davidbijan

Can anyone tell me why the hell my rear bumper is sagging and flarring when the brackets are intact that hold the panels to the body? Frustrated beyond words, and the car was not rear ended.

htn75

Yeah, I was also dissapointed when I saw mine too. Same spot same gap.
It comes back in when in the cool garage. It pops out in the hot sun.

K-A

Never noticed it on my 2010, but after really scanning my 2011 after some initial little quality stuff (noticed on 2011 models, on the center console they eliminated some inside-rubber, which makes the LED compartment light shine through like an unrefined POS, and my individual car had some little quick-Dealer fixes), I noticed this too. I was pi$$ed and looked at other W212's on the lot. They all have the same issue with the rear bumper.

I still wonder if this is something that didn't affect my 2010, or if I never payed any mind to it.

For a car with such excellent fit and finish and tight shutlines, I find this odd that M-B would cut such a corner.

davidbijan

These gaps expand with the heat as well as HTN mentioned. I looked at other new 350s on the lot this weekend and did not see any cars with gap issues in the corner of tailights. If its just not my car then this is a craftmanship issue and should fall under warranty for replacement by MB? Amazing you pay so much for a car and you get flaws like that! Is there a service bulletin on this issue that anyone knows about?

K-A

My Dealer had to deal with so many little initial quality niggles on my car (which were small and sorted out nicely and timely) that I didn't want to press on it.

If anyone takes the time to pursue this issue, please post your results! I'll remember to bring it up next time I go in as well.

park423

no issues here, maybe someone stepped on your bumper???

K-A

No I've seen a bunch of 2011's like this, and mine is too.

Now I'm wondering if this is a "2011 problem" and not a 2010 problem. Any other 2010 drivers can chime in?

golfster

Maybe its all of the trunk money that dealers will soon be offering causing the separation from the bumper??

Mine is OK.

MagicJack

Mine looks like that too.

exil3

count me in, same issue here

HBerman

Mine is OK.

michael10128

Crap, now i gotta go into the garage and look at mine when i leave my office. thanks for giving me something else to obsess about....I will report back since my 2011 was built in June 2011 -

konigstiger

Gap dimensions: https://mbworld.org/forums/4693268-post3.html

AMGTTV8

wouldn't count on it

hyperion667

me too.......550 is covered right now......
63 is tight as a "insert joke here"

davidbijan

I spoke with an owner of a Cert MB bodyshop and they do see this issue with 212s. There is no fix because the brackets that support the lower bumper at the rear taillight has no clip at that edge to capture the bumper. My local bodyshop was able to wedge the bracket and by luck it snapped back into place on the driver side. On the passenger side he had to add a dbl adhesive extra piece of plastic that closed the gap. For now my problem is solved. But with sun and high tempertures plastic expands and it may recur again. Mercedes needs to address this issue by building a stronger bumper bracket. Are they not aware of this?????

dfordham

Fortunately I haven't had this problem and I live in an area where we have already had 45 days over 100 degrees F this year.

I sympathize, it looks bad, doesn't it?

hyperion667

550 is also very taught back there in the section refurred too...

K-A

Maybe it's a styling feature?

We have the W212's with the "Flared Bumper Widebody Package". I gotta update my Sig....

EmE247

All u guys posting about all the probs u having making me OCD... Checked my car after work today to see if I had the problem and I'm good.

FYI KA early 2011 build... Built pre 2011.

ImInPA

Mine seems fine, but, I have the Luxury model, which has a different rear bumper. Is anyone with a Luxury model seeing this or is it limited to the bumper on sport models only? Just Curious.

davidbijan

It looked much worse than the picture revealed, and it was on both sides. Im glad it got fixed but I decided to trade up to CLS in iridium with P1 and Driver Assist pack. Not many out there right now so Ill be driving my E350 around a few more months. But one thing is certain, Im not keeping that car past warranty.

K-A

So just looked at my cars bumper. The passenger side is perfectly flush and tight (well, as tight as it can be, considering that if you push it in, you notice that there are no clips on the bottom ends.... But it's flush and tight), and my drivers side pops out just a tad, but not enough to annoy me. So I guess my car doesn't really have this problem, although it could be better.

newyorktoLA

My car only has 500 miles and I have a really bad flare on the driver's side...
I went to the dealer, they said it was normal. should I push at another dealer for them to fix the issue? Any luck for any of you?

davidbijan

Can you take a pic so i can see. If its anything like the original picture i posted its not normal. I ended up taking my car to a local bodyshop. He removed the tailight, and with a small screwdriver manipulated the bracket that holds the bumper snug. On the other side he had to use a dbl sided tape to attach the bracket to another plastic part. The issues resolved but this is a mb design defect, or your bracket is broke. Good luck