Hi guys,

I noticed this for awhile but I never really got to ask or look it up. Nor do I know if this is an actual problem or not...

here is a short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=modFDVBTmME

The video is with the car OFF and in PARK with Parking Brake applied.

The car was recently aligned and hit nothing to damage the suspension/steering.

 

I been having the same thing. I changed everything I could bushings, tie rod ends, new fasteners on the front suspension, and did an alignment last week but I still have the free play too. It's annoying because the freeways and streets here in Los Angeles have been horrible and It pulls in potholes and un-even streets. I'm thinking of changing the upper controls arms, maybe possibly the lower ones too, the complete tie rod assembly, steering damper (again, i changed mine last year). I'm for sure going to do the Front & rear shocks and replacing them bilstein Shocks or OEM. If it still does that it must be something to do with the steering column or the Gear Box needs rebuilding.

After searching in google, some say it might be the idler arm / bushing It never crossed my mind, i'm going to try that see it it might work. part# for Idler Arm 2024600319

 

i've got it too.

 

Tony,

Did you every find the solution to this issue? I know this is a 3-year old thread, but I just got my 2000 C230 back in May. At that time the car only had 15,000 original miles - always garaged.

I never noticed it before till now - the free play in the steering, that is. The mileage is now approx 22,000 - still very low for a 14-15 year old car. I thought that perhaps this was "normal" for this car - but very "un-German" in my opinion. As a result, the car tends to have poor path control on the highway - meaning that it takes constant steering correction to keep the car "in line". I've had the tires all checked, balanced and rotated - and alignment done, re-done and re-re-done and the printouts all show that the 4-wheel alignment is spot-on.

I don't know if this car has a rack-and-pinion or recirculating ball type steering system - but I suspect it's that latter as I know the older M-B's had this type of set up, plus the fact that I've already read a lot on the forums about replacing the idler arm (which, to my knowledge) is only associated with the older-style recirculating ball set up.

I love driving this car locally as it handles like a dream on the switchbacks, but driving it on the he highway is a whole different experience - and unpleasant one at that.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark

 

Maybe your cars are haunted :O

 

If not going to contribute anything - why bother responding at all?

I'm looking into tire pull as the possible culprit. Found a garage that not only uses Hunter's latest road-force tire balancer, but they also have Hunter's optional StraightTrak equipment which measures lateral forces for each tire and then instructs the technician as to the best placement on the vehicle for each of the 4 tires.

If interested anyone can read about it here:

http://www.gsp9700.com/how/straighttrak.htm

 

I've got something similar in my '98 C200 (190,000km). It has gradually got worse over the past year, but now with loose clunking noises coming from the front suspension. I suspect my ball joints need replacing (along with whatever bushes one should replace). The car is ok for getting about around town, but quite scary now above 100km/h.

 

Hey Nic Aus,

I haven't yet had the $ to have my mechanic check out my problem since I last posted about this issue. But I have started to notice some noises coming from the front suspension since then that I've never noticed before. These noises, so far as I can tell, only occur when I am slowly pulling into the parking lot at my apartment complex. My complex is located on a street which is a steep hill. Whether I am making a left or right into the lot (depending on whether I'm coming up or down the hill as I approach the entrance) - it's usually (but not always) the outside wheel that makes the noise (sometimes the inside one), and it occurs just as the inside wheel is loading up as it makes contact with the curb-like lip at the entrance of the lot.
This doesn't happen every time but so far I have only heard this noise during this low-speed maneuver - and it's becoming more routine as time passes...which means that whatever it is, it's getting worse. The noise that I hear is a "click" which I suspect is either my sway bar end links or, even possibly, my ball joints or tie rods. Regardless of the cause, I am befuddled by this because my car only has 24,000 miles (38,624 kilometers) on the odometer. This car was purchased by me about 9 months ago from an estate - it was owned by an older woman who passed away. Apparently she barely drove it as it only had 15,000 miles on it when I bought it back in March - and it was garaged kept the entire time she owned it. So I find it hard to believe that any suspension parts would be worn out at this relatively early juncture but, then again, rubberized items (such as suspension bushings and boots) are prone to dry rot in a car that's been under-driven....and especially if that car was stored in a dry, heated garage...such as my car was. Anyway I'm going to have it checked out sooner or later if/when the gods of finance smile down upon me and permit me to do so. I'm fanatical about posting back with my findings, and will do so once I have them to report, so that others can hopefully utilize the info and benefit from my experience. Hey, isn't that what these forums are all about?!?

Stay tuned....

Mark

 

Hi Guys

I experienced the same , there is always a little play but not that much that it, The fix was , New Drag link and a new Damper ( Shock absorber on the drag link) Initially i only changed the drag link , not the damper .so get the OE damper, its one of the cheaper Mercedes parts (was cheaper than after market)

If your steering is hard , Squeels or groans or makes a noise when turning the wheel , then have the hydraulics checked, eg. the Fluid,level , maybe flush , power steering unit and filter..