Vito Vibration / Juddering

Adamskii

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Vito 109 55 plate
Hello everyone. I have just purchased a 2005 Vito 109 with 70,000 miles on the clock. I am experiencing a really bad vibration particularly when accelerating up hills, when i go over bumps and when i go around left hand corners. The vibration appears to be coming from the rear nearside wheel / or drive shaft / or suspension. At times when im accelerating up hills and the hill is bumpy it is really bad to the point that the ASR light flashes on.

It is quite a violent vibration and feels like it is probably doing damage to something or other, but as i have just spent out £4.5k on buying the van i'm hoping to minimise any repair cost, by trying to figure out what is causing it and getting a local mechanic to fix it rather then paying MB dealer prices...could it be a bent drive shaft? Or more likely suspension damage?

Thanks Adam
 

Roxie

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The most likely cause would be a worn propshaft joint.
 

47p2

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I have recently started noticing a noise on my Viano which at first I suspected it was a wheel bearing but I have my doubts and am now thinking it could be the centre bearing on the propshaft. It's most noticeable around the 55mph-65mph mark and seems to quieten after a long run. There is no vibration or juddering, just a slight droning bearing noise

Does anyone know if the centre bearing is available as a separate item or is it a complete new propshaft or possible send it to one of the propshaft specialists for repair
 
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47p2

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Just spoken to MB parts department in Glasgow, there are 2 bearings on the propshaft, they are £98 each and they carry both in stock, so it is obviously a common problem. I need the Viano tomorrow, so I won't start pulling anything apart until Wednesday to see if that is my source of the noise.
 

47p2

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After 400 miles today I came home and raised the Viano on the ramp, I expected to feel a hot bearing as I am still convinced this is the source of my droning noise. There was no excess heat to be felt which left me thinking I might be on the wrong track with this. So I decided to drop the propshaft at the bearings and give them a spin. The rear was first and it sounds quiet, but there is a bit of side movement which I'm not sure should be there, the front however sounded like it was dry and lacking grease, there is no access to getting grease into it. There was no roughness of the front bearing even though it sounds dry.

So what I am looking for is information on how to change the bearings. Are they pressed into place? is there any specialist equipment required? will needles drop out of the sliding joints when I split them?

Any help will be appreciated
 
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Adamskii

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The most likely cause would be a worn propshaft joint.

Thanks for the reply.....Why would this only be happening on one side though...? And it is happening mainly over bumps rather than at certain speeds....I'm hoping to get a mechanic to take a look towards the end of the week so i will report on his findings
 

47p2

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I've just changed the centre bearings on my Viano today

Can anyone please let me have the torque settings for the flanges onto the gearbox and diff?
 

NZkiwi

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I've just changed the centre bearings on my Viano today

Hi, just wondering if you guys have solved the problem?

My 2007 Viano has that droning vibration mainly start at 87-90 Km/h (55 MPH) and particularly when accelerating up hills. Shift down a gear will make the droning disappear.

First I took it to a shaft specilalist, he did some adjustment/realignment on the shaft (assured me it is still in good condition at 50,000 Km), but the change made more droning noise at lower speed, around same 1800-200RPM range as when higher speed vibration happens.

Next thing I sent the van to a dealer, which took off differential and decided it is not the cause, but they damaged air suspension(damn!). After few weeks of waiting and some road tests they tried to disconnect the lock up solenoid circuit and claim that improves alot so it's a torque converter lock up problem.

From different websites I found that the 722.6 auto transmission seems have many issues with shudder/judder on TCC lockup, but also there cases which viano/vito owners replaced the shaft or u-joints and got the smooth ride back.

Is it possible that without lock-up the torque converter the driveshaft will be under less stress during acceleration and hence make less vibration? Also when repairing transmission do they take off whole engine/trans together or just the transmission unit on the W639 model (really dont want the dealer to mess up another part of my van)?

It would b very helpful and greatly appreciated if you could share how exactly your problem is fixed. Thanks!!
 
