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Really? Have you owned one? B/c the only areas or should I say area on the L322 that are prone are cheap fixes. The paint on my L322 is so thick it feels like a gel coat in comparison to the thin G class paint. Its common place to see rust on G's after just a couple years. My L322 is 10 years old and only has rust in one area and its been DD in salt/winters every year.
RR L322:
Bottom weld/edge of tail gate. Grind away and repaint $. At very worse buy new tail gate $$
G:
Windshield = weld in a entire new frame $$$
door/door sills = Weld in a whole new section $$$
area below tail lights = weld in entire new rear quarter panel $$$
area below roof on the rear = grind away and repaint $
hinges = replace/repaint $
Moonroof! = How does a car rust on the roof!
Hi horse86,
I have a 2008 G500 70k miles in California that is rusting away in about 10 areas, including all the ones you mention - I bought it brand new and took it to the dealership for every service since I bought it from them, and they never mentioned any rust (my wife's car so I normally didn't drive it). Mercedes Benz of South Bay in Torrance, California and MB corporate are refusing to fix this defective problem. I also have, at the same house a 2000 CL500, 2002 S500, 2016 S550 and none of them have an issue. Any recommendations? I'm trying to get enough folks with this problem to maybe file a class action suit but the lawyers will need several owners to join...
Have an ‘08 w this issue but only on the front windshield. Looking back it was evident when I bought it in ‘12 but not something I was aware of or I would have had the dealership fix it before buying. I’ve heard it referred to as cancer by techs since once it starts it won’t stop. I have read that mineral oils can be for preventative measures but no history on my end.
Hi rwilly75,
I bought my 2008 G500 brand new at Mercedes Benz of South Bay in Torrance, California and now has 70k miles. I always took it to get serviced at the same dealership from day one and with all their inspections etc that they say they do, they never brought the rust to my attention (its my wife's car so I don't drive it). Now they refuse to make the repairs of this defective car and MBUSA also is refusing to do the repairs. First estimate is over $11k where the dealership sent me and they said it was just a preliminary estimate as they couldn't see the full extent of the problem but had seen this issue before. I refuse to pay for this my self and I am trying to get others to join for a class action. The lawyers need to have several of us in order to file. If interested, please email details at: beyondmediaproductions@yahoo.com
Wow. Good to see I'm not alone. I have a 2011 G550 with just over 50,000 miles. I have rust on the door sills, around the rear door and around the front windshield (the windshield rust isn't quite as bad as yours, but the rear door rust is worse!). I can't believe Mercedes sold cars with such bad rust protection. Not sure what I should do about it. Will it cost a lot to have a body shop sand it down and repaint it? I might just cut my losses, sell the G, and buy a Range Rover. All aluminum FTW. OP you might want to do the same.
Hi GoldenDoodle,
You are definitely not alone! I have a 2008 G500 with 70k miles that I bought for my wife at Mercedes Benz of South Bay in Torrance, California. The dealer claims of making many inspections every time I took the car in for service but never brought the rust to my attention. I recently discovered it. The dealer and MBUSA refuse to do anything. The preliminary repair is $11k and will go up as they open up the car. We need to unit and file a class action suit. The lawyers need more folks to join. If interested, please email me the particulars of your case at: beyondmediaproductions@yahoo.com
Thanks,
David
PS MB should not be allowed to get away with this - we paid a lot of money for these G wagons
JD101b posted to a thread I put up over there on a 2015 G that I am (was?) considering purchasing. (See photo below) It is a CERTIFIED vehicle at a local MB dealer. And I found rust near the upper rear rear door hinge. Certified? Really? But it's a beautiful vehicle and man, is it a pleasure to drive. I think my wife wants to replace me with it. LOL
However, all this discussion on rust on G Wagens is giving me serious pause. Clearly the issue is coming from rust wrapping around the back edges of the metal and working under the paint. Then JD101b's dealer is advising to use a dehumidifier in the garage? First off, it's pretty much impossible to dehumidify a garage unless its a really big dehumidifier. Second, that's about the stupidest advice I've every heard from a dealer. This isn't wedding dress we're preserving. This is a truck. I've got 14 year old W211's in the garage with ZERO rust... and I live in the rust belt in Ohio.
This is all very depressing. I really like that vehicle. If there was a way to arrest it permanently, but once it gets on the back edges of metal fenders, it's really hard. I've had other cars that were vintage that had this problem and it can be arrested, but it has to be redone every few years. There's no guarantee.
