Keep us posted. Go in knowing what you want, demand nothing less, and never back down. Stearlerships will rip your balls off without blinking.

 

This is what MBUSA sent to all the benz dealers to address the issue, Use this as a reference.

Campaign No. 2005030003 April 2005
Revised May 2005

FILE:
SERVICE:
GROUP 00 OF SERVICE INFORMATION BINDER

PARTS:
GROUP I OF INFORMATION _ PARTS & ACCESSORIES BINDER

TO: ALL MERCEDES-BENZ CENTERS
SUBJECT:
MODELS 203/209/220
SEAL LOWER STRIP ON DOORS

This revised Service Campaign bulletin 2005030003 supercedes previously issued Service Campaign bulletin 2005030003 released in April 2005. It contains updated warranty information to allow the repair of noticeable corrosion under certain conditions. Please destroy all previous Service Campaign bulletin versions.
This Service Campaign has been initiated because DCAG has determined that on the affected vehicles (see VIN range) the seal at the bottom of the doors may be insufficient and requires additional sealing material.
Please review the Effective Serial Number chart and if necessary repair the subject vehicles during the vehicle's next service.
Prior to performing this Service Campaign:




^
Please check VMI to insure the vehicle is involved and to determine if the vehicle has been previously repaired.


^
Please review the entire Service Campaign bulletin.

Approximately 212,885 vehicles are affected.
__________________

 

Will keep everyone posted, going to stealership on thursday afternoon, thanks for the documentation on the campaign, really hepls my cause. Hopefully I can convince them that no is not an option. Stay tuned!

 

Good luck with dealer, they would not even look at my rust. I just spent $600 on rust repair for all 4 doors. Worst part is on roof, though. Rust is coming in randomly everywhere, from underneath the paint(original), where there is no chip/scratch etc. It is also bubbling in around sunroof seal. Rust is bad. Car drives perfect.

 

Update.....

Went to the stealership today and spoke to the service manager. Very helpfull guy, pictures were taken of the rust, and the developing rust bubbles. I advised that the lower door seals were "apparently" taken care of from the previous owner. To all out there, contact MBUSA and ask for a service history report, recieved mine and was shocked to see that the campaign was taken care of in 06. Anyway I advised that I am very unhappy with the rust, mainly because it was supposed to be fixed with the campaign. The manager advised that he will contact MBUSA and we will go from there. I think if this issue is not taken care of...BYE BYE BENZ, HELLO BMW!!!

 

Door replacement



I have 4 good doors still left on my parts car. I can prabably meet or beat the cost of repair at a body shop and these doors have zero rust. Car has 41k miles. Uncle Sam has me overseas for a few more days but I'll try and respond to messages.

 

Do some more checking - I don't have it bookmarked to give you, but there is a basic rust warranty that is different from the 4 yr/50K mile warranty, that guarantees against rust so long as the metal and paint have not been damaged. It does not cover damaged/repaired areas.

Unfortunately I also cannot recall whether it was for seven or 11 years - I have seen both figures, but one may be for Europe and the other for the U.S.

There was also a difference in the rustproofing used on earlier models.

All of these factors have been posted, and owners were mainly successful in getting the problems addressed, to one extent or another.

Don't forget to check MBWorld too.

Sorry I don't have the links on this topic.

 

Losing Confidence

I have owned and operated a number of S Class saloons in the past decade:surrender:

Having bought a early 2000 LWB model in 2007 the worries began when the wheel arch and bottom of the doors began to develop some surface rust.

Visiting my local Merc dealership in the historic UK Town of SHREWSBURY Shropshire they admitted that there was a problem and made the correct depth scan of the area's and reported back to Mercedes.

Expecting a respray/repair under the goodwill service imagine my angst when they told me that because a previous owner had missed a Mercedes service ( went to a none dealer ) no goodwill would be granted.....

I have tried always to change their minds but to no avail...

Mercedes will survive my decision to change brands in the future... It so happens that I have notice many Mercs succumbing to rust in recent months....

Hey OH...

Ok, so here it goes.

