zarty
New Member
We own a 1999 E-Class 200 Elegance Estate that we purchased just before Christmas 07, Yesterday my wife had just returned from a long motorway journey, as she turned into the street where our Son lives there was a loud Crash, Bang and noises as the offside front wing dropped, the car veered to the right but she managed to stop the car outside our son’s house. Upon inspection the lower spring hanger had corroded away allowing the coil spring to drop out on to the road, my wife and Son were horrified, “what if this had happened while I was on the motorway doing 70mph” “we could have been killed” referring to her elderly mother passenger and Because of the noise many neighbours had gathered around and there were sighs of “oh my god” when they observed the twisted rusted metal, “but the car is not even 9 years old” one neighbour pointed out “ if that’s how they build them they can stick them” said another. My wife phoned me with the grim news “but it’s a Mercedes” I cried in disbelief.
I have done a little bit of research and it appears that Mercedes are aware that this is a production fault as are VOSA but can any forum member tell me whether there has ever been a recall? I have owned many different cars over the years some with corrosion problems but I have never observed such dangerous corrosion as this.
I have not contacted Mercedes as yet as I am unsure of the best approach, the car has Mercedes history until 2003 and since then services have been carried out by non Mercedes garages. When I bought the car I had a good look at the underneath and it looked good plus it had passed its MOT just 10 weeks earlier and although there were some surface rust areas around the front wings and in 1 or 2 other places, not enough to warn of the dangerous corrosion lurking around the lower spring hangers.
So I would very much appreciate any help from other forum members and also warn members and the public about this dangerous issue, I feel fear and anger when I think of the many times we have travelled with our grandchildren in the car and this fault could have happened at any time and could have been fatal!!!
I have done a little bit of research and it appears that Mercedes are aware that this is a production fault as are VOSA but can any forum member tell me whether there has ever been a recall? I have owned many different cars over the years some with corrosion problems but I have never observed such dangerous corrosion as this.
I have not contacted Mercedes as yet as I am unsure of the best approach, the car has Mercedes history until 2003 and since then services have been carried out by non Mercedes garages. When I bought the car I had a good look at the underneath and it looked good plus it had passed its MOT just 10 weeks earlier and although there were some surface rust areas around the front wings and in 1 or 2 other places, not enough to warn of the dangerous corrosion lurking around the lower spring hangers.
So I would very much appreciate any help from other forum members and also warn members and the public about this dangerous issue, I feel fear and anger when I think of the many times we have travelled with our grandchildren in the car and this fault could have happened at any time and could have been fatal!!!