EDIT - I just called the dealership where the G is and had a conversation with their body shop. They were quite open and honest about it. They said they've seen this numerous times and they currently have a second 2015 in there that has the rust under the windshield seal problem. They said they've been successful in fixing it, but it may, or may not, come back. They cannot guarantee that particular fix. Fixing the area under the windshield requires removal of the windshield and sounded quite involved ($$). It just comes down to the metal in that area of the car as to whether you got a poorly treated panel or not according to them.
Hi ScottyAC8DE,
Did you purchase the G? what dealership did you talk to on your EDIT update? I have a 2008 G500 70K miles which I bought for my wife brand new at Mercedes Benz of South Bay in Torrance, California. There are over 10 areas that are rusting away, including the two in the area of your pic. The dealer and MBUSA refuse to do anything about it, thus far. If easier, you can email at beyondmediaproductions@yahoo.com Thanks Scotty.
Oh man - after reading this post string, I went out and looked at my 2010 this morning. I see bubbles forming around my windshield seal. This is crazy - I bought this truck from bone dry Utah. It has only been on the East Coast for 3 years!
JD101b - Any luck dealing with Mercedes? Are you dealing with a local dealership?
I know class-actions are typically started by small groups. See the link below... 10 plaintiffs started the "Mars Red" Paint class action against Mercedes.
Hi Jim Sullivan,
I purchased a brand new 2008 G500 at Mercedes Benz of South Bay in Torrance, California for my wife, Even though I took it to get serviced from day one at the same dealership, they never mentioned anything about rust - they claim to perform a multi-inspection of the vehicle every time. I discovered rust in 2021. It has about 10 areas and the dealer sent me to Autonation body shop to get an estimate and its preliminary quote is for over $11k and will go up once they open up the car and see other areas. The dealership and MBUSA are refusing to do anything about this. I have three other MB cars and no rust whatsoever. I am trying to get as many folks that are facing this issue so that we can file. This is a real defect in these cars. Please email me the particulars of your case at: beyondmediaproductions@yahoo.com I will create a database and email group to see about the class action. Thanks.
Sorry bro but one guy in one bodyshop is not exactly evidence of a widespread problem. I agree that it should not happen at all; but we don't know how these previous owners treated the cars. For instance, most after-market rustproofing is actually worse for metal than not using any. Or perhaps these are repainted panels that were not adequately prepped prior to wash.
Surge
it is a common problem. I have a 2008 G500 with 70K miles that i bought brand new from Mercedes Benz of South Bay in Torrance, California, and the car is rusting away in over 10 spots, including all the mentioned areas in these comments. It is a defect! I am trying to get enough folks so that we can file a class action. I have three other MB cars at my house, and none have this issue - all stored and driven under identical conditions.
I've thought about suing. Mercedes definitely knows about this problem and they didn't fix it for DECADES.
I just got a quote for $1700 to repair rust around the windscreen, on the driver side door sill, around the rear door hinge and right next to the fuel door. That quote is pretty good and the shop is reputable so I think I am going to go with it.
I plan on having the chassis painted with some kind of heavy duty anti-corrosive epoxy (coal tar?) and rust proofing the body with some kind of cavity oil-spray. I've managed to stall the windscreen rust for over a year with WD40 Corrosion Inhibitor spray applied directly behind the windshield weather stripping so I know the concept works.
Found two more areas of rust. One on the passenger side rearview mirror post, and one between the passenger side rear light assembly and fuel filler door (in the crease on the sheetmetal between these two areas):
October 2020 I purchased a 2015 G550 from an out of state MB dealer. Bought with 23k miles, now at about 31k miles. Less than a year later, I have the rust under the windshield seal issue, minor rust on the rear hatch seam, and potentially other rust areas (based on reading this thread I'll have to examine more).
My local MB dealer obviously advised rust is not covered, but referred me to customer care. Customer care requested an estimate. My local dealer doesn't have a body shop, so once other warranty work is completed (AC recharge, cam position sensor, distronic misalignment), they will send out to the body shop they use for an estimate. I'll then give that estimate to customer care for an adjudication of the claim.
Not sure how this will turn out, but considering it was certified less than a year ago, and the low miles, I'm somewhat optimistic MBUSA will make it right. I can just as easily see them blaming michigan weather, but with the certification less than a year ago, I'm hoping to not have a huge fight. We'll see.
