I just picked up my 2003 C230 last week and have a question. I noticed that climbing in and out of the car causes a squeak, so I sat on the rear bumper and bounced the car up and down, sure enough, the suspension squeaks.

Is this normal for a new car?

 

If the parking brake was on, it's common (I don't know if that means normal).

If it was off: not normal.

 

there was a service bulliten a while baclk about replaceing the bushings on the sway bars.

 

I also get those kind of squeak too, but just occasionally and it usually happen on a bumpy surface. I called MB my advisor also said that could be due to the bushings.

 

Yes its probably the bushings.

 

I'll check this in a secand post the result... if its when the parking brake is on, its not the bushings... but what is it?

 

OK the squeak is just with the parking brake on, but still, any answers to why it squeaks? or if this is bad, or will go away as the parking brake is used more?

 

Ya know, I ignored it and now I don't know if it went away.

I don't know the cause, but I guess it has something to do with the p-brake mechanism. Does anyone know what the p-brake configuration is? Is it a seperate or cable actuated caliper or is there a drum brake setup inside the "hat"?

I ask because the drum setups can make a lot of squeeks as the shoes rub on the back plate.

 

Come on avlis. The coupe has 4 wheel disc brakes. MB has not made a car with drum brakes for years. Only some cheap domestic vehicles still use rear drum brakes.

 

Viper, I know the coupe has 4 wheel disc. I'm talking about the parking brake. Some cars have a small drum brake located inside the rotor that is only used for parking. I converted my Bronco to use Explorer rear discs and it makes the same squeek when the parking brake is on. Look at the picture in this link so you know what I mean. I'm wondering if MB uses this setup because I don't see a separate parking brake caliper. http://www.4x4central.com/discswap.html

 

Mine do that too. It only squeaks when parking brake is on (when I try to get in or out of the car). I do not hear any squeak going over any bumps. Is it common/normal or something I should be concern about?

 

3000 kms and I think its gone already. Maybe just a new car thing, like the smell of leather.

 

The C Class has rear drum parking brakes. They are inside the inner part of the disc.

That is almost certainly what is causing the squeak. Those type of parking brakes are not too good due to their TINY diameter, and so they slip (causing the squeak) quite easily.

 

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...threadid=14864


old news, had the same problem with my new car, hopefully it can be fixed with the oil.

 

Oil all the parking brake linkages as well as lightly applying the parking brake and moving a few feet so that the pads wear a little. If you are still annoyed then dissamble the rear brakes and oil the spring and adjuster on the parking brake. They are drum parking brakes as stated and are very small and most likely rust during shipping. Also try working the parking brake on and off several times to loosen it up some. This is comen on most cars with 4 wheel disks and drum parking brakes.