4MATIC System - Smoothness of Shifting
02-21-2011, 11:41 AM
#51
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1999 E320 4matic
I have owned and driven a 1999 E320 4Matic since I purchased it from a dealer with 28k miles. It now has 126k mi. I have NEVER experienced the drive train klunking discussed above even though I sacreligeously changed oil at 12k to 18k miles. My baby was rear ended last week. I drove it home (12 mi). My insurance co. totalled it at $8,700 (without any dismantalling). I have since test driven 3 MB E320 4Matics ('99,2000 and 2001) all with 71k to 84k miles. THEY ALL KLUNKED.
02-22-2011, 07:14 PM
#52
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Mars Red 2005 C230k, 2001 E320 4matic
Mine clunks on and off. My car chooses when I feels like working smoothly. I get the steering wheel squeak and the dang 25-30mph clunk sometimes. Resetting the transmission does help with the clunking but as soon as it adapts it comes back. I haven't had anyother problems with it though and i got about 15,000 miles on it since I first noticed the clunk. I did do a transmission fluid flush as well. I test drove a green 2000 320 4 matic and it had serious transmission clunking, even just putting the car into gear. I made the salesman shift his car then get in mine and feel the difference but ofcourse he really didnt care about it. Some idiot will buy it. I want to buy the mother of my child one for safe winter driving!
02-22-2011, 07:31 PM
#53
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2010 ML550, 2010 E350 4M, 1966 Corvette Convt C2
Mine clunks on and off. My car chooses when I feels like working smoothly. I get the steering wheel squeak and the dang 25-30mph clunk sometimes. Resetting the transmission does help with the clunking but as soon as it adapts it comes back. I haven't had anyother problems with it though and i got about 15,000 miles on it since I first noticed the clunk. I did do a transmission fluid flush as well. I test drove a green 2000 320 4 matic and it had serious transmission clunking, even just putting the car into gear. I made the salesman shift his car then get in mine and feel the difference but ofcourse he really didnt care about it. Some idiot will buy it. I want to buy the mother of my child one for safe winter driving!
02-22-2011, 08:13 PM
#54
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Mars Red 2005 C230k, 2001 E320 4matic
Haha I dont think reliability of an engine and transmission has a lot to do with safety buddy! Also shes not my wife sooo, I'm definitly not getting her a car that cost more than 10k. Hell shes not even my girlfriend but she drives and transports my kid in a 2001 saturn with front wheel drive in Minnesota winters it's just asking for something bad. My father was the fire cheif where i'm from and he said 75% of the time medical was called to an accident that involved a saturn, the saturn drivers didnt make it. Sooo 2000-2001 e320 4matic or saturnnnnn........hhmmmm.....
08-25-2015, 06:34 PM
#55
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2000 E 320S4 210.282 4Matic Estate
Found the solution!
OMG, it's hard to believe I have lived with this rear end clunk for ten years now and finally when fixing a seemingly unrelated issue, magically the rear end clunk is gone. 
The front propeller shaft was replaced due to to a broken u-joint. Got lucky my mechanic detected it before it broke off, otherwise the propshaft coming lose would have been catastrophic.
Anyway, replacing that front propshaft immediately cured the rear end clunk. My mechanic, an MB technician, said there must have been some play in that front shaft u-joint that caused that rear end clunk. Suffice to say the car has an entirely new feel now. All these years I drove it permanently on the "W" transmission program since the clunk was at its worse coming to a stop and downshifting into first gear. So now I am experiencing the "S" program and enjoying it very much.
Hopefully this will help some forum members with the issue.
The front propeller shaft was replaced due to to a broken u-joint. Got lucky my mechanic detected it before it broke off, otherwise the propshaft coming lose would have been catastrophic.
Anyway, replacing that front propshaft immediately cured the rear end clunk. My mechanic, an MB technician, said there must have been some play in that front shaft u-joint that caused that rear end clunk. Suffice to say the car has an entirely new feel now. All these years I drove it permanently on the "W" transmission program since the clunk was at its worse coming to a stop and downshifting into first gear. So now I am experiencing the "S" program and enjoying it very much.
