subframe failure

[DSM10000]

As said , it's a 20 year old car. It is unrealistic to expect any support from the manufacturer.

 

[markjay]

I'll give you £20 for it as the value of these has dropped considerably. Apparently there's an issue with subframes

I offer only a tenner... Apparently there's also an issue with Opal Red

 

[Gollom]

I offer only a tenner... Apparently there's also an issue with Opal Red

£5 from me - the SatNav maps will be out of date

 

[markjay]

£5 from me - the SatNav maps will be out of date

Luckily it doesn't have the M271 engine.....

 

[Gollom]

Luckily it doesn't have the M271 engine.....

He would owe ME money then!

 

[DSM10000]

OK, final offer.
£50.

To me that is!

 

[Jason1145]

Now I’m depressed having a 2012 E class which is not only affected by these sub frames but also has the M271 EVO engine… plus I can’t find a front passenger seat pad sensor.. I thought I knew what I was doing buying this 2 months ago

 

[markjay]

Now I’m depressed having a 2012 E class which is not only affected by these sub frames but also has the M271 EVO engine… plus I can’t find a front passenger seat pad sensor.. I thought I knew what I was doing buying this 2 months ago

Could be worse... it could have been Opal Red

 

[ALFAitalia]

I also need a front passenger seat occupancy sensor....might just end up fitting a bypass module.....won't change anything except I won't have to see that message on the dash everytime I don't have a passenger in the seat.

 

[Chrishazle]

OK, final offer.
£50.

To me that is!

Too many Equity members (the union for ****** comedians!!) replying, she may be Fire Opal Red but the paintwork, other than the 2 small areas in the front bottom corners of the front wings, is perfect - but whether that's original or after recall and respray I don't know as MB North Wales (original supplier and servicer) will not answer me! There were a number of problems (documented in the history file I put together) when I bought her, all sorted, and more recently a transmission sump small leak also sorted (new sump, gasket and sump plug on the transmission) so mechanically she's in top shape and everything works as it should. Can't use her ATM as wife is crocked so will not go out at all, so as S204 is on the driveway (SLK in garage on battery conditioner as usual!) I just use the S204 if I need to go anywhere, not had a weekend pleasure jaunt for 7 weeks now despite all the lovely weather. Road fund renewal arrive a couple of days ago, due by end of month, £430 for 12 months! Making me again question the justification for having 2 cars, but although the S204 is a very good car, I did not work all those years to only drive something practical, especially as I am used to the pleasure of driving a Porsche 968 and even the compromise SLK!

 

[Cherrypd]

Bar a couple of dents it's fine

A couple of dents, it's fine

 

[MerrieMike]

I have a service agreement with my local MB dealer, and a the last MOT the inspector pointed out the rust on the rear subframe. The service manager assured me that MB would replace when the time came at fitting cost only to me. So I'm concerned reading this. Does anybody know what the full cost of replacement would be?

 

[ChrisHGTV]

I posted on another thread that my 2011 S212 is in currently for a new subframe. It was in for a service and new suspension airbag (now on number 3) and it was noticed there’s now a hole in the subframe. It’s also having new rear brake lines and a couple of other bits.

I was expecting it at some point as corrosion of the subframe was mentioned at the last service. Interestingly though it wasn’t picked up at the mot.

I’d already decided to just get it done by my trusted Indy when the time came (TM Motors) rather than trying to get any contribution from MB. From reading on here it seems there’s maybe a minimal cost differential when you factor in potential associated work needed (in my case brake lines) and MB hourly rates. Plus the car is undriveable with the completely dead suspension so it’s stuck at TM anyway.

Just for info I had both airbags replaced just over 5 years ago - one was a MB one under warranty and the other was an aerosus. The aerosus one has failed so it will be interesting to see how the MB one fares in comparison. From memory the aerosus have a 5 year warranty.

 

[DSM10000]

I have a service agreement with my local MB dealer, and a the last MOT the inspector pointed out the rust on the rear subframe. The service manager assured me that MB would replace when the time came at fitting cost only to me. So I'm concerned reading this. Does anybody know what the full cost of replacement would be?

Cost will vary depending on where you are, who is carrying out the work and any other remedial work required. Have you not asked your dealer?

 

[Jason1145]

I also need a front passenger seat occupancy sensor....might just end up fitting a bypass module.....won't change anything except I won't have to see that message on the dash everytime I don't have a passenger in the seat.

Sorry OP off topic but this point interests me, would this error message on the dash cause an MOT failure?
I looked at the bypass but not sure, on the other hand, the pad sensor is £285 plus a MB specialist to fit it for £150 makes it rather expensive for what it is.
So would the front passenger airbag never deploy with that error message present?
If so it’d be worth to fix it to protect the passenger.
However, If the airbag will always deploy even with that message present I could accept that if it passes an MOT.

 

[markjay]

Sorry OP off topic but this point interests me, would this error message on the dash cause an MOT failure?
I looked at the bypass but not sure, on the other hand, the pad sensor is £285 plus a MB specialist to fit it for £150 makes it rather expensive for what it is.
So would the front passenger airbag never deploy with that error message present?
If so it’d be worth to fix it to protect the passenger.
However, If the airbag will always deploy even with that message present I could accept that if it passes an MOT.

Yes, any fault light on the dash is an MOT fail these days.

As for your other question, I don't think anyone can really answer it. You'd think that the engineers at MB would design it so that in the event of a sensor mat fault the passenger airbag will always deploy, but who knows. The sensor mat is also meant to prevent injury to a child sitting in the front seat, so maybe the engineers had it configured the other way around?

The other issue here is that - strictly speaking - you'll need to declare the modification (replacing the front passenger seat occupancy sensor with a Chinese emulator bought off eBay for a tenner....) to your insurer - not sure how this will go down with them in the event that you tried it.

 

[ALFAitalia]

It's not a fault light.....its a text message on the dash. If you have the airbag or abs etc light on its a failure....a text message like the OP is not. There, aferall, is nothing wrong with the airbag. The fault only means that the airbag will go off in the event of crash even if there is no passenger in the seat.
Can't see the insurance will care....it has no effect of safety, performance or anything else.

 

[ChrisHGTV]

I have a service agreement with my local MB dealer, and a the last MOT the inspector pointed out the rust on the rear subframe. The service manager assured me that MB would replace when the time came at fitting cost only to me. So I'm concerned reading this. Does anybody know what the full cost of replacement would be?

From my Indy the subframe is £650 odd plus vat, I can’t remember how much the rest was but labour for doing the subframe, airbag and brake lines (it seems likely you’d need brake lines anyway when doing the subframe) is 7-9 hours. The airbag likely makes no difference to the time. So it’s the labour (fitting cost) that could make the dealer more expensive even if they pay for the subframe itself. Depends on the dealer vs Indy rate. In my case I also factored in convenience as the car was already at the Indy.

It does seem a bit daft they make the transmission case out of magnesium and then make the subframe out of baked bean cans.

 

[190]

It does seem a bit daft they make the transmission case out of magnesium and then make the subframe out of baked bean cans.

Also daft going to the trouble of galvanising the body but not a subframe made from thin poor quality steel. Truly pfennig pinching that's come back to bite them.

Not to worry, the reduced weight of the cheap subframe will have cut 0.0001% off the emissions and fuel consumption. Colin Chapman would have been proud.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Does anyone galvanise their subframes?......not on any mass produced cars I've seen.