would really appreciate opinions or experiences

drmw

Moderator
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
3,793
Reaction score
198
Location
Yorkshire
Website
www.autonomed.co.uk
Your Mercedes
M6 Cab - prior to that, SL63 AMG, A-M V8 Vantage, SL55, SL500 and many more
Morning peeps - currently in Scotland in Saab 9-3 with no access to tools.

Car was MOTd two weeks back - I did ask that all bushes were lubricated to reduce the groans every time I went over a bump - they did & it has helped a lot.

However we now have a new loud annoying rattle - I can live with it for now but I would appreciate a second (and third) opinion re safe to drive.

Rattle difficult to pinpoint. Not a heavy noise, so thought maybe a heatshield - that I checked & all ok. Thought it might be a backplate (it's that sort of pitch) but no access but this isn't the noise you get with a stone stuck behind.

Not speed or rev related & seems to appear more with minor road bumps (the sort you hardly feel), ie speed bumps don't cause it to happen.

Tried this & that then pulled handbrake on a couple of notches - noise seems to disappear.

Is this likely to be cable or actual wheel mechanism? Anyone had similar? Most importantly, safe to continue driving until back home? The car is 2005 and I would guess this part is 100% Vectra

Thanks in advance
 

whitenemesis

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2006
Messages
17,978
Reaction score
40
Your Mercedes
CLS55 AMG '05
Sounds similar to the parking brake cable on the 203, where the clips break allowing it to contact the propshaft? Does the parking brake hold the car and release cleanly?

Any chance of finding a friendly garage where you could pop it on the ramps?
 
OP
drmw

drmw

Moderator
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
3,793
Reaction score
198
Location
Yorkshire
Website
www.autonomed.co.uk
Your Mercedes
M6 Cab - prior to that, SL63 AMG, A-M V8 Vantage, SL55, SL500 and many more
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #3
Sounds similar to the parking brake cable on the 203, where the clips break allowing it to contact the propshaft? Does the parking brake hold the car and release cleanly?

Any chance of finding a friendly garage where you could pop it on the ramps?

That was my thought process (although it's front wheel drive!) - however the noise could be the cable hitting the exhaust - it's that sort of tone. The mechanism works & releases fine though.

I'm on the Isle of Arran - not exactly over-subscribed with garages !
 

Oarsman

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2010
Messages
827
Reaction score
20
Location
Norfolk
Your Mercedes
W221 S350L CDI Bluetec, Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDI, 1963 Triumph TR4
Could be an ARB bush.
 

whitenemesis

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2006
Messages
17,978
Reaction score
40
Your Mercedes
CLS55 AMG '05
Front wheel drive!!! :shock: :shock:

Perhaps you could jack a wheel up, spin it and listen?

Are you with the AA/RAC?
 
OP
drmw

drmw

Moderator
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
3,793
Reaction score
198
Location
Yorkshire
Website
www.autonomed.co.uk
Your Mercedes
M6 Cab - prior to that, SL63 AMG, A-M V8 Vantage, SL55, SL500 and many more
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #6
Front wheel drive!!! :shock: :shock:

Perhaps you could jack a wheel up, spin it and listen?

Are you with the AA/RAC?

Well, someone has to use front wheel drive :Oops::Oops:

I don't think cover extends to the islands - at least not on the basis there's a unit over here!

It's impossible to describe a noise at the best of times, particularly in writing - it's quite a "light" sound, hence going for heatshield first. I would think an ARB bush gone would have been a heavier sound.

But, with just two clicks on handbrake (it probably goes to 6 if pulled on fully) all it's doing is taking up slack in the cable plus a little bit which could then hold it away from whatever it's hitting.

I'm almost convincing myself now :):)
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
Then this only leavers the handbrake cable touching something that it should not, so its under the car you go before it rains
 
OP
drmw

drmw

Moderator
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
3,793
Reaction score
198
Location
Yorkshire
Website
www.autonomed.co.uk
Your Mercedes
M6 Cab - prior to that, SL63 AMG, A-M V8 Vantage, SL55, SL500 and many more
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #8
Then this only leavers the handbrake cable touching something that it should not, so its under the car you go before it rains

Rain? Here's a live webcam http://arranproperty.co.uk/arran-webcam/

That cloud is all that can be seen & is burning off the hills rapidly. The cottage is up on a hill immediately behind the line of sight of this (badly adjusted!) camera looking across the bay. It's sunny & warm (just right for the midges !!!!!)
 