I own a 2002 S430, living in NJ, my problem. On a nice sunny day recently, I noticed a small rust spot begining to develope on my driver's side lower front door panel. Knowing the rust issues that these cars are prone to, I began to search the forum as well as MB customer service. Apparently back in 06, the lower door seal campaign was completed, as well as a repair to the door. WTF, three years later and rust again. I contacted the MB dealer and was told to bring it in to the service manager for pictures to forward to MBUSA. Any advice on how I should approach this, I think that MB ows me a redo, along with a new paint job. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

I have owned and operated a number of S Class saloons in the past decade:surrender:

Having bought a early 2000 LWB model in 2007 the worries began when the wheel arch and bottom of the doors began to develop some surface rust.

Visiting my local Merc dealership in the historic UK Town of SHREWSBURY Shropshire they admitted that there was a problem and made the correct depth scan of the area's and reported back to Mercedes.

Expecting a respray/repair under the goodwill service imagine my angst when they told me that because a previous owner had missed a Mercedes service ( went to a none dealer ) no goodwill would be granted.....

I have tried always to change their minds but to no avail...

Mercedes will survive my decision to change brands in the future... It so happens that I have notice many Mercs succumbing to rust in recent months....

Hey OH...

you are not alone

 

anyone knows where is that seal located?
and what we can do to prevent any future rust.
Ohhh rust makes me crazy

 

The seals were a strip of hard rubber added under each door, where the metal was folded under. They help the lower part of the door make better contact with an existing weather seal on the body, and keep water off of the metal lip on the lower part of the door while it rests against the body seal.

The seals are on the very bottom lip of each door; front and rear are shown. The arrows on the photo of the rear door shows the new seal, added to the door, as well as the existing body seal.

Please pardon the leaves on my garage floor - it has been very windy this week.

 

The seals were a strip of hard rubber added under each door, where the metal was folded under. They help the lower part of the door make better contact with an existing weather seal on the body, and keep water off of the metal lip on the lower part of the door while it rests against the body seal.

The seals are on the very bottom lip of each door; front and rear are shown. The arrows on the photo of the rear door shows the new seal, added to the door, as well as the existing body seal.

Please pardon the leaves on my garage floor - it has been rainy and very windy this week.

Skylaw, Thank you for your detailed explanation, as usual my friend.
Do you think any preventive maintenance can be done to prevent these rust from appearing?
I think that rust is due to water escaping and stagnating between the seal and the door bottom lip; correct me if I'm wrong.

You think that a special sealant could be inserted to prevent the water geeting between the seal and the door.

Thank you!

 

Do not drive your s class in the worst salty winter months will help,get aftermarket rustproofing and keep it clean. Good luck

 

I don't know of any special process; if your doors have the seals, you should not have much problem. However, the seals were installed in the U.S. as part of a service bulletin, they weren't original to the cars.

I believe you are correct that water leaking into the area and becoming trapped is the cause of the problem of rust in that area. All I can suggest is watching it, and promptly removing any that appears. For my 450SL I use a product called POR-15 to treat rust; it is a 3-step treatment, with a chemical cleaner, a penetrant binder, and a very hard paint that the binder attaches to, sealing rust. POR means Paint Over Rust. POR15, Inc. - Stop Rust Permanently - Repair Gas & Fuel Tanks

POR-15 is not used as a rust preventive - it is used to treat rust once it has appeared. I do not know about availability of the product in Lebanon, but there are other products that use a similar approach.

The best preventive step would be to add the parts shown in post #11, if your dealer can get them.

 

My 2002 car had a complete rust repair in 2006 at the dealer...lower door parts included. 5 years later, 2012, I had to solve it again out of 10 years warranty as there was not a complete service history. I did not go to the dealer. Now there are two layers of basic paint, metallic paint and colorless paint. About 0,550 mm of paint. Originally around 0,160 mm. Check the link for pictures. I hope this will remain longer than dealers repair. Cost was $1340

Mercedes-Benz S320l | www.lakovnahanak.cz

 

+1

Rust bubbles on 2002 S500 car body on both sides where rear doors meet the flashing.

 

I suggest moving down south where there is no rust, the women are pretty, the taxes low and the livin' is easy.

I did that in '99 and never went back - never will.

 

Post 11 at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220-s-class/1483168-help-rust-issue-2002-s430-2.html shows the location of the seals.