Intermittent buzzing/growling from passenger side Front of car - R231 pulsation damper

[SL63 Mark]

Car is 2016 SL63 with 21,000 miles.

You can hear it at idle, it comes and goes, it is loud in the car, it is loud when you press your ear to the NSF wing.

It sounds like a noisy pump or bearings.

Any idea what this could be ? It does not seem to be coming from the ABC pump, but from the actual wing area. Is there a pump in the wing that could be making this noise ?

Car has done 21,000 miles only.

I have booked it in to MB to see if they can trace it, but in the meantime any ideas from the group would be welcome.

Thanks in advance

PS there are no warning lights or messages. Car drives fine.

 

[mattkh]

.... It does not seem to be coming from the ABC pump,

What about from the ABS pump..??

 

[SL63 Mark]

Not sure, does it have one ?

 

[mattkh]

Not sure, does it have one ?

Pass.

 

[Blobcat]

Not sure, does it have one ?

Yes

 

[onefortheroad]

What is an ABC pump on a Mercedes?


Active Body Control, or ABC, is the Mercedes-Benz brand name used to describe electronically controlled hydropneumatic suspension.

Abs we all know to be antilock braking system.

 

[pgh13]

Is it a wagon? If it has self leveling rear suspension, that's where the pump is (on an E class)

 

[onefortheroad]

Is it a wagon? If it has self leveling rear suspension, that's where the pump is (on an E class)

An sl63 estate ??

 

[SL63 Mark]

Right time for a quick update on this one. After 2.5 hours diagnosis and various internet searches, I think it is a faulty pulsation damper which is on top of the ABC pump. This causes a noisy ABC pump which resonate through the car and steering. MB tech is agreeing, but isn't 100% sure as he hasn't seen this before.

So the car is booked in to have this replaced on Wednesday, "while you wait" by MB. I have not been driving the car, as a faulty damper may cause damage to the ABC system.

A new pulsation damper is £150 plus 0.7 hours labour. So I will update this thread to let you know if it fixed. Can we add a tag to this thread please, ?
"R231 pulsation damper" as I can't be the only one with this problem. Thankyou

 

[Blobcat]

Right time for a quick update on this one. After 2.5 hours diagnosis and various internet searches, I think it is a faulty pulsation damper which is on top of the ABC pump. This causes a noisy ABC pump which resonate through the car and steering. MB tech is agreeing, but isn't 100% sure as he hasn't seen this before.

So the car is booked in to have this replaced on Wednesday, "while you wait" by MB. I have not been driving the car, as a faulty damper may cause damage to the ABC system.

A new pulsation damper is £150 plus 0.7 hours labour. So I will update this thread to let you know if it fixed. Can we add a tag to this thread please, ?
"R231 pulsation damper" as I can't be the only one with this problem. Thankyou

Added to thread title for you

 

[SL63 Mark]

Just to confirm, MB replaced the pulsation damper today, and the unpleasant growling noise has gone.

Total cost £183 parts plus £78 labour. To say I am pleased is an understatement.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[alexanderfoti]

Super common as well! Surprised they haven't seen it before.

You heard it in the wing as the pressure outlet pipe is resonating with pulses that shouldn't be there and your hearing it at the valve body

 

[SL63 Mark]

Super common as well! Surprised they haven't seen it before.

You heard it in the wing as the pressure outlet pipe is resonating with pulses that shouldn't be there and your hearing it at the valve body

They don't see many SL63s locally. It's a small provincial dealership. Their MB tech tips forum wasn't much help, apparently.

I am enjoying driving round in a noise free car. Bliss.

 

[Burnsatspeeds]

Just like to say thanks to SL63 Mark, Mercedes changed my pulsation damper today and used your 0.7 hour labour charge, as their system said 4 hours. But I told them it’s the one on the top not in the wing. My SL is now silent.