TA Canada

Hi,
I have a 2015 ML350 BT (Cdn build) that had this coloured "wood" trim on the interior door panels. On both of the front doors each has a lengthy crack yet neither has been bumped or hit.
Does anyone know if these are still under warranty ?Looks like each panel piece (1rt & 1lt) runs about $200 each.
Seems odd that both have a similar crack along the length of the trim. A design flaw it would appear.

Starfollower

My driver's side one has done the same and it has definitely NOT been hit, just noticed it the other day. Must be a design fault!! Would love to hear from others with poplar wood trim faults.

peter2772000

No such cracks on mine....yet

telrush

I had the same issue on my 2014 ML350. Dealer replaced at no cost.

Diabolis

It's real poplar wood that may not have been completely dry prior to machining and finishing that has now dried up more and split along the grain lines. If the vehicle is still under warranty, it should be a warranty replacement.

Starfollower - it is not a "design" fault. It is wood - a natural material that has imperfections and that may continue to unevenly shrink over time, which sometimes results in a crack. If it were fake and made from plastic or metal, it would last for 30 years. I really don't get the whole "design fault" attitude... must be an American thing where everything is always someone else's fault.

Starfollower

What I mean by 'design fault' is that, as you say in your comment, it is a natural material with imperfections and MB should ensure the wood is dry and stable BEFORE using it in their vehicles, therefore I do feel it is 'someone else's fault'. These are being replaced under warranty so they admit this.
It is just another symptom of the mass production by MB, who's policy now seems to be 'profit above all' rather than 'the best or nothing'! (I am from New Zealand).

Diabolis

Technically speaking, it's a manufacturing fault by the company that makes the interior wood trim panels for Mercedes, not a design one - but I completely agree that it is a result of a lower quality of products. Mass production on the scale Mercedes is currently pursuing in their quest for global dominance indeed results in lower quality, and it is apparent across their entire product range.

Starfollower

I am glad others think like I do regarding the current philosophy adopted by MB. As a past editor of an MB magazine I get their press releases and month after month they are making 'record' profits with factories opening up all other the world. No longer are the majority made in Stuttgart as in the past. I think they have almost exhausted the alphabet in the search for more models to produce. All this at the expense of quality and the prestige they once had - sad really. The new X class ute, a glorified Nissan Navara is a classic example.

mg35

Same car, same issue. I'll see if the dealer will replace it under warranty.

twj410

ML400, same issue with the Anthracite Poplar Wood Trim cracking on the driver's door. Was told it'd be a warranty repair, but it took over a month for the part to come in. Expecting to have it replaced on Wednesday. I checked with two different dealers and was told the part needed to come in from Germany.

TA Canada

Just to close this out for me, the dealer did replace both poplar door trims under warranty after they determined I hadn't caused the cracking. Makes sense.
That said the newer trim panels seem a bit thicker as they protrude a bit more but I'm OK with that as perhaps if thicker they may not crack as easily.
Cheers !

fabbrisd1

Well... if someone wanted to "Maximize Profit" then MB would switch to plastic and be done with it.

The wood veneer is actually mounted to a aluminum backing to reduce cracking... and compared to wood trim 20-25yrs ago the "wood trim today" has much/much less cracking.

I understand what does happen is a inconvenience - as this thread has shown on the example of this that has happened under warranty - everything was taken care of.

Yes - in almost all cases the replacement wood trim needs to come in from Germany ...