ivarra

Hi,

My C240 is 4 months old. I am ready to sell it!!


I have a rapid, slight but annoying vibration on the steering wheel between 30 and 40 mph. It is now in the shop for the 3rd time. Before, all they did was check the balancing and say that it was 100% ok. I have a feeling the vibration is in the steering system. Now they are checking the steering.


Do you know if this is common on the c240? I would want to replace the car if it can't get fixed. They tell me it may just be a 'feature'?! I am not sure what I should accept and live with any longer as far as cars go!


Thanks


Ivar

shtatc

I have not had a problem with any unusual vibration in the steering wheel. I have had my C240 since 9/01 - 24000 miles. Changed wheels/tires (17" AMG staggered set) at about 12000 miles. And no unusual vibrations felt in the steering wheel. I would not just "settle" and "live with it". Would try to get it fixed if possible.

Smoky

As I understand it, vibrations in the steering wheel are caused by unbalanced rotating mass. This is usually, or maybe always the wheels. I can't think of steering components that would cause a vibration like you describe.

This is very fixable. They'll chase down tires, wheel balancing, and maybe rotors, until they find it. Keep after your dealer, and it will be fixed.

My thoughts, Smoky

Fuzzo

is your car vibration around 36 or 37 mph.. if it is.. then it's is somewhat of a known problem. Does the vibration go away after the car warms up. I had this same problem and it was pretty much from flat spotting of the tires. after the tires warmed up, the vibration went away....

TXTiger

I have a C240 with no vibration issues. It could be tread separation of the tire.....

MarkL

My C240 is smooth as silk - no vibration. I had a car, several back, w/ a vibration problem. Eventually, they had to change the tires. Try having them rotate the back to the front to see if it improves. I agree, it's got to be the wheels or tires, and it's not normal.

ivarra

Thanks for the response everyone,

Yes, the vibration does disappear after the car is warm - hence my frustration when I couldnt produce the problem on a test drive with the mechanic just after I got there.

I hope it is only the tires, although I know they are looking into the steering compnents. He thinks the vibration is to rapid to be from the tires.

Ivar

GhiaDad

No vibrations at any speed up to 100mph or so.
I agree that likely a wheel is out of balance (threw a weight?), or warped (hit a curb?), or tires are out-of-round or separated.

Jim Banville

Damn! No one mentioned "lemoning" it? What has this group come too!

MarkL

If it happens consistently, and although it will be a hassle, you might want to consider leaving it there overnight and meeting them in the morning for a test drive -- just a thought. I have noticed on occasion a slight vibration around 35-40mph but I don't feel it specifically in the steering wheel. It seems to disappear after driving a while, so it might be the flat spot problem w/ the tires. But like I said, it only happens once in a while.

c240x

I've noticed a slight vibration sometimes just shortly after starting the car at at around 30-40 mph. It goes away shortly though so I wouldn't worry too much about it. The flat spot tire sounds like a reasonable explanation. What type of tire is on it right now?

MB-BOB

I have 11,000 miles on the Pirelli P6 tires on my C320. No vibrations at all.

This is not a problem you should "accept." I can't believe they suggest it's a "feature." If they can't fix it to YOUR satisfaction within a timeframe YOU think is reasonable, tell them you want to speak with the MB-USA regional service Manager to find out why not.

Sorry you're having the problems.

Fuzzo

i don't really know how much control the dealer has over tire flatspotting... I'm not too familiar with hte whole concept but is it temprature dependant.... i would think so since it goes away when the tires warm up...and I notice it a lot more on colder days...

but it's definitely worth a shot to see what they say

ivarra

The car is running on Michellins. I'm not sure which type. It is still at the dealer.

dchoe

Hi guys,

I had similar problems and had the same experince when I tried the fix the vibration problem. Every shop I went to said it's either the tire balance or alignment.

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...d=1#post947027

Check your bushings. Thats what fixed it for me.

Nuvolari

I had the exact problem on my other car after fitting a new set of tires to it. While the tires will balance, they will create a vibration due to them being out of round. Once I replaced the tires again (no charge of course) the problem was gone. A tire 'hop' can be seen when a tire is spun on a tire machine and there are acceptable parameters set out by the tire manufacturers.

rockintunes23

oh relax. You can hope someone runs a stop sign and total your car like they did mine. lol

Outland

Its sure soundling like the tire itself. Rotate the tires to the back, it might go away, or at least not manifest itself in the steering wheel. You probably have some internal damage to one tire from a bad pot hole or something.

mike82y

im having the exact same problem as you have... im still unsure what the cause is...

Mike

elchinocache

where do you live? Ever since it started to drop below 40 in the morning wen my tires are cold the vibrate a little. since my tires are kinda soft they tend to develop a flat spot on them from being parked in the driveway all night. once i get moving and the tires warm up a bit the flat spot goes away and the shaking stops. Its not a big violent shaking, but its very suttle i can notice that its there. Maybe its your tires and the cold weather. if you do not live in a cold climate area then maybe the problem is somewhere else. and if u do live in cold weather climate and it bothers you that much the way to fix your problem is to park your car and then put it up on jacks so that the tires dont touch the ground and develop a flat spot.

xqwizit

Guys,
I have this same problem in my 2002 C32 and was also told that it was balanced tires by the dealer. I got my Michelen PSII's balanced and the vibration did not go away. After reading C32life's FAQ's, seems that this is what they say:
Replace your drive shaft. Yes the whole thing. C32 driveshafts (like all C-Class) is a 2 piece affair. Talk to your dealer and have him call AMG for the warranty procedure. Had mine done and no more vibration, took the whole of half a day and mow gone are the bad vibes.

The culprit seems to be the CV joint, it leaks and run low on grease and vibrate until the remainder of the grease heats and expands. It is not a serviceable part.

You can also tell if you have a problem by removing the aluminium shield that covers the driveshaft and seeing if there is grease on the underbody (refer to the old picture I once had posted a few weeks back)

I'll be taking my car in this coming Tues to have a whole lot of work on it so I'm hoping they'll fix it b/c I won't live with this vibration. When I brake it feels like I have warped brake rotors when I get near 40MPH but only at around 40MPH and it bugs the heck out of me.

shorthair

I had the same vibration (I will call it a shudder) at about 34-35 mph when warming up.

The dealer looked at it, saw the problem and according to the RO did the following: R&R heat shields under vehicle and shimmed drive line center support 4mm. That seemed to clear it up.

hth.