I took my car into get the suspension fixed and was told that the spring perch that attached the spring to the car has rusted through and is about to break. Luckily I found it before I had a bad accident. I am in the process of checking with mercedes to see if they will stand by a poor design issue and repair it. I am amazed that someone has not contacted owners of older cars as this could be a very dangerous issue for those not fortunate to get things checked out. I am not driving the car until some decision is made.
1997 Mercedes Benz E Class suspension problems
20 complaints (54% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 96,000.
- owner complaints
- 20
- of this car's complaints
- 54%
- typical mileage
- 96,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Front: springs: coil springs14
- Front4
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Mercedes Benz E Class suspension problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Mercedes Benz E Class suspension
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Front suspension coil spring ejection
Odi has focused this investigation on assessing the risks posed by a separated spring as (1) a road hazard and (2) the potential for vehicle control to be compromised after the front coil spring has been ejected from its intended position in the vehicle.both risks are associated with corrosion, flexing, and fracture of the upper front suspension mounting bracket.time-in-service failure rates are notably higher in salt belt states since corrosion is a primary contributor to the failure mode.since a number of incidents have occurred while the vehicle was being operated, odi is skeptical that owners can always detect the subtle side to side difference in ride height and/or inspect or notice that the upper suspension bracket has been compromised by corrosion.(1) road hazard - although the (approx. 7 lb.) front suspension spring that may be ejected at highway speeds could pose a serious road hazard to pedestrians and other vehicles, the occurrence rate has been low (.03% based on 51 reported incidents occurring and an initial population of 172,781 vehicles after 9 - 12 years of use / exposure) and there are no known injuries, fatalities, or property damage reports due to an ejected spring.also, many of the 51 incidents occurred at low speed or while the vehicle was stopped or parked.(2) vehicle control - vehicle handling and control could be affected by the fracture of the upper suspension mount and/or the associated spring ejection.odi first identified its concern about corrosion in the upper suspension bracket of subject vehicles in 2002, at which time mercedes provided a video that showed that a vehicle could be steered, stopped, and controlled through various maneuvers at high speeds with a front coil spring completely missing from the vehicle. During pe07-021, in addition to reviewing the 2002 video-tape, odi engineers drove an exemplar vehicle with the spring removed and simulated various combinations of steering angles to assess whether there were any possible conditions / displacements in which the separated spring might interfere with the wheels. In a vehicle with the front spring removed, the top of the wheel can lightly contact the bottom area of the wheel fender during high angle turns typically associated with slower speed maneuvers such as city driving. The light tire contact generated an obvious grinding noise and would likely abrade or bend the edge of the fender with continued use.however, the extent of the interference was not sufficient to affect vehicle steering and does not occur at smaller turning angles associated with highway driving.odi has not identified a safety related defect trend at this time.further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety related defect does not exist.the agency reserves the right to take further action if future circumstances warrant.
PE07021
What 1997 Mercedes Benz E Class owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I was coming off west rt 46. I came to a stop sign,made a right and as I was driving heard a thump noise....then as I drove a squeaking noise and I pulled over,looked at the car ,around it and under it and didn't see anything. I drove it slowly abt a mile home. When I got home I opened the hood and didn't see anything. I drove it to my mechanic around the corner and he told me I had a spring coil failure. I researched this issue and found that this was prevalent in certain mercedes vehicles and that there was a recall in canada for this failing part. I'm attempting to have mercedes cover some of the costs to have this repaired.
While driving, heard a rattling sound from the front end of the car. Short while later, started to proceed from a stop and the front passenger side suspension coil spring came off the car and exited out the wheel well with a big bang and rolled down the street about 75 feet.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mercedes benz e300 diesel. While servicing the vehicle, the contact noticed that the spring perch on the front driver and passenger sides was rusting and separated from the suspension chassis. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The failure mileage was 140,000.
Mr. Gary bound mercedes benz 3 paragon montvale nj 07645 dear mr. Bound, I would like to request your assistance on a very troubling matter. I have 1997 mercedes e 420, , (it has 81,000 miles) which recently developed a serious driving safety issue, more precisely a lack of steering control. I was so alarmed by the handling; I took my vehicle to the closest repair shop for an analysis of the problem. (I didn't feel safe driving the vehicle the extra distance to a mb dealer). After a quick examination they told me that the coil spring tower had become detached from the frame. They said the repair was possibly in the thousands of dollars range. They also told me they had seen this problem many times, particularly with the e series. According to them it has to do with the type of steel used, the welds, and an unusual amount of extraordinary metal fatigue regardless of miles or age of vehicle. They also informed me that mercedes benz was aware of this issue, and mb was considering absorbing the costs of these repairs, even though this issue has occurred after the warranty has expired. I also understand that the federal safety agency is so concerned about a pattern of these failures that they are urging an official recall. But understandably mb would prefer not to deal with an official recall. Now obviously I'm concerned about my safety, as well as getting a quality repair to the vehicle asap-- without paying thousands of dollars for this to be resolved out of my pocket.. I was given your name by a man named mitch carr, of mitch?s auto service in kensington maryland. As you may be aware he specializes in mercedes repairs. He explained that you had first hand knowledge of this problem; apparently either you or your staff have visited his shop to see mercedes vehicles with this problem. Mark slimp, [email protected]
On a 1997 mercedes e300d, the right front spring perch is corroding consistent with the manner described in complaint pe07021.
Driving straight at about 25 MPH when the left front spring perch broke. I was able to stop car with no injury or damage to the car.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 55 MPH on normal road conditions, the vehicle's front end started shaking. The problem was getting worst. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop for inspection who notified the perch, which supported the coils springs, were separated from the structure. The manufacturer referred the contact to a dealership who acknowledged the defect and notified the cost would be covered by the contact.
Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the garage, the front passenger side coil spring fell off. The vehicle has not been seen by a mechanic.
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle was making a noise in the front end. The vehicle was taken to the contact's repair shop and determined the upper spring support on the driver's side broke. The contact welded in a new upper spring support.
Questions about the 1997 Mercedes Benz E Class suspension
Does the 1997 Mercedes Benz E Class have suspension problems?
Owners have filed 20 complaints about the suspension of the 1997 Mercedes Benz E Class, 54% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 1997 Mercedes Benz E Class suspension problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 96,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Mercedes Benz E Class suspension?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
Other 1997 Mercedes Benz E Class problems
Body 6Brakes 3Airbags 2Electrical 2Visibility 2Engine 1Fuel system 1Lights 1Seats 1Steering 1
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