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I am surprised by my own car, it has less than 10k miles and all of them are highway, and I am very conscious about crap being kicked up by car in front of mine. I examined the coolers and found numerous fins already being bend/pushed in. I am not radiator expert, but I can't imagine there's no better design to prevent leaks. Fins should act like buffer no? are the tubing too close to the external impact area? And I am just dumb founded by them mounting a radiator on the bottom and faces the road where it is completely open to road debris.
I am surprised by my own car, it has less than 10k miles and all of them are highway, and I am very conscious about crap being kicked up by car in front of mine. I examined the coolers and found numerous fins already being bend/pushed in. I am not radiator expert, but I can't imagine there's no better design to prevent leaks. Fins should act like buffer no? are the tubing too close to the external impact area? And I am just dumb founded by them mounting a radiator on the bottom and faces the road where it is completely open to road debris.
The radiator that's mounted facing down and is exposed under the car is the engine oil cooler. Even though it's exposed to the bottom of the car, that's a much safer (albeit way less efficient) placement than the forward-facing radiators. Outside of a very unlucky bouncing rock or some sort of road debris that you bounce on top of, you really shouldn't have much to worry about. If instead that oil cooler were mounted facing forward and a rock were to take out its oil line, goodbye engine.
The radiator that's mounted facing down and is exposed under the car is the engine oil cooler. Even though it's exposed to the bottom of the car, that's a much safer (albeit way less efficient) placement than the forward-facing radiators. Outside of a very unlucky bouncing rock or some sort of road debris that you bounce on top of, you really shouldn't have much to worry about. If instead that oil cooler were mounted facing forward and a rock were to take out its oil line, goodbye engine.
I'm not positive but I don't think you would loose any oil --just the coolant in the engine oil cooling circuit and the engine oil would get warmer.
I am surprised by my own car, it has less than 10k miles and all of them are highway, and I am very conscious about crap being kicked up by car in front of mine. I examined the coolers and found numerous fins already being bend/pushed in. I am not radiator expert, but I can't imagine there's no better design to prevent leaks. Fins should act like buffer no? are the tubing too close to the external impact area? And I am just dumb founded by them mounting a radiator on the bottom and faces the road where it is completely open to road debris.
After speaking to a number of radiator shops I think the quality of our AMG units are not the best when it comes to durability especially when exposed to the open road.
The fins are quite weak as well as the tubes so there's no strength in the metal to withstand impact from debris resulting in easily punctured heat exchangers.
I am in negotiations with my insurance to have custom units made as these will be fabricated using far better materials and more superior designed quality cores over factory items (I will protect these as I don't want to go through this again).
These cores are made with usually an extra 10%-15% stronger core surface not to mention will be more efficient.
I plan on having a system R&D'd to handle up to 1000hp as it won't be long before some of you start building your forged blocks requiring upgrading cooling systems.
Will keep you all posted but keep the the pics & experiences coming in as this thread highlights that there's an issue in design.
After speaking to a number of radiator shops I think the quality of our AMG units are not the best when it comes to durability especially when exposed to the open road.
The fins are quite weak as well as the tubes so there's no strength in the metal to withstand impact from debris resulting in easily punctured heat exchangers.
I am in negotiations with my insurance to have custom units made as these will be fabricated using far better materials and more superior designed quality cores over factory items (I will protect these as I don't want to go through this again).
These cores are made with usually an extra 10%-15% stronger core surface not to mention will be more efficient.
I plan on having a system R&D'd to handle up to 1000hp as it won't be long before some of you start building your forged blocks requiring upgrading cooling systems.
Will keep you all posted but keep the the pics & experiences coming in as this thread highlights that there's an issue in design.
You filed an auto insurance claim for your busted radiator?
I called MBUSA this morning and spoke to a rep. I then got a call back from an executive referral manager later on in the day to hear my complain. I stated that the damage is a common occurance on our vehicles and MBUSA should look at the issue and try to assist its customer. He then called the service manager at my dealership and got back to me with the advice to file it as an insurance claim and then let him know my deductable cost, which he can then try to get MBUSA to cover. I'm not satisfy with this recommendation as it does not cover much of the cost of the repair, but more importantly, it does not address the design issue, which, more then likely, could cause this damage to happen again in the future.
I recommend more owners with this issue reach out to MBUSA to get enough noise to get their attention to make them take more actions.
Here's the number: 1 (800) 367-6372, ext #8520 is one of Roman, the manager that I spoke with.
I called MBUSA this morning and spoke to a rep. I then got a call back from an executive referral manager later on in the day to hear my complain. I stated that the damage is a common occurance on our vehicles and MBUSA should look at the issue and try to assist its customer. He then called the service manager at my dealership and got back to me with the advice to file it as an insurance claim and then let him know my deductable cost, which he can then try to get MBUSA to cover. I'm not satisfy with this recommendation as it does not cover much of the cost of the repair, but more importantly, it does not address the design issue, which, more then likely, could cause this damage to happen again in the future.
I recommend more owners with this issue reach out to MBUSA to get enough noise to get their attention to make them take more actions.
Here's the number: 1 (800) 367-6372, ext #8520 is one of Roman, the manager that I spoke with.
MB should be covering this as it's no doubt a design issue, but maybe till they put out a TSB with enough people complaining, you guys should refrain from tailgating semis.
