Suspension Problems of Mercedes Benz E350 - part 2

While driving down the road at 60mph, I hit the brakes to slow down. I heard a pop and thunk from the rear of the vehicle. I thought it was some boxes in the back of my car and forgot about it. I then brought my car into the dealer for an engine computer update and during the inspection they found that the passenger rear control arm mount broke away from the sub frame and that the rear brake lines were heavily rusted. They quoted a new rear subframe and brake lines. If I was on the freeway and this happened or I had to take evasive maneuvers I most likely would have crashed. The mechanic told me the weld broke where the control arm mounts to the subframe. He inspected the rest of the vehicle and everything looks good. On a less than 9 year old vehicle the subframe should not have rusted enough to break. Especially on a safety issue like the suspension and brakes. Mercedes should have done a better job with their welds and with their rust proofing especially on safety components.

See all problems of the 2014 Mercedes Benz E350 🔎.

Rear subframe assembly prematurely rust causing failure of the assembly requiring replacement. If not found could cause failure while driving resulting in an accident.

See all problems of the 2015 Mercedes Benz E350 🔎.

I was on the highway traveling at 70 mph, when I noticed something was not right. I would switch lanes and notice the vehicle swaying in the rear I would also brake, and notice car would sway. I didn’t have any warning signs, and have deemed my vehicle unsafe to drive. Upon further inspection, I noticed that the rear subframe has been compromised with rust, fully detaching the lower control arm from driver’s side rear. This incident could have been catastrophic. I could have easily loss control of the vehicle and death could have occurred to me and others. Perhaps the whole rear axel and wheels could have detached at high speeds.

See all problems of the 2011 Mercedes Benz E350 🔎.

There is a hole rusted through the vehicle's rear subframe assembly and it is dangerous to drive. My car is an E350 mercedes with 78,000 miles and garage-kept. Mercedes knows of this issue and is not helping anyone with this problem. The job costs about 5000. 00 to fix.

Same problem that many others have reported. Took car dealer for a battery. Was told subframe is rusted and about $5000 to fix and that if not fixed could lead to car failure. 1) why has mercedes not informed the many thousand 2010-2014 c-class and e-class drivers affected by this dangerous defect. Many do not take their cars to the dealership for service anymore and could miss the problem until it is too late. 2) these cars have been recalled in germany and elsewhere. Why not in the united states? 3) is this situation up the the standards of NHTSA? if not why has a recall not been ordered? 4) is there a difference in weighing customer safety against company bottom-line in the us compared to other countries? thanks.

See all problems of the 2013 Mercedes Benz E350 🔎.

I took my vehicle to sun mercedes for a pennsylvania safety inspection on 14 Dec 2022. I was approached by the service representative that my vehicle failed inspection. There is a rust hole in the left rear sub-frame. He indicated this is common to mercedes vehicles of my type/years. The location of rust is common and appears to stat from inside the frame. I saw many similar cases in my research. Also read that mercedes covers the costs in some of the cases, specifically in united kingdom and other countries. . Read more...

Rust on the rear subframe and car will not pass inspection. Mb will not help and these cars are a danger to the people on the road and will cause death if this problem is not fixed. People cannot afford 5k to fix this problem. All these cars with this problem and mb is not taking the blame for this and not listing this as a recall till someone dies.

I have video available that shows significant premature corrosion of the rear subframe and brake line. The safety of others will be put at risk at the time of failure. Failed subframes can lead to loss of control. This problem has been identified and the part inspected by a mercedes dealership. There are no warning lamps or messages to alert the driver that failure is imminent. This was discovered in the process of the car being serviced for an unrelated emissions recall. Many mercedes owners report having severe rear subframe and brake line corrosion issues on message boards. Some reported their cars unexpectedly sway and drift to one side while breaking. In multiple european countries, mercedes is apparently aware of the problem and is voluntarily replacing the rear subframe for free. However, in the USA, mercedes is quoting their customers approximately 6,000 to 7,000 to rectify the issue. Without nhtsas intervention, dealer service departments will continue to profit from the failure of this critical component. Customers unprepared to pay for such a significant repair will defer maintenance until they can afford to address the matter. Some of these cars will be dumped at trade in and passed on to unsuspecting consumers. Those consumers may be your friends and loved ones. We need government to step in and protect the public interest. “if not you, then who? if not now, when?”.

See all problems of the 2012 Mercedes Benz E350 🔎.

Brake line to rear completely rusted through. Lost brake control while driving. Upon further inspection, the entire rear subframe has significant rust damage that warrants replacement.

