creaking noise when pulling away or reversing

[jimmymack]

Just a quickie
1999 c class 200 esprit
When I let the parking brake off and reverse, or when I just lift my foot off the brake and let it creep forwards on the auto box, there is a creaking noise which must be the brakes releasing, is there a way of stopping this or is it a noise C CLass owners have to put up with?

 

[jimmymack]

OK, I guess this problem is not widespread and probably only occuring on my car?

 

[tom7035]

OK, I guess this problem is not widespread and probably only occuring on my car?

Hi jimmymack.
Not the easiest one! It's a bit vague and everyone's interpretation of a noise can be different. Simple flexing of a tyre (particularly under inflated) can produce a 'creaking' noise rolling on a smooth surface, but then in my own experience so can a partially siezed driveshaft u/joint! Can't you pin it down a little more precisely with the help of a friend outside the car? I personally can't equate a noise like this with brakes releasing.
Try to be a little more specific. It is likely to be something very simple IMO.
Cheers, Tom.

 

[jimmymack]

OK, if you can visualise the noise that a creaky door makes when you slightly open it?
It goes away after you have driven for even a short distance, but it is not something I have encountered before, and I have driven cars with a hand brake built into a drum in the back disks (Volvo) and when the hand brake acts on the piston of the disk (MR2) as well as the usual drum brake (most small cars).
Maybe the hand brake is not fully releasing?
As the weather has been so bad over the last few weeks I have not wanted to get "down and dirty" on the drive taking the wheel off to see how the hand brake mechanism works

 

[tom7035]

Any Volvo I've worked on in the past ('way past!!) has been similar to MB, that is, the parking brake is contained in the drums, totally independent of the footbrake calipers/pistons/discs.
The parkbrake works via cables only directly to the independent shoes in the drums and are not connected in any way with the calipers/pistons/discs. I still can't equate a 'creaking' with brakes.
Does the noise occur 'on the roll' either uphill or downhill with engine off for example or has power to be applied to produce it? If you move and roll to a stop without applying brakes, does it happen again and again or only once? All these little things might help to identify it from a distance.

 

[jimmymack]

hi Tom, thanks very much
the noise mainly seems to occur when pulling slowly away after being parked up, this happens in either drive or reverse.
Obviously, the automatic gearbox requires me to apply the foot brake before letting off the hand brake to prevent creeping. So it is when I lift the footbrake off that it happens.
How can I describe the noise any better?? well, it is a momentry grinding noise as the wheel is released, there is no apparent difficulty for the car to move?
As you described the parking brake system, I am going to try a trick I learned when I had a volvo. It was known then that as the brake shoes were never really used apart from holding the car stationary, some dust and occasional rust occasionally built up, and holding the parking brake on till it just starts to bite for about 500 yards cleared the drum nicely, perhaps this might help, I will try it tomorrow.
thanks very much

 

[tom7035]

Yes, something along those lines I suspect, but may me worthwhile when you get the time to take the drums off. Maybe a broken pull-off spring?
Keep in touch with any result.

 

[garethc200k]

jimmymack
I know what u mean I get it just for a moment sometimes when u first move off, I very rarely use the parking brake tho, just leave it in park so maybe the noise is not related to the parking brake.
if u do find out what it is let us know

c200 auto 2002

 

[tom7035]

Re. not using the parking brake, I would recommend it is used from time to time, if only to keep the cables from seizing up.

 

[garethc200k]

tom7035
That’s a good point I’ll have to remember to use it more often, good news tho! it passed its mot today

 

[jimmymack]

Hi
I tried the trick of putting the handbrake on when your moving, but this only proved that it was not the parking brake that was at fault.
As the car tries to creep forwards in "drive", gradually letting the brake pedal off allows the groaning noise to occur.
I will be taking a wheel off this weekend and having a look around to see if there is anything obviously amiss.
I too have been parking the car up without using the handbrake for about a week now, I hope that this does not cause the gearbox any problems, I'm sure it won't but heed the advise about using it now and again to keep the mechanism free.

On another front, I posted elsewhere about the small areas of rust found under the door rubbers, I recieved a call back from MB dealer yesterday saying it would all be done under "goodwill", thats nice.

 

[jimmymack]

well, after a while I decided to get something done about it, took it to the local MB dealer...guess what, they couldn't replicate the noise !! So I took it to a local mechanic who got in and immediatley found the problem........apparently it is a new compound of brake pad which glazes up quickly and "slips" against the disc when the car creeps forwards or backwards on an automatic, getting more common as this pad compound finds it's way onto the markets, it can be cured temporarily by de glazing the pads and re-fitting but will come back again very soon, and it is also worse in damp conditions which fits in with what I found too. It is totally harmless and is not a cause for concern apparantley...Phew!

 

[Birdman]

I had exactly this problem, as you describe it, but never thought it was other than a trivial annoyance and probably a characteristic of the car. Had it on two W210's now, though more with the pre-facelift car than the AMG. Glad to find I was right on the trivial aspect!

 

[kalacoconut]

I get the same problem - you are not alone.