I called MBUSA this morning and spoke to a rep. I then got a call back from an executive referral manager later on in the day to hear my complain. I stated that the damage is a common occurance on our vehicles and MBUSA should look at the issue and try to assist its customer. He then called the service manager at my dealership and got back to me with the advice to file it as an insurance claim and then let him know my deductable cost, which he can then try to get MBUSA to cover. I'm not satisfy with this recommendation as it does not cover much of the cost of the repair, but more importantly, it does not address the design issue, which, more then likely, could cause this damage to happen again in the future.
I recommend more owners with this issue reach out to MBUSA to get enough noise to get their attention to make them take more actions.
Here's the number: 1 (800) 367-6372, ext #8520 is one of Roman, the manager that I spoke with.
Also, filing an insurance claim JUST for the cooler's doesn't make much sense. You lose the "Clean CarFax" for resale, which leads to a much lower price when you sell.
For RDO247, he had lots of other things damaged, so it does make sense for him, but for people with JUST cooler damage, it doesn't make any sense to file an insurance claim.
This is a very common occurrence on the F80/F82 M3/M4. They have a horizontally mounted oil cooler below the front bumper that gets nailed by any rocks, debris, etc.
Hi, I already posted in AMG GT and W213 AMG threads .. AMG now makes original protection for E63 and S63 from the factory and for the AMG GT, the GT part no. is A0995030400 and will be available for order at the end of June 2018 for $20-30 USD.
Hi, I already posted in AMG GT and W213 AMG threads .. AMG now makes original protection for E63 and S63 from the factory and for the AMG GT, the GT part no. is A0995030400 and will be available for order at the end of June 2018 for $20-30 USD.
So AMG only cares about protecting their high dollar AMG customers... who cares about the peasants driving their $90k C63S's. Also, that should not cost a dime out of any owners pockets. This should absolutely be a free upgrade.
So AMG only cares about protecting their high dollar AMG customers... who cares about the peasants driving their $90k C63S's. Also, that should not cost a dime out of any owners pockets. This should absolutely be a free upgrade.
LOL, I expected exactly this reaction here
I agree with you, the protection should be a free "voluntary recall" upgrade.
I don't know how and when and if they will be addressing other models such as C63 or in my case CLS63 (which was in my configuration over $200k USD here in Europe).
Both the coolant and the oil pass through the oil cooler (assuming this is an oil-to-water cooler, I'm not sure), the same way that both intake air and coolant pass through the side intercoolers. Depending on where the damage occurs, it can either leak coolant or leak oil. Or both.
Had to bring my car in today to get something fixed, and this topic came up since the service it needs kind of relates to it. Both the mechanic and service rep said that I was extremely lucky to have my repair covered under warranty and that every other car they've had this happen to didn't get covered under warranty. So to anyone reading what I posted earlier that's thinking they might get lucky like I did, don't hold your breath.
And as for everyone saying this is somehow a design flaw that needs a free fix, that's quite a big assumption. This is damage caused by significant road debris. I'm sure 99.999% of what is small enough to fit through the grille and hit the radiator wouldn't even come close to causing this type of damage. Yes, it happens, but it's nowhere near as common as this thread is making it seem to be.
So AMG only cares about protecting their high dollar AMG customers... who cares about the peasants driving their $90k C63S's. Also, that should not cost a dime out of any owners pockets. This should absolutely be a free upgrade.
Had to bring my car in today to get something fixed, and this topic came up since the service it needs kind of relates to it. Both the mechanic and service rep said that I was extremely lucky to have my repair covered under warranty and that every other car they've had this happen to didn't get covered under warranty. So to anyone reading what I posted earlier that's thinking they might get lucky like I did, don't hold your breath.
And as for everyone saying this is somehow a design flaw that needs a free fix, that's quite a big assumption. This is damage caused by significant road debris. I'm sure 99.999% of what is small enough to fit through the grille and hit the radiator wouldn't even come close to causing this type of damage. Yes, it happens, but it's nowhere near as common as this thread is making it seem to be.
Maybe just more common than what would be expected.
I know of half a dozen cars in my local area that have had this issue.
The quality and strength in the material used for these heat exchangers is not sufficient if 1-2mm pebbles can puncture the heat exchanger.
This thread is identifying that maybe this is more common than AMG realises and you might have had a different opinion if AMG rejected your claim.
Hi, I already posted in AMG GT and W213 AMG threads .. AMG now makes original protection for E63 and S63 from the factory and for the AMG GT, the GT part no. is A0995030400 and will be available for order at the end of June 2018 for $20-30 USD.
It would be good to see what this grill looks like off the car to see what it's made of...
what am I looking at with the "protection" ? I don't see anything different, is it a different radiator? And does it also protect the horizontal facing one? I am very interested on the custom fabrication, maybe AMG can get in on it LOL.
what am I looking at with the "protection" ? I don't see anything different, is it a different radiator? And does it also protect the horizontal facing one? I am very interested on the custom fabrication, maybe AMG can get in on it LOL.
Maybe just more common than what would be expected.
I know of half a dozen cars in my local area that have had this issue.
The quality and strength in the material used for these heat exchangers is not sufficient if 1-2mm pebbles can puncture the heat exchanger.
This thread is identifying that maybe this is more common than AMG realises and you might have had a different opinion if AMG rejected your claim.
What punched the hole in my radiator was much larger, probably 5 or 6 mm in diameter, and I had several dozen hit the car. Had several of the pieces stuck to the grill and the crate-looking plastic pieces infront of the intercoolers. Only one radiator hole out of all that.
Little consolation, but the AMG safety cars used for Formula 1 have modified grills to help handle track debris and still have to frequently go back to Affalterbach for repair. That is one reason there are four of them kept in rotation.
05-30-2018, 01:41 PM
