem quite durable in general and the known issue with subframes it seems that MB is picking up most of the cost of repair here.

If you remove all of the cost/risk associated with old cars then there’s little point buying new, IMHO.

Playing devil’s advocate, the subframe isn’t bodywork and you can argue all you like about life expectancy etc but where do you draw the line on what should be covered by a ‘lifetime’ warranty?

Alloy wheels shouldn’t crack, coil springs shouldn’t corrode and/or break, should metal brake lines need replacement at 10 years old etc.

I’m not so sure the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, all cars have issues. That’s just IMHO of course.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Mercedes-Benz make a big play of the 30-year "anti-perforation" warranty for cosmetic body panels. To slope shoulders when a structural component fails due to undetectable internal corrosion in less than one-third of that timescale is disingenuous at the very least.

I can’t remember the last time it was mentioned apart from a fellow MBClubber

 

[Peter4363]

At least one member on here who tried to claim the rear subframe replacement under the 30 years anti-perforation warranty had his claim declined with the excuse that the anti-perforation warranty only covers body panels, not 'attachments', which is what the subframe is. That been said, MB have been known to be inconsistent when it comes to responding to warranty claims.

I suspect this is some dealerships dragging their heels as I have just had sun frame rear replaced free of charge as it completely snapped both side from the rot issue that starts from inside to out of the frame near joints

 

[markjay]

I suspect this is some dealerships dragging their heels as I have just had sun frame rear replaced free of charge as it completely snapped both side from the rot issue that starts from inside to out of the frame near joints

I think that his mistake was that he tries to claim against the 30-year anti-tust warranty, which won't apply here - instead, the cliam should have been made under the Consumer Protection Act 2015.

 

[Fastcar155]

Hi , If a Mercedes car has a full Mercedes service history is not unreasonable that the car should be repaired by Mercedes FOC. If the car does not have a Mercedes service could Mercedes argue that they would picked up the issue had the car been serviced in the service network.

The problem as I see it that most Mercedes cars leave the cradle at 3 years or so perhaps not given a goodwill repair !

I took my car to a well respected indie on the South Coast to have mine inspected.

This is the real benefit of our club , knowledge.