A state inspection identified that the rear subframe is rusted through. Per the service advisor, the failure of the rear subframe is a safety hazard because it effects steering and braking, and complete failure can cause loss of brakes. Service advisor advised not to drive the vehicle until repairs are made due to safety concerns. Vehicle failed inspection because the issue is a safety issue.

--rear sub-frame broken. Part is available upon request. --rear of car swerved when turning and breaking, probably due to control arm dislocation. --dealer is aware of problem and has in fact replaced many sub-frames. --the dealer has inspected the sub-frame and determined that it is broken. --no warnings prior to failure.

I own a 2014 mercedes-benz E350, 4matic. That yeah car has approximately 64,500 miles on it. I recently took it in for service and was advised that the rear subframe has a whole rusted through on the left side. The dealers advice was to replace the rear subframe. I was advised that it is not presently a safety issue, but it was going to be a safety issue as the rust continued. I was dubious about this advice, so I took the vehicle to a second dealer, who also identified the rust issue in the same area. Both dealer representatives advised that they had seen these issues before with the 350 class, and that there had been many complaints about them. I am aware that mb has replaced subframes on this group of cars in germany and in canada already—this is a well-known issue. The repair will cost between 3,800-5,000, but my real concern is that the subframe will fail and cause injury or death before it can be repaired. I do not believe this to be ordinary wear and tear as the car is relatively young, and rust is a very controllable problem with current vehicle technology. I am concerned that the scope of this problem is widespread, as both dealer representatives said that they had seen many cars with this issue. It needs to be recalled and repaired before people are injured or die.

I noticed fluid on the ground under my car in the driveway. Turns out it was brake fluid, the vehicle alerted me to low brake fluid. Here was a broken brake line which appears to have been caused by the subframe being rusted out. The issue is with the rear subframe on the mercedes’ e and c class dating from 2008 on. Mine is a 2011 e class. The subframes on these vehicles rust and rot out causing issues to the brake lines and rear suspension parts rotting / rusting out due to the subframe being compromised. I’ve taken my vehicle to the dealer to look at the brake line and I was advised that the subframe was rusting out and should be replaced as well, it will only worsen, creating a safety hazard while driving because it can cause the car not to stop properly and difficult to control. I’ve taken the vehicle to repair shop and was told the same. Also was advised by both the dealer and private repair shops that this is a common issue with these vehicles, yet there is no recall by mercedes in this country. Canada has a recall for this issue and other countries as well but not the USA. I was quoted $5000 to fix the issue by putting a new subframe, repairing is not possible. The part itself is on back order almost everywhere due to the commonality of this issue. This has caused the price to go up in cost due to the demand. A junkyard / car parts quoted me $2000 for a used subframe. As a service connected disabled veteran I find this issue to be very concerning and ask why this is not a recall that mercedes should replace without cost to the consumer. I hope that my complaint and hopefully others as well can get this issue resolved and hold mercedes accountable. The subframe rust out yet other parts around it does not, this has to be a manufacturer issue with the sub frame. Reports of this issue are in warm weather southern states with no snow or salt issues as well as northern states.

When I took my vehicle to the dealership for service to have it inspected, I was told that it would not pass inspection due to the corrosion of the rear subframe. They told me this is a serious safety issue and that they are seeing a lot of mercedes, especially in the last year and a half, that have this issue. The repair will cost me $4,500, mercedes does not cover the cost even though it is a major structural issue. The subframe should last the life of the vehicle which is only 8 years old/60,000 miles and has been garage kept with all recommended services done by the dealer. My life and and the life of others is at risk as if the subframe fails, it causes loss of control of the car. Mercedes will not issue a recall. Mercedes owners don't even know to look out for this problem. Why do they have air bag recall and braking system recall but not a recall for this as Mercedes Benz in the uk does??.

The rear subframe is broken. I was braking and the car lost control about two weeks ago. Ever since then the car feels like it's slipping whenever I brake or on a turn. I lose control of the car and I'm endangering my life and others. I went to take my vehicle to get inspected today and the said the rear subframe is broken and no fault of my own. The car was kept in a garage for years and only has 55k miles on it. There's no reason a subframe should be broken.

We have been told by our mercedes auto repair shop and subsequently confirmed by two additional auto repair shops, that our rear sub frame has deteriorated and that the steel brakes lines are also rusting creating a very dangerous situation. We were warned to drive straight home and not to drive it again. We have also been told that this is a "known" problem with mercedes c and e class cars and that the sub frame deteriorates from the inside out and has nothing to do with salt on the roads or snow or ice. Had we not brought it in for the usual oil change and check up we could have been killed. We understand that there are recalls in the uk, canada, ireland, and other countries but not in the us. The repair is $7,000. 00+ and the wait for the part is approximately 6 months. Why is there no recall in the us? we have read numerous reports on the menz world forum with the same issue. I would like to file a complaint as someone could be killed and mercedes is not addressing this hazardous issue. Does someone have to die before it is recalled?.

