Glynn350
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2017
- Messages
- 110
- Reaction score
- 45
- Your Mercedes
- e350 cdi cabriolet 2012
Hi Everyone,
I have an issue which I perceive to be getting worse since I bought the car in November, and I'd like to muse it over with you guys before I decide if/what I'm going to do about it.
A basic outline of the issue would be a very faint vibration at speed(60mph plus) accompanied by a desire to "pull" to the camber of the road (left or right).
The steering wheel tugs either way over uneven roads depending on how the wheel hits the rut/hole, with a general feeling that the front end rides over rough roads like a bag of ****, compared to the rear which feels as I expect a mercedes on 19" wheels to feel, hard but controlled. It makes you want to slow down to 20mph every time the road isn't smooth, it's also as if the dampers aren't performing to their specs due to play elsewhere. On smooth roads the dampers seem to control the car as expected.
I also get clunks on potholes that are small enough not to expect a clunk, and I get a knocking noise going from lock to lock at slow speed, mainly reversing down a sloped drive while turning onto a road.
There is also a perception of increased noise/road surface vibration in the cabin and through the wheel, though this might possibly be in my head, I'd have to drive someone else's to know for sure.
The car has just passed it's MOT and had a service, i asked for them to look at the suspension bushes on the front end during the service (non merc dealership where I bought the car from) they said everything looks fine. It had an alignment at the service which helped with the tugging a little, and it's had two previous alignments since i bought it in November last year, none of which stopped the issue, and had the front wheel bearings adjusted, and two new front tyres in March. Front wheels have been balanced twice.
My original thought was lower control arms (bushings) purely from researching the symptoms, but another search today seemed to point at either the steering rack or the rack bushings having worn.
I've had a quote of around £500 for the lower control arms, which I don't think included the labour to change them over, but I don't want to throw that money at it and not have the problem fixed.
I recognise I could take it to a different garage, a merc specialist etc, but I wanted to see if I could at least get an idea of what it might be, and the cost involved in fixing it before I decide whether to try and get it fixed or to just change the car. I love everything else about the car, but currently, unless I'm doing mainly smooth motorways, I don't like the way it feels to drive, and almost dread driving it on local roads.
Appreciate any help or advice as to what it might be, though I understand it's all speculation.
I have an issue which I perceive to be getting worse since I bought the car in November, and I'd like to muse it over with you guys before I decide if/what I'm going to do about it.
A basic outline of the issue would be a very faint vibration at speed(60mph plus) accompanied by a desire to "pull" to the camber of the road (left or right).
The steering wheel tugs either way over uneven roads depending on how the wheel hits the rut/hole, with a general feeling that the front end rides over rough roads like a bag of ****, compared to the rear which feels as I expect a mercedes on 19" wheels to feel, hard but controlled. It makes you want to slow down to 20mph every time the road isn't smooth, it's also as if the dampers aren't performing to their specs due to play elsewhere. On smooth roads the dampers seem to control the car as expected.
I also get clunks on potholes that are small enough not to expect a clunk, and I get a knocking noise going from lock to lock at slow speed, mainly reversing down a sloped drive while turning onto a road.
There is also a perception of increased noise/road surface vibration in the cabin and through the wheel, though this might possibly be in my head, I'd have to drive someone else's to know for sure.
The car has just passed it's MOT and had a service, i asked for them to look at the suspension bushes on the front end during the service (non merc dealership where I bought the car from) they said everything looks fine. It had an alignment at the service which helped with the tugging a little, and it's had two previous alignments since i bought it in November last year, none of which stopped the issue, and had the front wheel bearings adjusted, and two new front tyres in March. Front wheels have been balanced twice.
My original thought was lower control arms (bushings) purely from researching the symptoms, but another search today seemed to point at either the steering rack or the rack bushings having worn.
I've had a quote of around £500 for the lower control arms, which I don't think included the labour to change them over, but I don't want to throw that money at it and not have the problem fixed.
I recognise I could take it to a different garage, a merc specialist etc, but I wanted to see if I could at least get an idea of what it might be, and the cost involved in fixing it before I decide whether to try and get it fixed or to just change the car. I love everything else about the car, but currently, unless I'm doing mainly smooth motorways, I don't like the way it feels to drive, and almost dread driving it on local roads.
Appreciate any help or advice as to what it might be, though I understand it's all speculation.