Hopefully this will help some forum members with the issue.
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cadman777 (02-21-2024)
10-18-2015, 12:54 AM
#56
Newbie
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this information. I have owned a 2001 W210 4MATIC sedan for just over a year and have experienced this same CLUNK occasionally when decelerating in "S" mode.
Suggestions from this thread have given me the inclination (and know how) to investigate this with my MB mechanic soon.
With gratitude.
Peter W.
Suggestions from this thread have given me the inclination (and know how) to investigate this with my MB mechanic soon.
With gratitude.
Peter W.
OMG, it's hard to believe I have lived with this rear end clunk for ten years now and finally when fixing a seemingly unrelated issue, magically the rear end clunk is gone.
The front propeller shaft was replaced due to to a broken u-joint. Got lucky my mechanic detected it before it broke off, otherwise the propshaft coming lose would have been catastrophic.
Anyway, replacing that front propshaft immediately cured the rear end clunk. My mechanic, an MB technician, said there must have been some play in that front shaft u-joint that caused that rear end clunk. Suffice to say the car has an entirely new feel now. All these years I drove it permanently on the "W" transmission program since the clunk was at its worse coming to a stop and downshifting into first gear. So now I am experiencing the "S" program and enjoying it very much.
Hopefully this will help some forum members with the issue.
The front propeller shaft was replaced due to to a broken u-joint. Got lucky my mechanic detected it before it broke off, otherwise the propshaft coming lose would have been catastrophic.
Anyway, replacing that front propshaft immediately cured the rear end clunk. My mechanic, an MB technician, said there must have been some play in that front shaft u-joint that caused that rear end clunk. Suffice to say the car has an entirely new feel now. All these years I drove it permanently on the "W" transmission program since the clunk was at its worse coming to a stop and downshifting into first gear. So now I am experiencing the "S" program and enjoying it very much.
Hopefully this will help some forum members with the issue.
11-02-2015, 06:54 PM
#57
Junior Member
OMG, it's hard to believe I have lived with this rear end clunk for ten years now and finally when fixing a seemingly unrelated issue, magically the rear end clunk is gone.
The front propeller shaft was replaced due to to a broken u-joint. Got lucky my mechanic detected it before it broke off, otherwise the propshaft coming lose would have been catastrophic.
Anyway, replacing that front propshaft immediately cured the rear end clunk. My mechanic, an MB technician, said there must have been some play in that front shaft u-joint that caused that rear end clunk. Suffice to say the car has an entirely new feel now. All these years I drove it permanently on the "W" transmission program since the clunk was at its worse coming to a stop and downshifting into first gear. So now I am experiencing the "S" program and enjoying it very much.
Hopefully this will help some forum members with the issue.
The front propeller shaft was replaced due to to a broken u-joint. Got lucky my mechanic detected it before it broke off, otherwise the propshaft coming lose would have been catastrophic.
Anyway, replacing that front propshaft immediately cured the rear end clunk. My mechanic, an MB technician, said there must have been some play in that front shaft u-joint that caused that rear end clunk. Suffice to say the car has an entirely new feel now. All these years I drove it permanently on the "W" transmission program since the clunk was at its worse coming to a stop and downshifting into first gear. So now I am experiencing the "S" program and enjoying it very much.
Hopefully this will help some forum members with the issue.
Had a tech who is familiar with BMW and Porsche look at my clunk, and he seems to think it was play in the front differential, which would correlate with what you previously posted about the planetary gear TSB.
Just bought this car a week ago, so I'm hoping I haven't screwed myself by not getting a pre-purchase inspection done.
11-03-2015, 09:08 AM
#58
Junior Member
My 01 e320 4m clunks @80K miles. It also vibrates from 40mph up. I'll check the front propshaft ujoints today. The vibe is ruining my enjoyment of the car. I've replaced wheels and tires, front axles...
