Cracked sub-frame bolt?!
02-15-2008, 02:36 PM
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2005 E55, Renntech Pulley, ECU
Cracked sub-frame bolt?!
Wow...
I dropped off my E at the shop four days ago for a few problems. Check engine light turned out to be no big deal, a bad air pump replaced under warranty.
But the car also has been making an intermittent noise coming from the rear. Hard to tell where it is coming from but it is definitely NOT the pano roof noise. More like something not lubricated right or a bad bushing. It is louder under certain conditions, like after it gets washed, and only does it when I brake or accelerate.
First they tell me I had a bad bushing. The service rep was vague but said it was a bushing that connects the differential to the frame. Hm...
Another day or two go by and now they say they found a more serious problem.
He says that while they were replacing the bushing, they found
a cracked bolt at the sub-frame, where it connects to the body. I have no idea what this means.
They claim to have never seen the problem before and that either the sub-frame needs to be replaced, or sent to a body shop, and that they aren't sure how they are going to fix it yet. Someone from MBUSA is going to look into it, they claim, but it sounds like they aren't sure what to do.
Anyone know what they are referring to? Is this is major issue? Replace the sub-frame?! The hell does that entail? Take it to a body shop? Oooh, I don't like the sound of this...
The rep says that he thinks it'll be covered by warranty, but I detect some uncertainty in his brief voicemail.
Guess I'll drive over and take a look for myself, but any knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Four days already, and they are now being very noncommittal about what they need to do, let alone when it'll be done.
Thanks in advance,
Skeeter
2005 E55
I dropped off my E at the shop four days ago for a few problems. Check engine light turned out to be no big deal, a bad air pump replaced under warranty.
But the car also has been making an intermittent noise coming from the rear. Hard to tell where it is coming from but it is definitely NOT the pano roof noise. More like something not lubricated right or a bad bushing. It is louder under certain conditions, like after it gets washed, and only does it when I brake or accelerate.
First they tell me I had a bad bushing. The service rep was vague but said it was a bushing that connects the differential to the frame. Hm...
Another day or two go by and now they say they found a more serious problem.
He says that while they were replacing the bushing, they found
a cracked bolt at the sub-frame, where it connects to the body. I have no idea what this means.
They claim to have never seen the problem before and that either the sub-frame needs to be replaced, or sent to a body shop, and that they aren't sure how they are going to fix it yet. Someone from MBUSA is going to look into it, they claim, but it sounds like they aren't sure what to do.
Anyone know what they are referring to? Is this is major issue? Replace the sub-frame?! The hell does that entail? Take it to a body shop? Oooh, I don't like the sound of this...
The rep says that he thinks it'll be covered by warranty, but I detect some uncertainty in his brief voicemail.
Guess I'll drive over and take a look for myself, but any knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Four days already, and they are now being very noncommittal about what they need to do, let alone when it'll be done.
Thanks in advance,
Skeeter
2005 E55
02-15-2008, 02:42 PM
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'19 E63S, ‘16 CLS63 RIP, '09 E63 Gone, '06 M5 Gone, '97 Supra TT Gone
I've personally seen a cracked bolt that connected the rear subframe to the control arm on Sunny55's old E55. The rear suspension basically fell out of the bottom of the car. Ask Sunny, we were on our way to the airport when it happened, ended up having a 20 minute conversation with a local cop about the car.
Yes this is uncommon, but it definitely does happen. Bolts corrode and crack.
Yes this is uncommon, but it definitely does happen. Bolts corrode and crack.
02-15-2008, 06:09 PM
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2005 E55, Renntech Pulley, ECU
I'm going to take a look at it after I leave work today. He's saying (again, not sure he knows how to describe it) that the BODY has a crack in it where the bolt from the subframe goes into the body and holds the subframe in. Consequently the subframe can't be properly bolted to the body.
They can't just replace the subframe, since the subframe is fine; the problem is with the body part that the subframe connects to. So they think they may need to have a body shop replace the body part, which is apparently VERY hard to get to and an expensive job.
On top of this, he says it will probably take weeks to fix. I said, "wow, bummer, but at least I'm under warranty". He replied that he wasn't sure and that a rep is going to come take a look and that the Renntech stuff may make coverage under warranty a problem.
What the F*CK! Why would a pulley and ECU cause a rear body part to develop a crack?! Are the going to allege that the extra 40 HP created so much twist that it was solely responsible for breaking a part that never breaks?
If MB has never seen this before, I'm sure they've had hundreds of E55's with the pulley swap - why would my pulley cause damage that nobody else's caused?! I'm getting revved up. Time to get out my California Bar card and get ready to dust of my legal letter-head just in case. Haven't practiced in years, but I'm up on lemon law in CA from a Touareg I owned and loathed.
Even the prospect of driving around a beat up C230 or whatever is not good. Gotta take some big-shot investors around next week no less. Damn!
Could be worse given that I have 46k miles on her. Imagine if this happened at 51k miles! Double ouch. Though if they don't cover me anyway...
Any thoughts folks? Subframe to body bolt? A crack in the body where the bolt inserts from the subframe?
Pictures to follow,
Skeeter the unhappy
They can't just replace the subframe, since the subframe is fine; the problem is with the body part that the subframe connects to. So they think they may need to have a body shop replace the body part, which is apparently VERY hard to get to and an expensive job.
On top of this, he says it will probably take weeks to fix. I said, "wow, bummer, but at least I'm under warranty". He replied that he wasn't sure and that a rep is going to come take a look and that the Renntech stuff may make coverage under warranty a problem.
What the F*CK! Why would a pulley and ECU cause a rear body part to develop a crack?! Are the going to allege that the extra 40 HP created so much twist that it was solely responsible for breaking a part that never breaks?
If MB has never seen this before, I'm sure they've had hundreds of E55's with the pulley swap - why would my pulley cause damage that nobody else's caused?! I'm getting revved up. Time to get out my California Bar card and get ready to dust of my legal letter-head just in case. Haven't practiced in years, but I'm up on lemon law in CA from a Touareg I owned and loathed.
Even the prospect of driving around a beat up C230 or whatever is not good. Gotta take some big-shot investors around next week no less. Damn!
Could be worse given that I have 46k miles on her. Imagine if this happened at 51k miles! Double ouch. Though if they don't cover me anyway...
Any thoughts folks? Subframe to body bolt? A crack in the body where the bolt inserts from the subframe?
Pictures to follow,
Skeeter the unhappy
Last edited by Skeeter; 02-15-2008 at 06:12 PM.
06-12-2012, 01:51 PM
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2006 E55
I am new to this site...I have a 2006 E55 and found out that I have a passenger side subframe bolt that had broken off. $14 for the bolt $1790 in labor. Does anyone have a how to blog or guide on how I can do this?
Thanks
Thanks
