10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 2 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 10,120 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for an oil change, the contact was informed that the rear driver's side control arm was severely corroded and had detached from the subframe. The contact was also informed that the failure caused premature tire wear on both rear tires. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the subframe and rear driver's side control arm needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
- Bristol, RI, USA
On 11/24/23 Mercedes Benz had replaced my subframe which was part of a safety recall. When I arrived home after picking up my vehicle, there was a loud bang from under the vehicle. I immediately called the service department and told them about what happened and also complained that the steering wheel was cocked to the left and pulling in that direction. My service advisor John advised me to bring it back the next day which I did. They never told me what caused the loud bang, but they did say another front end alignment was done. The vehicle still continued to pull and the steering wheel was still off center. On [XXX] I took my car to Mr. Tire for a tire rotation because the car continued to sway and jolt when going over bumps. It also made a popping noise when making a sharp turn. Then on [XXX] as I was driving, the car pulled or slid to the left. In order to keep from crashing into another vehicle, I pulled the wheel right causing me to run over the medium and almost crashing into a building. I was extremely shook up and in disbelief. Has this type of thing ever happened to anyone else before after the subframe was replaced? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- Baltimore, MD, USA
The rear subframe of my vehicle failed at the lower trailing arm mounting point (passenger side). This resulted in the car swerving to the right when I applied pressure to the brake pedal, which was worse at higher speeds. This had been getting progressively worse for a few weeks until I almost spun out on the highway while braking. The next day, I randomly got a flat tire on the rear right side while driving at 30MPH near Valley Street in Providence. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure. I immediately replaced the tire and brought it to Midas on Mineral Spring Ave in North Providence, RI, so that they could inspect the vehicle. They discovered that the rear subframe was almost completely disconnected at the lower trailing arm mounting point due to excessive rust that had wore a hole in the part from the inside-out, which was not visible at the time of the last inspection. Midas immediately informed me that the car was unsafe to drive more than the distance back to my house. They also informed me that 3 tires needed to be replaced, including the flat, as a result of excessive wear on the inner wall and the inner edge of the tread. None of these three tires had reached the wear bars yet, and Midas confirmed they would not have had to be replaced if not for the subframe defect. I had the car towed to Mercedes-Benz of Warwick after Midas replaced the 3 tires (RL, RR, FR) because I heard that Mercedes had recently extended the warranty period for rear subframes (only months after a class action lawsuit was filed about the issue). Mercedes inspected the vehicle and confirmed the issue, and is currently replacing the rear subframe under the new extended warranty program for rear subframes. However, they refuse to reimburse me for the other issues directly caused by the corroded rear subframe (which they admit liability for when they replace the part free of charge), stating they have been instructed by corporate that related issues are not covered.
- Lincoln, RI, USA
The vehicle was inspected during an alignment at a dealership. The sub-frame has rotted out. The car was swaying to the side. I believe this car is dangerous to drive. The repairs are around $5000 dollars. There should be a recall on this Mercedes Benz E-Class 350 SUB-FRAMES. It is not safe to be on the road. The dealer is no longer around. The manufacture of this car and so many other Mercedes Benz with the ROTTEN RUSTED SUB-FRAMES should be held responsible to pay for the damages and or replacements. Before someone DIES on the road. A recall for this vehicle needs to be done ASAP! Please HELP! I have a picture of the rotted sub-frame and paperwork.Not sure how to upload Why are other countries recall for free and not the USA?
- Baltimore, MD, USA
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.
- Byron Center, MI, USA
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.
- Paramus, NJ, USA
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.
- Baltimore, MD, USA
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.
- Baltimore, MD, USA
--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.
- Cheshire, CT, USA
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.
- Westport, CT, USA
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??
- Fort Washington, PA, USA
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.
- Lemoyne, PA, USA
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 ?
- Attleboro , MA, USA
In a routine oil change, Mercedes dealership reports poorly rusted subframe. 2014 E350 with 160,000.
- Lexington, KY, USA
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!
- Newtown Square, PA, USA
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.
- Denville, NJ, USA
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. https://
- Clayton, DE, USA
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
- Chestnut Ridge, NY, USA