When I got my new 1992 Ford F150 pickup truck the original tail pipe rotted completely off in about 3 years. It had rotted the whole length of the pipe right along the welded seam. The replacement OEM Ford has lasted at least 10 years now. My guess is that there were some quality control issues on the first one that were resolved in subsquent years.

My truck was generally used all highway at the time on trips greater than 20 miles. It is common for exhausts systems to fail early when the car is used on short trips only, like < 2 miles where the system never has enough time to heat up and evaporate condensation. But I have never seen an MB stainless steel system rot out in only 2 years.

I suspect a quality problem that may be covered under warenty.

John Roncallo