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.

- Burtonsville, MD, USA

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.

- Great Falls, VA, USA

Have purchased a 2014 mercedes E350 59k miles. This vehicle has an issue as so do many Mercedes with their rear subframes rotted out at the control arm bracket which causes the rear link/thrust arm to detach from the subframe/axle carrier and posses a danger when breaking due to the rear spindle assembly flexing throwing the wheels out of alignment and could be at risk for a car crack. This vehicle has already been in a minor crash as a result of this issue. I personally have not brought it to Mercedes to get it diagnosed inspected or the police law enforcement but there are many cases online on the Mercedes Benz forums to which this has also happened to. This issue applies to other Mercedes models ranging from 2010 all the way to 2016. Videos of the exact vehicle brought to an independent shop available upon request.

- Medford, MA, USA

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.

- Bryn Mawr, PA, USA

I want to report a structural issue with the Mercedes rear subframe rusting. Three Mercedes dealers told me that it is common but there is no recall. The mechanic told me that if this is not corrected the back wheel will fall off while you are driving. There are no warning lamps. Please help.

- Great Falls, VA, USA

Rusted Rear Subframe presenting a safety hazard. Possible separation of suspension link could lead to loss of control. Brought the 2014 Mercedes Benz E350 (85000 miles) in to the local dealership today for spark plug replacement. Technician performed a visual inspection of the underside of the vehicle and found that the rear subframe had rusted completely through making the care unsafe to drive. Car has been driven in Maryland since new and never exposed to any extraordinary corrosive elements that you might find on roads in colder climates. Car is in otherwise excellent shape with no other visible rust and has never been involved in an accident. The failure of a major suspension component like this on a car in otherwise excellent condition leads me to believe that there is a defect in the manufacturing of the rear subframe component. A quick Google search shows that other Mercedes vehicles suffer from this same problem. NHTSA ID Number: 11456512 also reports the same problem on the same model car. I have not had the problem repaired yet as I am deciding on next steps. Replacement estimate is approximately $4000. If I have the work done, I will retain the old subframe for inspection by NHTSA.

- Gaithersburg, MD, USA

The car was brought in for scheduled maintenance and they told me that my rear sub frame rusted out and had snapped. Car is only 7 years old, always garaged, basically a main part rusted out. Mercedes prides itself on durability and safety. There were no warning lights, alarms, nothing. Whenever I braked the rear end of the car would slide to the left and I had to try and adjust accordingly. Prior to bringing the car in for its maintenance I was reluctant to drive it on highways and at higher speeds. Now that I am aware of the problem, had the rear of the car given out while I was on a highway, I had the potential to roll over and possibly blown up had the gas tank been impacted. I researched the issue on Google and found many instances of others having the same issue, with the same part, luckily no one appears to have been killed as yet. As I mentioned this was never picked up during all the scheduled maintenance work, nor state inspections, all handled by this dealership. The dealership is in the process of replacing the part and all work associated with that replacement. I don't know if they kept the part or tossed it out, but will ask. No one else has seen the car or rusted part other than the dealership. I'm also sending you a copy of the letter I sent to he dealership and Mercedes-Benz Home Office.

- Lower Gwynedd, PA, USA