Hi all,
I have a 2003 C220 CDI, W203. It is behaving very strange to the extent I am nearly afraid to drive it. It feels like it is floating when driving and extremely difficult to keep in a straight line. Going around bends are a challenge as it will kick the back out real easily, sometimes feels like its drifting. Even driving on a fairly straight-ish road, if you wander on to the white line, especially when wet you can easily lose control. Feels like its aqua-planing. Any change in surfaces under the wheels, between the offside and nearside can cause the car to go to the side. Come out of a roundabout and put you foot down normally, again more so in the wet, it will kick out. Driving on a small road and a car comes the other way, its challenging to slow the car down in a straight line. When you go around a bend a little quicker than normal but not excessive, the body of the car feels like its pointing more into the bend that it should. It's like the body has come loose from the chasis.
Done so far:
Had a good look around underneath with a few different mechanics and started changing arms all over the place. Front drop links changed, front upper and lower control arms changed, two drop link type arms changed in the rear. New Pirelli tyres all round, tracking checked twice. Tyre pressures ok. Front wheel bearings checked and slightly tightened. Checked the sub-frame bushings and they seem ok. Shocks checked by different mechanics using the old push down on all four corners technique and all seems fine.
In my own mind it feels like the body isn't attached to the chasis properly. Also it feels like the power going to the back wheels isn't controlled properly, i.e. hit uneven surfaces and one of the back wheels feel likes it has more grip quite suddenly and throws the car aggressively to the near side. After heavy rain and there are puddles on the edge of the road, everyone knows that pull to the left feeling when you hit a large puddle, well this car will take you into the ditch if you were unaware of what the car might do. My wife when she sits in the car notices the same floating/out of control feeling from the passenger side. She says there seems to be a hum/vibration in the footwell/wheelarch area. Also there is an unexplained knock in the rear nearside of the car. Mechanic says it feels like there is something loose in the boot area but unable to locate.
Apologies for the long post but I needed to fully explain this and hopefully someone has a definite answer. Please do be afraid to reply with any suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
Michael.
I have a 2003 C220 CDI, W203. It is behaving very strange to the extent I am nearly afraid to drive it. It feels like it is floating when driving and extremely difficult to keep in a straight line. Going around bends are a challenge as it will kick the back out real easily, sometimes feels like its drifting. Even driving on a fairly straight-ish road, if you wander on to the white line, especially when wet you can easily lose control. Feels like its aqua-planing. Any change in surfaces under the wheels, between the offside and nearside can cause the car to go to the side. Come out of a roundabout and put you foot down normally, again more so in the wet, it will kick out. Driving on a small road and a car comes the other way, its challenging to slow the car down in a straight line. When you go around a bend a little quicker than normal but not excessive, the body of the car feels like its pointing more into the bend that it should. It's like the body has come loose from the chasis.
Done so far:
Had a good look around underneath with a few different mechanics and started changing arms all over the place. Front drop links changed, front upper and lower control arms changed, two drop link type arms changed in the rear. New Pirelli tyres all round, tracking checked twice. Tyre pressures ok. Front wheel bearings checked and slightly tightened. Checked the sub-frame bushings and they seem ok. Shocks checked by different mechanics using the old push down on all four corners technique and all seems fine.
In my own mind it feels like the body isn't attached to the chasis properly. Also it feels like the power going to the back wheels isn't controlled properly, i.e. hit uneven surfaces and one of the back wheels feel likes it has more grip quite suddenly and throws the car aggressively to the near side. After heavy rain and there are puddles on the edge of the road, everyone knows that pull to the left feeling when you hit a large puddle, well this car will take you into the ditch if you were unaware of what the car might do. My wife when she sits in the car notices the same floating/out of control feeling from the passenger side. She says there seems to be a hum/vibration in the footwell/wheelarch area. Also there is an unexplained knock in the rear nearside of the car. Mechanic says it feels like there is something loose in the boot area but unable to locate.
Apologies for the long post but I needed to fully explain this and hopefully someone has a definite answer. Please do be afraid to reply with any suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
Michael.