If I somehow can't get this covered, I'll get a refund on the extra 2 years warranty I purchased to cover the repairs, then maybe sell it. I'm not sure. There was also 2 small clear coat spidering failures in the hood when I got it, but I planned to have those wet sanded when I got it ceramic coated. I may bring those defects up as well, but mainly concerned about the rust.
Any advice before it gets sent for the estimate? I'm going to go over everything with the advisor before it goes for the estimate, and may go to the body shop as well.
I'll update here when I learn more. I can add pics when I get it back, or when I go to the dealership to go over all the rust issues.
Yes please document all areas of rust and post pictures.
Go over EVERY INCH of the truck and do so very carefully. I've found several areas I didn't see before even though I make sure to look very closely for oxidation. If MBUSA does take care of the rust, they will only do it once, so if you miss a spot and find it later you're going to be SOL.
Also be sure to look at the brackets that hold the running boards to the body and the wheels (yes, the wheels) as they corrode too.
Some preventative measures once you get your truck back:
-Park it in a garage. Use fans and a dehumidifier to dry the truck out.
-Learn how to properly hand wash and make sure the truck is free of dirt and road salt.
-Use a pressure washer and chassis attachment to wash the chassis (be sure to dry it with the aforementioned fans)
-Have a body-cavity oil treatment performed (something like Fluid Film) and make sure every body panel is covered (inside of the roof, inside of the doors, inside the door sills, around the windscreen, etc)
Yes please document all areas of rust and post pictures.
Go over EVERY INCH of the truck and do so very carefully. I've found several areas I didn't see before even though I make sure to look very closely for oxidation. If MBUSA does take care of the rust, they will only do it once, so if you miss a spot and find it later you're going to be SOL.
Also be sure to look at the brackets that hold the running boards to the body and the wheels (yes, the wheels) as they corrode too.
Some preventative measures once you get your truck back:
-Park it in a garage. Use fans and a dehumidifier to dry the truck out.
-Learn how to properly hand wash and make sure the truck is free of dirt and road salt.
-Use a pressure washer and chassis attachment to wash the chassis (be sure to dry it with the aforementioned fans)
-Have a body-cavity oil treatment performed (something like Fluid Film) and make sure every body panel is covered (inside of the roof, inside of the doors, inside the door sills, around the windscreen, etc)
Did you spray the wd40 anti corrosive under the windshield seal? How much did you apply? Anywhere else, hinges, tops of doors, sunroof, others?
Did you attach a straw to the tip? I couldn't find a can with the buit in straw.
I bought a 3 foot long spray tube on Amazon ($3 maybe?). I use a rubber putty knife to peel back the seal and stick the straw in as far as possible. I spray then pull back an inch or two and spray again. I probably used two cans just for the windscreen but that may be overkill. The last time I did this was about six months ago. Corrosion has not visibly progressed in the past year.
I would sit the can in a bucket of warm water before application. The corrosion inhibitor is more viscus than regular WD40 and doesn't creep as much as regular WD. The warmer it is, the better it will get into tight areas. Just make sure the water bath isn't too hot, as it could cause the can to burst!
I also applied it to the cavity underneath the door sills. In order to access, you need to remove the bolts that hold the running board brackets to the body. I used perhaps an entire can on each side. Again, I inserted the straw as far as possible and sprayed, withdrawing an inch or so each time. The WD comes out in a relatively fine mist so it should coat the entire cavity. Make sure to run the straw both going forwards and rearwards, and be sure to spray directly into the bolt holes so the metal immediately across from them is coated.
There are small drain holes at the bottom of the front four doors. Minor corrosion has begun on all four, though it's very hard to see and is only visible when the doors are open (hasn't reached the exterior sheetmetal). Water pools in these areas and causes corrosion. Again, I've applied the same method to the door panels as I have the windscreen.
On easier to reach areas (like the door hinges) I've switched to Lucas "Red n' Tacky" grease which has similar anti corrosive properties but is extremely durable and hard to remove. The WD 40 is better for hard to reach areas protected from road spray. Grease is better for easier to reach areas subject to road spray, soap from washing the car, etc. I also used it liberally on all the bolts I used to reattach the running boards to the truck.
As I said, eventually I'm going to have a professional oil coating done. They have the equipment necessary to get into places I simply cannot with my little can of WD40 and a straw.
