1996 Mercedes Benz E Class

THIS IS NOT A FAILURE YET, BUT A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. I HAVE A 96 MERCEDES E300D, AND THIS PARTICULAR MODEL THE SO CALLED W210 MODEL HAS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE FRONT SPRING PERCHES. THEY ARE WELDED ON AND TEND TO RUST OUT AND FAIL, MEANING THAT THE CAR WILL DROP TO THE GROUND. THIS COULD CAUSE MAJOR AND SERIOUS DAMAGE IF THE COLLAPSE OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MY CAR AT THIS TIME IS NOT TOO BAD, BUT IN THE FUTURE THIS MIGHT BECOME AN ISSUE. PLEASE VISTI THIS THREAD TO SEE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS FROM A FORUM THAT I USE TO WORK ON MY MERCEDES VEHICLES. HTTP://WWW.PEACHPARTS.COM/SHOPFORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=95228 THIS LINK WILL SHOW THE COMPLAINT THAT OWNERS LIKE MYSELF HAVE ABOUT THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON THIS MODEL. MERCEDES HAS REPLACED THIS ON SOME MODELS, BUT THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT ON ALL VEHICLES THEY SOLD. *TR

I OWN A 1996 MERCEDES 300D THE FRONT SPRING RETAINER RUSTED OUT AND THE FRONT RIGHT CAR COLLAPSED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL 1996 1997 1998 MERCEDES THE PART IS PART OF THE UNIBODY. THE RUST CANNOT BE SEEN BY THE HUMAN EYE BECAUSE IT RUST BEHIND THE RETAINER. IF I HAD RIDING 60 MILES A HOUR I THINK THE CAR WOULD ROLL OVER. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IT HAS 103 THOUSAND MILES AND IS GARAGE KEPT. IT COST ME $571.00 TO HAVE IT FIXED. I ASKED THE DEALER TO REPAY ME FOR THE COST THEY REFUSED. THIS HAS HAPPEN BEFORE ON OTHER SUCH MODELS. *TR

UPON MECHANICAL INSPECTION I WAS TOLD THAT THE FRONT SPRING PERCH WAS CORRODED FROM THE INNER FENDER, IF THIS IS NOT CORRECTED THE FRONT SUSPENSION WILL COLLAPSE. I HAVE FOUND THAT SEVERAL E300D OWNERS (96 AND NEWER) HAVE SUFFERED THE SAME ISSUE REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. THERE IS ALREADY A RECALL FOR THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE IN CANADA. IT IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO HAVE IT COMPLETED IN THE US SINCE THERE ARE MANY 96 TO 02 300'S ON THE ROAD. *TR

THE SPRING RIGHT UPPER SPRING MOUNT ON MY 1996 MB E300 RUSTED THROUGH. THE CAR DROPPER AND I HIT THE STREET, RUINED MY RADIATOR, AND THE TOTAL REPAIR COSTS ARE GREATER THAN $4000 (VERBAL ESTIMATE). I REPORTED THIS TO MERCEDES BENZ NA AND SPOKE TO RON ST PIERRE THE NE REGIONAL MANAGER ( 800-526-0315 X7125) WHO TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS OLD AND MB WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. UPON SEARCHING THE NHTSA WEB SITE, I HAVE SEEN ABOUT 10 + REPORTS OR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS GOING BACK 1 OR 2 YEARS AND NOTHING FROM MB REPORTING THIS AS A PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED BY A SINGLE GARAGE, THEY HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE FAILURES, AND WARNED ME ABOUT THIS WHEN IT HAPPENED. I AM CURRENTLY WITHOUT A CAR. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND POTENTIALLY A RISK OF LOSS OF CONTROL. *NM

I HAVE A 1996 MERCEDES E300D AND RECENTLY I LEARNED FROM AN INTERNET MESSAGE BOARD ABOUT A SAFETY DEFECT ON THIS CHASSIS INVOLVING THE FRONT SUSPENSION. SPECIFICALLY IT'S THE UPPER SPRING SUPPORT OR PERCH AS SOME PEOPLE CALL IT WHICH CAN RUST AWAY AND BREAK FROM THE SUPPORTING BACK WALL, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE RUSTING IS CAUSED BY OR AT LEAST CONTRIBUTED TO BY A POOR-QUALITY SEALANT THAT MERCEDES USES AROUND THAT AREA. AFTER SOME TIME THIS SEALANT LOSES ITS ADHESION OR STARTS TO CRACK, TRAPPING WATER UNDERNEATH IT AND STARTING CORROSION. THE UPPER SPRING SUPPORT IS ONLY SPOT WELDED IN TWO PLACES TO THE SIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL AND IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH CORROSION TO CAUSE A FAILURE. ON MY CAR THE PASSENGER SIDE IS RUSTED SO BAD THAT ONE OF THE WELDS HAS ALREADY BROKEN AND THE SPRING SUPPORT IS NOW CLOSE TO FAILURE. PEELING OFF THE SEALANT REVEALED THE TRUE EXTENT OF THE RUST AND IT IS EXTENSIVE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOOKED FINE AT FIRST, BUT PEELING OFF THE SEALANT REVEALED EXTENSIVE RUST AS WELL, THOUGH THE WELDS ARE STILL IN ONE PIECE. THE VEHICLE HAS NO SIGNIFICANT RUST ELSEWHERE, ONLY WHERE THE SEALANT USED TO BE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SO I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING/DESIGN PROBLEM. SOME OWNERS HAVE ALREADY SUFFERED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT. LUCKILY I CAUGHT IT JUST IN TIME. AFTER SOME PUSHING, MERCEDES HAS AGREED THROUGH THE LOCAL DEALER TO COVER 50% OF MY EXPENSES TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR 100% OF THE EXPENSES BECAUSE IT'S A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE A RECALL. WHO WOULD EXPECT A 9 YEAR OLD MERCEDES TO LOSE ITS FRONT SUSPENSION ON THE HIGHWAY? FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD THERE ALREADY IS A RECALL CAMPAIGN IN CANADA, BUT NOT IN THE US.

RIGHT FRONT SPRING PERCH MOUNT BROKE ON MY 1996 E300D MERCEDES WHILE BEGINNING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A STOP SIGN CONTROLLED INTERSECTION. VEHICLE GAVE NO FOREWARNING SIGNS, AND HAD IN-FACT JUST BEEN SERVICED WEEK PRIOR. MERCEDES DENIES ANY DEFECT, AND I HAD TO PAY FOR TOWING AND REPAIR COMPLETELY. THANK GOD IT DID NOT OCCUR AT HIGHWAY SPEED! I AM NOW READING THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO HUNDREDS OF MERCEDES OWNERS, AND I JUST WANTED TO REPORT MY OWN EXPERIENCE!