OP
drmw

drmw

Moderator
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
3,793
Reaction score
198
Location
Yorkshire
Website
www.autonomed.co.uk
Your Mercedes
M6 Cab - prior to that, SL63 AMG, A-M V8 Vantage, SL55, SL500 and many more
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #9
taken 3 minutes ago from the garden
 

Attachments

  • P1010729.jpg
    P1010729.jpg
    557.3 KB · Views: 24

whitenemesis

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2006
Messages
17,978
Reaction score
40
Your Mercedes
CLS55 AMG '05
Ah! Midges, I remember them ... Flying teeth :(
 
OP
drmw

drmw

Moderator
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
3,793
Reaction score
198
Location
Yorkshire
Website
www.autonomed.co.uk
Your Mercedes
M6 Cab - prior to that, SL63 AMG, A-M V8 Vantage, SL55, SL500 and many more
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #11
Ah! Midges, I remember them ... Flying teeth :(

This year however, the midges have brigades of minders - up here they are called "clegs" - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse-fly. They hurt when they get you.

Five bites so far including one 20 minutes ago scrabbling about under the car, so as far as I'm concerned, as nothing is going to fall off or seize or break, sod it, it can wait until I get home!!
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
Interesting the midge thing, when I was in Sweden, Jönköping as about as far south as I could go in the autumn, or they just ate me up, and always on the west coast and never on the east. Arron is pretty much on the same lines as this part of Sweden
 
Last edited:

whitenemesis

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2006
Messages
17,978
Reaction score
40
Your Mercedes
CLS55 AMG '05
This year however, the midges have brigades of minders - up here they are called "clegs" - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse-fly. They hurt when they get you.

Five bites so far including one 20 minutes ago scrabbling about under the car, so as far as I'm concerned, as nothing is going to fall off or seize or break, sod it, it can wait until I get home!!

Yes they do hurt! Midges are annoying but those horse flies smart..

Agree regards the car, forget it and enjoy your holiday :)
 

st4

Banned
Joined
Apr 6, 2008
Messages
8,624
Reaction score
13
Location
Sunny Scotland
Website
1-stephen-taylor.artistwebsites.com
Your Mercedes
Disqualified driver
Yes they do hurt! Midges are annoying but those horse flies smart..

Agree regards the car, forget it and enjoy your holiday :)

Midges are not pleasant, but when i went to Italy last year the mosquitos were much more annoying. Wales was worse for midges than I've ever had up here in Scotland.

I had planned on a tour today, I need to get shots up at Lochan Na-H Achaillaise, Loch Tulla, Loch Etive and Loch Leven as its nice and green up here and it would compliment other images I have of this area but the weather is a bit too cloudy and it didn't clear until the best of the morning light has gone.

Later next week maybe.

Aside, if the OPs cover cannot cover the Islands (thats a new one) a local firm could tow the car to the Ferry and recover it to Greenock, of which a garage can fix.

Arran, never been, always fancied it, must do it.
 
OP
drmw

drmw

Moderator
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
3,793
Reaction score
198
Location
Yorkshire
Website
www.autonomed.co.uk
Your Mercedes
M6 Cab - prior to that, SL63 AMG, A-M V8 Vantage, SL55, SL500 and many more
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #16
Aside, if the OPs cover cannot cover the Islands (thats a new one) a local firm could tow the car to the Ferry and recover it to Greenock, of which a garage can fix.

Arran, never been, always fancied it, must do it.

Steve - the car drives fine, just rattles, so RAC/AA wouldn't attend even on the mainland. It could have been doing it for some time (I don't drive it that often) & you only notice at low speeds particularly with the roof down. The failsafe cure is to turn up the music!

ps - you sail here from Ardossan - if you went to Greenock you would have a bit of a wait ;)

And yes, you must do Arran - I've probably spent three if not four years of my life here - stunning scenery
 

aquanaut

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2009
Messages
115
Reaction score
5
Location
Aberdeen
Your Mercedes
2020 C63s AMG
Nip on the ferry over to tarbert and go to the Skipness Seafood Cabin for lunch, you won't be disappointed!
 
OP
drmw

drmw

Moderator
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
3,793
Reaction score
198
Location
Yorkshire
Website
www.autonomed.co.uk
Your Mercedes
M6 Cab - prior to that, SL63 AMG, A-M V8 Vantage, SL55, SL500 and many more
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #18
the plot thickens - as before a couple of notches on the handbrake kills the noise - as does gently pressing the footbrake.

Do any cars use the same pads for both foot & parking brake? If so, maybe a caliper slightly sticky letting a pad rattle against the disc when the brakes are released?
 
OP
drmw

drmw

Moderator
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
3,793
Reaction score
198
Location
Yorkshire
Website
www.autonomed.co.uk
Your Mercedes
M6 Cab - prior to that, SL63 AMG, A-M V8 Vantage, SL55, SL500 and many more
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #20


www.W140.co.uk&www.r129.co
Specialist in parts for W140 and R129 Mercedes-Benz models.
Top Bottom