One other thing to mention. WD40 is flammable. I've talked to an electrician who said it's 100% safe to apply to areas with wires (and potentially exposed wires). But still, take that into consideration.
Here are some pictures of what I was talking about in the previous post:
Vent to access rear door hinges. Brackets that hold running board to the vehicle. This is why I want to get a full stainless exhaust ! Another shot of the running boards and the rusted brackets. The bolts were rusted to the brackets so I had to break them off. I bought all new stainless hardware and put a thick layer of "hot n' tacky" corrosion inhibiting grease on each one before I bolted it back on.
Here are some pictures of what I was talking about in the previous post:
Vent to access rear door hinges. Brackets that hold running board to the vehicle. This is why I want to get a full stainless exhaust ! Another shot of the running boards and the rusted brackets. The bolts were rusted to the brackets so I had to break them off. I bought all new stainless hardware and put a thick layer of "hot n' tacky" corrosion inhibiting grease on each one before I bolted it back on.
I had my entire underbody treated by Krown. It still looked good. I wasn't sure about their full rustproofing process (creating holes in inconspicuous places to shoot the oil in etc.), so I opted only for the underbody, but he got into every nook and cranny, and I also had him spray the bottom of all doors to hopefully get behind the lower strips that I've seen rust on other northern Gs.
Before winter hits, assuming I keep the G, I'll have them do the full service and then get it yearly. They plug any holes they might need to make and it's black, so I'm not concerned about it anymore. If I remember correctly it was $100 for the underbody only, and like $150 for the full service. That's worth it for the peace of mind. It did smell like burning oil for a couple weeks after, but I can deal with that.
No update from the dealer yet. They're still working on the other issues.
Never cut holes. That is fresh exposed metal and the G rusts with fully painted metal lol.
You should be able to access most body panels without cutting holes. The roof, doors, wings, etc are all very easily accessible. My guess is the rear quarter panels might be a bit difficult to get to though...
I’m waiting on a response from MBUSA after I sent my estimate to remediate rust I discovered on my “new to us” preowned 2014 G550. From the dealer - it needed two tires due to a deep cut and several areas of developing rust- $$$ in addition to the cost of the truck. I feel like a sucker -I PURCHASED FROM AN MB dealer !!!
disappointing and the feeling of powerlessness is palpable.
EURO MOTORCARS GERMANTOWN MD - don’t patronize this dealer.
So, I got my estimate and submitted to MBUSA. Waiting on them to contact me now. Estimate was about $4,500, but could be more depending on if they find any other issues. This was for the windshield seal area, rear hatch hinge area, and the seam on the rear hatch. About $500 of that is for clear coat repair on the hood, so $4,000 for rust.
I bought this sight unseen from Mercedes of Ft. Myers, and I'm certain they knew about the clear coat issues on the hood, as they were trying hard to push a paint and interior coverage. They possibly also knew about the rust, or should have if they did an actual CPO inspection.
@JD101b - would you mind sharing where you're planning to get the "full oil coating" done? I'm in the northeast and looking to do the same.
I'm not 100% sure at this point. I'd like to find a place that can both paint the chassis and suspension with heavy duty rust preventative (coal tar epoxy would be great) and do an oil coating. Most shops use NHOil or Fluid Film. Those are fine, but I'd like a heavier and more durable coating. LPS or even some form of aerosolized grease would be great. Still researching.
To be clear - I'm looking to get the insides of all the sheetmetal coated, not just the chassis.
I had my entire underbody treated by Krown. It still looked good. I wasn't sure about their full rustproofing process (creating holes in inconspicuous places to shoot the oil in etc.), so I opted only for the underbody, but he got into every nook and cranny, and I also had him spray the bottom of all doors to hopefully get behind the lower strips that I've seen rust on other northern Gs.
Before winter hits, assuming I keep the G, I'll have them do the full service and then get it yearly. They plug any holes they might need to make and it's black, so I'm not concerned about it anymore. If I remember correctly it was $100 for the underbody only, and like $150 for the full service. That's worth it for the peace of mind. It did smell like burning oil for a couple weeks after, but I can deal with that.
No update from the dealer yet. They're still working on the other issues.
I think you can access most body panels without drilling holes (I strongly advise against drilling holes for obvious reasons).
Remember that you can access the underside of the door sills by removing a few of the bolts holding the running boards to the car. You can spray directly into the cavity.
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