W202 catastrophic suspension failure how common?

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Cw-kid

Active Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2013
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148
Car
W202 C-Class C230K
Hi

Has anyone had a Merc with a catastrophic failure? Which caused a crash or could have been very serious?

A front suspension arm on my W202 sheered in half luckily at low speed. At high speed it could have been fatal. Whole left side of the car sunk down and the wheel was hanging off pretty much.

Car hadn't previously been in any accidents to weaken this rather thick piece of metal that decided to just snap.

At the time I took the part in question down to the Merc dealer and went ape **** with them, I was told that something like this had never been seen before and would be investigated but I never got any explanation.

I also had to pay myself for the new part and fitting and for repairs to the body.

Just wondering if others have had any similar experiences in the past?

Cheers
 
No photos unfortunately. It was my car but I wasn't driving it, it happened to my brother whilst I lived in Asia as I gave him my car to use. Happened years ago now, car was probably 6 years old at the time.

He kept the part and I later went down to the dealer and slung it on some ones desk and said what the hell is this we could have been killed! I remember causing a bit of a scene down at the dealer at the time, as you can imagine I wasn't best pleased.

Think Merc kept the part but I don't recall them ever coming back to us with any explanations.
 
My rear suspension arm bent in half a few years ago, had the rear right tyre inside the boot (literally - after causing a blowout).

Then again, I was driving the car across the Sahara desert :p
 
Was it corroded?
 
You went ape **** at a receptionist at Mercedes regarding a 90's w202? Fair enough if it was 2 years old, yes lower arms have been know to snap by the ball joint, if your car is serviced and look after things like this should have been spotted/checked.
 
Perhaps your attitude does not help you get the results you wish for if, as you say you went "ape****" and "slung it on some ones desk and admit to "causing a scene"" with someone who did not design nor manufacture the part!

Perhaps if you approached things in a calmer, more civil fashion then the dealers might be more inclined to help?

Just a thought!
 
You went ape **** at a receptionist at Mercedes regarding a 90's w202? Fair enough if it was 2 years old, yes lower arms have been know to snap by the ball joint, if your car is serviced and look after things like this should have been spotted/checked.

That's what I was thinking hence why I asked if it was corroded.
 
Car has always been serviced and looked after. I'm not going to be polite when something like that happens! Corroded? Surface rust maybe, thick metal just sheered in half.
 
At the time I took the part in question down to the Merc dealer and went ape **** with them,

Well really, it's nothing got to with a random M-B dealer. In actual fact even if it was the supplying dealer. Now, if car had a full M-B service history that could be another matter.

I suspect and which I've experienced is lower ball joint failure, regardless proper maintenance & servicing would have highlighted that long before the arm or ball joint failed.

That's my two cents worth, anyway.
 
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Car has always been serviced and looked after. I'm not going to be polite when something like that happens! Corroded? Surface rust maybe, thick metal just sheered in half.


Have you had the car from new?

Have the arms been replaced? They may have been replaced as they do corrode and the bushes wear. They may have been replaced with cheap Chinese copies. Cheap parts from China are around and often get fitted to keep costs down but a usually terrible in quality.

In my experience with 202's, the only reason why the arm snaps is because of corrosion or poor welding at the end where the ball joints mounts to.
 
Car has always been serviced and looked after. I'm not going to be polite when something like that happens! Corroded? Surface rust maybe, thick metal just sheered in half.


Show me a picture please. I am very interested.
 
Car has always been serviced and looked after. I'm not going to be polite when something like that happens! Corroded? Surface rust maybe, thick metal just sheered in half.


There is no reason not to be polite. You were dealing with someone who did not service the car nor design the part!

If you had asked for a meeting with the service manager, showed them the part and explained the car's service history ,age etc then you may well have had a different outcome.

I have zero tolerance for anyone abusing my staff, if someone (who may well have a justifiable grievance)will not calm down and speak reasonably they are removed, either by the security team or, if I deem it necessary, by calling the Police directly.
 
I just found this photo online which I believe is a W202, if my memory serves me correctly then it was the part with the arrow that snapped and it wasn't on a weld but in the middle of the metal somewhere, which is about 1 inch thick?

Wasn't a ball joint.

Merc-Suspension_zps8d38d834.jpg


I was angry at the time and rightly so. But I get what you are saying about it not being the dealers fault!

Just wondered if anyone else had similar stories.

@Spinal what were you doing driving in the Sahara desert sounds like fun!
 
Virtually unknown to fail. That part is best known as a steering knuckle or suspension upright or trunion. Its a machined casting/forging and immensely strong. Its designed to be incredibly rigid as it locates the hub of the wheel. Its best not described as an " arm "
Breakage would be best described as a fracture. It might have had a manufacturing defect which subsequent metallurgical analysis would have clearly shown. However a more likely explanation would some form of corrosion induced stress fracture or catastrophic damage caused by hitting a pothole at great speed neither seem that likely. Only other cars I have heard of suffering suspension trunion failure are the Triumph series including Herald ,Vitesse,Spitfire, Gt6.
 
I'm not 100% but I am fairly certain that was the part that failed. Will ask my brother see what he remembers? I know the piece of metal was hefty and thick and fractured in two as you say. It was the type of part you'd never think would have done that, was pretty shocking lol.
 
Most likely it was the bottom arm. They do corrode and eventually fracture at the end near the ball-joint.
 
when was this? If it was years ago why are you still bothered?

if you havnt got details or memory of the exact problem, is it worth getting worried about it?
 
when was this? If it was years ago why are you still bothered?

And miss the opportunity of a good Rant on MBClub...?:eek:
 

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