I was driving on the highway and braked for traffic ahead of me. My car swerved hard to the right; however, I got it under control and brought it into the mercedes dealer as soon as they had an opening. Upon examination, the dealer told me that the sub-chassis had corroded and broken away, damaging the torsion bar and denting the gas tank. A search online quickly showed that this is a common issue with mercedes, and in some countries, they have issued a recall. The dealer quoted $5,250 to fix the car. This easily could have been a tragedy on the road with a less experienced driver behind the wheel. Mercedes must issue a recall for the inspection and repair of all affected vehicles.

The rear sub-frame involving vehicle stability under braking and turning. A component that should remain attached to the vehicle has broken off due to corrosion. My vehicle is not that old that a key structural component of the car should break at the weld/attachment point. I have video of this defect. But its greater than 10mb and will not let me upload it is there an email I can send it to ?.

The rear subframe failed as a result of pre-mature corrosion while traveling at 70mph. Control of vehicle was lost and could easily have led to a multiple fatality incident if not for luck. The problem has been reproduced in many mercedes models around this model year and mercedes is well aware of the issue with their inferior subframe. Ntsa needs to order a recall from mercedes as class action lawsuits are going to be put together if nothing is done. There was no warning that this subframe was going to fail.

In having maintenance on my vehicle, the dealer advised that the subframe is corroding and needs to be replaced. I searched several mercedes forums and found a number of owners citing similar corroding subframes yet no other undercarriage components showed rust or corrosion. All owners felt that this should be remedied by mercedes before a failure causes injuries. Forum participants suggested and encouraged to file a complaint to NHTSA for investigation.

The subframe on this vehicle is broken I took it to an independent dealer and they said they have never seen anything like this on a car this old. The mercedes dealer told me that it would cost me $5000 for them to fix it about 3 weeks ago but said it's rusting and beginning to crack. But never said it was something that needed to be addressed immediately. Upon further research it seems to be a common issue on this make and model on the right side. . Read more...

I brought my car into mercedes on 9/13/2022 and was told my brake lines and subframe were rusting. It's a 2014 with only 80k miles on it. I was told I had a year before it needed to be replaced/addressed. I brought the car in again on December 12, 2022 and they said on a scale of 1-10 the subframes and brake lines were a 7 and were a safety issue. After doing some research, I am clearly not the only owner of this model dealing with this issue. This is safety issue and should be recalled. Subframes and brake lines should not rust so quickly.

In a routine oil change, mercedes dealership reports poorly rusted subframe. 2014 E350 with 160,000.

2014 E350 with 41,000 miles. Rusted subframe and was informed that it represented unsafe and risky driving conditions. Reported this to manufacturer as, apparently, it is a very common problem with certain mercedes classes. No recall and very expensive fix ($4500)! not my idea of a safe and reliable car, as mercedes likes to advertise. Consumers should not be responsible for manufacturing defects/ poor quality of materials used . . . . . And should definitely not be exposed to unsafe conditions when operating their vehicle!.

This issue is pertaining to a 2014 E350 Mercedes Benz. The brake system is in jeopardy. The subframe has rotted and cracked. Mercedes benz is aware that this is a problem for many of their vehicles. While the right side of the subframe is rusted and beginning to crack, the left side of the subframe is totally rusted and busted out. The vehicle is routinely brought to the Mercedes Benz dealership for maintenance visits. It was making cracking sound in 2021, we brought it in to be serviced for that reason on 11/23/21. This issue was not noted at that time. Mercedes benz indicated the solution was a lube. The issue persisted post visit. The car is infrequently driven because the primary driver teleworks. We returned the car to the dealership for an assessment 8/6/2022 due to ongoing concerns for our safety. The first indicator that there was a problem was the unfamiliar cracking sound as if the car could snap in half, then hard pulling to the left when braking. There was never a warning light or any other indicator on the dashboard or otherwise. The owners initiated the visit to the Mercedes Benz dealership. Mercedes benz reported that they did not see the rust when they assessed the car for the cracking sound in 11/2021, furthermore that the rust and deterioration happens rapidly. Had the right side of the subframe also rusted and rotted out, this could have resulted in a total loss of control over the vehicle and been needlessly catastrophic. Warning indicators necessary and routine free inspection are warranted. Repairs for the subframe alone will cost more than $4000. This is a hardship. Further, it's unclear if the malfunctioning rear left caliper resulted from the rotted subframe. The vehicle appears to be in otherwise pristine condition. Mercedes benz has never indicated there were any issues with the vehicle's subframe despite routine class service visits at the dealership. An internet search confirms this issue is not uncommon and possibly negligible.

