Rear subframe

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Quick update. Repairs have been approved by MB! We ended up having a frank discussion with the service manager who proved to be very much on our side and really helpful. It possibly helped that I had known him from years ago when he was a service adviser. What he did I dont know but it was approved within 24 hours of him getting involved. Fortunately we had already authorised ordering of the part so it should be here in the next couple of days. This car was registered in June 2005 so to those of you with rotten subframes even on "older" vehicles dont let MB fob you off.
 
Forgot to add he did say that w204 subframe replacements are usually authorised within 24 hours as a matter of course. For the R171 the dealer has to submit a "technical case" hence the long delay as MB invariably want some other small piece of information or different pictures
 
Do you have a full MB service history - are only full MBSH cars honoured?

Don't suppose you can ask about W212s next time you see him :)
 
Do you have a full MB service history - are only full MBSH cars honoured?

Don't suppose you can ask about W212s next time you see him :)
It has covered 50,000 miles. All bar one service were done by MB on a service contract. The last service was done by PCS on the day the problem was found. He did mention the E class but not specific versions. I think he said these were also authorised as a matter of course usually without any difficulty but I am not 100% certain.
 
Wow, only 50k. Glad your car will live on for many more miles.

OK, thanks for the info. I'd still bet cars that were serviced outside of MB would have a tougher time of it. In fact as my last 2 services were done by myself, there's no record of it, which I suspect they will balk at. Silly me, I didn't consider the possibility that the subframe on a 'modern' Mercedes Benz would start eating itself from the inside out..
 
I'd still bet cars that were serviced outside of MB would have a tougher time of it. In fact as my last 2 services were done by myself, there's no record of it, which I suspect they will balk at.
If they baulked at a claim due to there being no record of the last two services, I'd ask them to explain what difference that made to the ultimate failure of the component through corrosion other than it may have been picked up by an inspection earlier (unlikely as the MOT tests didn't pick it up) which would have resulted in them receiving a claim sooner.
 
Sure, of course it's worth a fight.

Funnily enough I'm waiting for my MOT as we 'speak' - I have to admit to being terrified of them mentioning the rear subframe.... never had any advisories (on the subframe or otherwise) so far...
 
I'd hazard a guess that if the car wasn't removed from dealer servicing and placed in the care of Olly at PCS, you'd only know there's an issue with the rear subframe once it collapsed.......
 
I'd hazard a guess that if the car wasn't removed from dealer servicing and placed in the care of Olly at PCS, you'd only know there's an issue with the rear subframe once it collapsed.......
I dont think the MOT inspector would have missed this one. It seemed to just be held together by a thread of remaining metal. Quite scary to think what might have happened
 
Its all a bit like London buses nothing for ages then two or three come all at once ,great news for those guys who have managed to get their cars sorted for nothing.
 
I didn't have the last 2 service stamps, MB Dorchester said MB headquarters would question it, i pointed out that the service on the engine has no regard for a rotten subframe & they still agreed to foot the bill for the new subframe
 
i pointed out that the service on the engine has no regard for a rotten subframe
Precisely. That they actually tried to weasel out of their responsibility for the catastrophic corrosion failure of a major component that is not a serviced item on the basis of missing service history is a disgrace.

Well done for standing your ground.
 
Happy for you folks! Hope they will change the subframe mounts, and is it possible to do the rear suspensions arms/bushes at the same time? I suspect that wouldn’t be free though, and they’d hardly agree to install lemforder for you, so it could get pricey to do that.

Also, can anybody confirm if this is a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’, and if so, for which models/years?

No mention of anything on my recent MOT (59 plate 212)
 
Further update from local dealer. Having ordered the part last week when it was showing available in 5 days it has now been put back to 10th January at the earliest! The only bright spot in this is that tomorrow we are collecting an E class coupe courtesy car that we can keep until the repairs are completed.
 
Further update from local dealer. Having ordered the part last week when it was showing available in 5 days it has now been put back to 10th January at the earliest! The only bright spot in this is that tomorrow we are collecting an E class coupe courtesy car that we can keep until the repairs are completed.
Wow, that sounds like you’re receiving good service. Fair play to Mercedes and the main dealer for doing the right thing.
 
Wow, that sounds like you’re receiving good service. Fair play to Mercedes and the main dealer for doing the right thing.
Since involving a senior member of the service team things have improved dramatically. They are being proactive. I think they feel bad that it has taken so long to get this far.
 
I had my 2013 W204 in for its MOT yesterday so I asked the Indy to pay close attention to the rear subframe after reading this thread. He said he has only come across this problem on SLK's so far but was happy to report that my car only showed the usual surface corrosion for a car of its age (100k miles on the clock) from grit etc but there was no sign of any rotting or rust. Thankfully it passed with no advisories.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom