Steering noise

[ACCA]

Got a 2000 W210 E320 Cdi Estate. Recently, the steering wheel gives a faint moaning and grinding noise when it turns especially when stationary. Dealership technician couldn't find any reason for it. Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Blobcat]

If it's anything like mine it is the steering wheel rubbing against the binacle. When I first had it the noise was quite concerning. Dealer looked at it a couple of times but nothing amiss. I suppose I could try and get some silicone spray in the gap but I don't notice it now.

 

[ACCA]

Finally took the car to an independent Mercedes specialist which lubricated the parts? within the steering column. The moaning noise disappeared for a while but it eventually came back. Can still hear it when the steering wheel is turned while the car is stationary. Any more advice from owners out there?

ACCA

 

[mouldb]

Could be air in your power steering pump mech.
Take PAS resivoir cap off, jack front wheels off ground, turn steering wheel from lock to lock. now start engine and do the same. Top up level if req.

Worth a try!


Bruce

 

[sv4]

Have you checked your power steering fliud level? If it is low, try topping it up, as this will also cause the groaning sound.

 

[ACCA]

Thanks for the advice. Wants to give this a try but where is the PAS reservoir. Had a look under the bonnet and could only see those for coolant and brake fruid. Don't think the Haynes manual for my E-class is out yet and so it would be nice to have more guidelines on what to do.

ACCA

 

[mouldb]

Hi,
The PAS filler cap is on the front right of the engine as you look at it from the front. A black rectangular shaped box about 120mm X 220mm in size, with a screw cap.


Bruce.

 

[jberks]

Hate to mention it but I had a squeak/groan on my 210 when I got it. After several attempts at lubricating the column, the dealer eventually replaced the rack. Solved the problem but probably not what you wanted to hear.

 

[ACCA]

Just an update. After lubricating the bushes? at the bottom of the steering column, the steering wheel was taken off in the second visit to Cornerstone, Ilton, for checking if it is indeed rubbing the binnacle. Thought this was the case but the moaning noise didn't go away. The next investigation involved the changing and flushing out of the PAS fluid. The noice was still there but it happens less frequently now. It seems to have disappeared until next time especially after the car has been driven for a long journey (> 1h). Spent around £200 in finding out a solution so far. I've been advised to put up with this occasional moan from the steering wheel unless I want to spend more money on investigation or for having the whole steering column replaced.

 

[stumpy]

I've got this on my M5 BMW and to be honest it's always done it and hasn't got any worse, so I just ignore it. I don't want to pour money down the drain trying to find the cause.

 

[Lacy]

My W210 is VERY sensitive to the fluid level in the reservoir. I have had to top it up twice now in the 2 years I have owned it......It will start to groan as soon as the level starts to drop. I keep the fluid level close to the maximum mark and have no further problems.

 

[ACCA]

Hi,

The grinding noise has significantly been reduced after replacing and topping up the PAS fuild nearly to max level. Sometimes it is not there at all. As you said, I'll check the oil level regularly and top it up accordingly.

BTW, do you use MB oil? It will cost around £20-25 a litre which is not too bad at all. However, I wonder if there is any decent generic alternatives on the market which one can use safely.

 

[ACCA]

One year on the same steering noise returned out of the blue despite the fact that the PAS fluid level is on maximum in the reservoir. Noticed the colour of the fluid is somewhat darker than that a year ago. Like before, the noise only comes on when the steering wheel is turned clockwise and anti-clockwise when the car is at standstill or during slow manoeuvring like parking. Also, the noise won't come on until the engine has been warmed up after a long journey. Any advice.

 

[Topboy]

ACCA,

I've got exactly the same thing on my C Class 270cdi.

Been meaning to take it down to my local mechanic for a while but been busy.

MB looked quickly at it and said there was nothing wrong, but when it does grind / grate it sounds expensive.

If I get anywhere, I'll let you know.

 

[northcave]

me too

yep me too,,, got the groaning and i thought it was the belt slipping.

I now notice the level is Very low. So a few questions:

Have i done any damaged driving it around with the fludi low?

In the hand book it says automatic trasmission fluid. Is there any specific type for a merc or standard auto tran fluid?

 

[ACCA]

Don't know if there had been any damages done but I would top up the fluid asap since you've now spotted the problem. I would use specific MB oil myself whose code can be found on the cap of the PAS fluid reservoir I believe. For my W210, the code is 001 989 2003/12. It would probably be the same with yours.

My plan at the moment is to change the fluid myself to see whether a clean batch of oil will silence the groaning noise. Since it doesn't seem to be that easy and accessible to drain the oil out from the bottom of the reservoir, I ordered a Sealey AK46 syringe pump which I hope will syphon off around 450mL of oil at a time. May be four or five rounds of syphoning will get most of the oil out. What I don't know at the moment is the actual volume of oil that I need to add. Does anyone know by the way? My wild guess is about 2L. I'm going to get the oil from the local MB dealership and I think each 1L bottle will cost around £12-15.

Will post again once I've got round to do the job.

 

[northcave]

Had mine just topped up for a grand total of £2. Sorted the problem instantly.

 

[ACCA]

Just an update on what I've done. Siphoned off about 1.3L of old (yellow brown) oil using the Sealey AK46 pump. Quite a simple job but the hose needs to be at least 25cm long in order to get to the bottom of the reservoir. Replaced with about the same volume of new (clear light yellow) oil which cost me £27.94 incl. VAT (2 x 1L) to buy from a local MB dealer. Took the car for a run and did 18 miles round trip. No more moaning noise was heard and so I would presume the problem has now been cured. I hope this is not a prematured conclusion. If I go by the outcome of this DIY job, it seems to me that my W210 is very sensitive to the quality of the PAS oil as well as having the correct level of it in the reservoir. I think other members had posted a similar conclusion in the past.

 

[kth286]

You should renew the filter in there as well.

Turkey baster is a suitable syphon - 90 pence or something from Tesco cookwares.

 

[ACCA]

Thanks for the advice. Apart from getting the filter from an MB dealership, is there any independent parts supplier in the South West region that I try. I live not far from Bristol.