Vehicle is 9 years old, with 73000 miles. Dealer service has advised that the rear subframe and brake lines are rusting and need to be replaced as a safety issue. Cost quoted was $8800. Mercedes agreed to pick up the cost of the parts and the dealer offered to split the installation cost, bringing my total down to $3150. On-line research reveals this is a common problem across several product lines and has been an issue for 20+ years. Failure at this point could lead to uncontrolled movement of the the rear suspension structure, the rear suspension members, wheels, and electronic sensors in the abs causing loss of control and brake failure.

During braking a knocking noise happen due to a dislodged or broken bracket from rear suspension cross member. And has appeared to rusted from the inside out. Mercedes was notified and was inspected by a local mercedes dealership. Vehicle cannot be safely driven.

See all problems of the 2010 Mercedes Benz E350 🔎.

Rear subframe crossmember that connects to rear suspension is cracked and rusted resulting in dangerous handling characteristics. Part is severely back-ordered due to volume of consumers facing this problem. When braking hard, car swerves to right and can cross lanes. While this part broke, the car is otherwise rust-free. Brakes have been recently updated. If this is a common complaint, there should be a recall. The severe parts back-order leads me to believe that there are significant failures in the field.

My rear subframe is rotting out. This was found at a mercedes dealer while they were performing a normal scheduled service. They quoted a price to replace the subframe at $3400. It has chewed up my right rear tire and they suggested I replace all four tires at a cost of $1275.

The contact owns a 2007 mercedes-benz E350. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the garage and turned off, the entire rear-end of the vehicle inadvertently lowered to the ground. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 12v264000 (suspension) however, the vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer and the dealer were not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

See all problems of the 2007 Mercedes Benz E350 🔎.

I found that the subframe had been recalled in other countries, but not in the united states? the large number of failures on this subframe across multiple models is concerning. This is a gross failure of a major safety component that can cause serious injury or death. My research showed this part has been recalled in canada; mbusa feels the need to wait to do so until a serious injury or death has occurred. The defective subframe is known and the new part’s design has been amended to take into account this rust issue. This is especially concerning considering the recent recall on the brake boosters due to advanced corrosion. Mbusa’s decision exhibits a lack of accountability for a defective part and this issue needs to be promptly addressed for the safety of its customers.

During state inspection (pennsylvania) I was told that the rear subframe was rusted. If this part failed the vehicle could become uncontrollable and crash. They are not able to repair this since so many other vehicles have this problem. They have no idea when they could get a replacement subframe. The car is 8 years old but very low mileage (~34,000). Do to the frequent occurrence of this problem (by their report) and potential safety issues, I believe this should prompt a recall.

My family has owned this vehicle since 2013 when it was purchased from the local mercedes dealership as certified pre-owned. In the past few years, we have had to have several of the rear brake lines replaced due to rust. The last time, we were told by the mechanic that the complete rear subframe would have to be replaced due to rust. Specifically the attachment points from the subframe to the rear suspension have completely rusted through. I contacted the dealership where the car was purchased. They stated they are aware of this issue on almost all of the cars of that period but offered no solution other than a repair of $5,000. Many of the cars of that era and class have serious rust issues but mercedes chooses to do nothing about it. This is a serious safety issue because the entire rear suspension and brakes attach to the subframe and could come loose at any point while driving. I would like this to be repaired by the manufacturer. Thank you.

Brought car in for routine PA inspection and was told the rear subframe is beginning corrode and will eventually need to be replaced soon as it will not pass inspection. This is a known Mercedes Benz issue and yet there has no recall to date. Could potentially lead to a fatal car accident as the corrosion is not obvious.

Owned the car for only one winter season and it failed to pass a vehicle safety inspection required in my state for operation. Mechanic reported a rear subframe deteriorating from winter road salts and related weather conditions, and that this was a common issue for my car in these particular climates, but mercedes refuses to cover the cost in the us, but is currently covering the cost of repair in europe and canada. This us ridiculous my car warranty will not cover it and I can’t afford $3500 to repair and replace. The vehicle only had 58,000 miles on it at the time of diagnosis. What’s worse is it could technically happen again even when repaired because the subframe lacks the special coatings needed for winter protection. Now my beautiful car is not safe and I’m subject to municipal fines and penalties. Outrageous.