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Bigbird865

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3.0 extra long viano 62 plate
Viano Humming/vibration from rear

Did anyone actually get to the bottom of the problem as I have a 62 plate extra long Viano with the same issue. The dealer has taken 4 months, swapped hub bearings, tyres and wheels in an attempt to solve the noise to no avail. As of today the dealer is ordering in some specially adapted parts from Germany which are supposed to stop it. They were made for an earlier model of Viano but they are going to try and see if it stops the noise on mine. As I have noted there seems to be an issue with after sales service at Mercedes especially when the warranty is involved, I would just like to say that Stratstone Mercedes of Leeds has been absolutely dire!!!!
 

Kge

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Viano
about vibaration

well i have the same problem with an 08 ex long model any up date on how u got it sorted
 

Kge

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well i have the same problem with an 08 ex long model any up date on how u got it sorted
 

monkey boy

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Mercedes
Hi everyone,
I have just noticed that some owners have been posting issues relating to a noise from the rear of the Vito between 55mph - 65mph. I have also noticed this problem on my 58 plate Viano which sounds like someone playing a harmonica between the above speeds and was wondering if anyone has found what the problem is as the other posts relating to this was a number of years ago.

Any help would be grateful.

Thanks
 

nikb

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Hi all,
I own a 2007 Vito 115 cdi, 5-speed automatic at 327 000 km.
I experience the same issue like last comment. At fifth gear, between 2100 and 2200 rpm, during acceleration under load, there is a very strong vibration noise (sounds like resonance noise), comming from the rear side of the vehicle. The strange is that the noise is missing before and after these rpm. Also, if accelerating with less gas, the noise is missing in the a.m. rpm. I already changed the rear diff without any result, the wheel bearings are checked and are ok, the cardan shaft bearings look ok (I disconnected the shaft and tried them - both suspension bearings rotate without noise, the rubber looks fine).
What could the problem be?
 

M80

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You could do with identifying if the vibration is definitely rev related,
You should be able to repeat the symptoms in a lower gear if it's the drive train, as would be my guess.

When you have the vibes try selecting neutral and see if the vibes disappear.
 

bembo449

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a mate of mine has an 06 vito that also has an odd drone at certain speeds , I always thought the sound was coming from the front thow
 

nikb

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Getriebesteuergerät)finitely rev related, but I can hear it quite well at 5th gear as because of the engine load, these rpm are passed slower, compared to 3th or 4th gear (I hear this noise also here, but only for fraction of a second). I tried going to Neutral, but the noise disappears immediately - it appears only during acceleration under load.
I found a topic in www.motor-talk.de with exactly the same symptoms as mine and the final solution was changing the Gearbox control unit inside the gearbox (Getriebesteuergerät).
Has anyone experienced this issue?
You could do with identifying if the vibration is definitely rev related,
You should be able to repeat the symptoms in a lower gear if it's the drive train, as would be my guess.

When you have the vibes try selecting neutral and see if the vibes disappear.
 

M80

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Yes I have.

I tried saving a few quids by fitting a 2nd hand torque converter. No better.
My original TC has now been reconned and is due to be fitted Friday, If the issue still persists then it will be on to the valve body in the gearbox.

Even using a Merc Indie' and having had a Merc dealer engineer (friend) look at it best guess seems to be the way forward.
The vibrations on mine worsened until I would only use it for local journys.
 

Richard Higgott

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I am going through this vito duel liner 2010 66000 miles did anyone ever solve the droning humming noise. Did anyone change there prop shaft
 

M80

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After having two of the uj's replaced, the first by me earlier, the second some time later by the Indie, it made no difference.
To eliminate I fitted a new prop. That didn't solve it either.

If yours is the exLWB I've the prop here that came off my 115 before I sold it. I figured it would be a good spare for the V6 exLWB Viano, wrong it's different.
 

Richard Higgott

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After having two of the uj's replaced, the first by me earlier, the second some time later by the Indie, it made no difference.
To eliminate I fitted a new prop. That didn't solve it either.

If yours is the exLWB I've the prop here that came off my 115 before I sold it. I figured it would be a good spare for the V6 exLWB Viano, wrong it's different.
 

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