SpeedDemon

Has anyone here ever had problems with the springs in the driver's seat making a lot of noise. This started about a month ago in my 03 C240 with about 35k miles.

Whenever I hit any bumps in the road, I can here the springs in the seat clicking/creaking/being noisy as my weight is lifted on and off the seat. I can replicate the noise by pressing down on the seat with my hand even when the car is parked.

Do the springs need to be lubricated? Anyone have any experience fixing this?

I'm getting really annoyed by it

Thanks!

Glyn M Ruck

Apply silicone spray

SpeedDemon

Where and how?

If it is the springs on the bottom of the seat that are problematic, am I going to have to remove the seat from the car? Then how do I spray the springs?

Glyn M Ruck

There are two things that people report causing seat squeeks - springs & mechanisms & plastic touching the side of the upholstery. I have a South African built C240 '03 & no squeeks. Yours was probably Brazilian built.

Taking seat out achieves a better job: Place fuzzy side Velcro between plastic and seat in areas marked blue - read sticky

Spray silicone or WD40 on all mechanisms & springs under the seat. (aerosol cans)

SpeedDemon

Thanks Glyn!

Any DIYs on taking the seat out that you know of?

SpeedDemon

Wow, that fixed it! I just took some WD-40 and sprayed it on the springs that you can see from the underside of the seat. It worked like magic! I'm going to have to get some good silicon spray though to make sure that I can get something in there that will last.

Also, my 03 C240 has cloth on the sides of the seats in the areas you showed in this picture (nothing to rub on the plastic other than cloth which kind of solves the problem itself):


I guess that some W203s must have leather or vinyl on the side of the seat???

Glyn M Ruck

I looked for a hour and was unable to find.

SpeedDemon

I owe you big time Glyn... I've been putting up with that noisy seat for about a month now and it was driving me nuts. I can't believe the fix was so easy.

Mu9enx

can you tell me where you sprayed the springs? it would be a BIG favor if you can circle the areas you sprayed!

Glyn M Ruck

Pleasure - I can't stand even the slightest squeek or rattle in the cabin of a car - so why should you.

Glyn M Ruck

Yes, MB Tex or leather - mines full leather - but hey you don't have that problem.

Glyn M Ruck

Mu - this is a terrible pic of the underside of a seat, but people don't photograph the underside of seats generally & this was the best I could find. Let SD answer you but you can see one spring on the RHS bottom corner of the pic.

Mu9enx

thank you glyn! i'm going to spray the **** out of it when i get it back, haha!

Glyn M Ruck

I tried to stick my head under my seat this afternoon. Difficult - I'm a big guy. There are a few springs under there that I can half see. Hopefully SD will let us know.

SpeedDemon

It would be hard for me to get a camera under there and get a picture that is worth looking at but if you raise the seat up as high as it can go and the scoot it all the way forward then you should be able to get your head and a can of WD-40 under there. You'll easily see the two springs in the back corners of the seat.

Definitely take some paper towel though and put it on the carpet below the springs so you can spray the crap out of them without having to worry about dripping WD-40 on your carpet. Once you have the towel down, then just spray them as completely as possible. Then just move the seat back to where it goes or at least so that you can fit back in, and bounce up and down on it lightly (you could also use your hand and push down on it a few times if that doesn't wear you out too much; make sure the springs travel fully). Then just move it all the way forward and up again, and go spray them some more. Let the WD-40 sit for a minute and then take another towel and wipe down any extra WD-40 that might drip.

You can't miss the springs though in the rear once your head is under the seat... there are only two of them. Like I said, they are in the rear corners.

Mu9enx

you're awesome man! a to both you and glyn!

Cintoman

Oh....I am so much like you in this respect Glyn. I hate any squeek or rattle, no matter how minor.

Awhile back, I had the worse clicking sound coming from my seatbelt mount on the B-pillar. Right next to my left ear. Most annoying clicking ever...think of those desk toys with 6 hanging marbles where they swing back and forth bouncing each other. That type of sound. Only not as loud. Took 2 trips to the dealership to fix it. But thankfully it hasn't come back.

Surprisingly, my car has been really quiet inside and out, despite our recent New England cold spell where it dipped down to -2 F (-19 C or so). Typically, that's when the rattles start to show up. But they really haven't, besides a very minor buzz from one of the rear speakers on the rear deck when going over some very jarring bumps...regardless of whether the audio is on or off. But I'm talking rattle-your-fillings-loose kind of bumps.

The lack of rattles despite the extreme cold further substantiates my continual amazement at how solid these cars are built

Cintoman

JLD2k3

Glyn,
or anybody else, my seat belt reel groans and moans when I lean forward. How can I grease that bad boy?

Glyn M Ruck

I don't know - but I've read a post on that somewhere on the forum - Let me see if I can find it.

Glyn M Ruck

Paul - I know what you mean. Had a friend with a new Lexus in my car the other day & he said to me -" how old is this car? It's dead quiet. My Lexus rattles". Well my car is 5 years old.

I have respect for the level of finish on a Lexus - paint, fit, & all that - boring otherwise. BUT I have NEVER been in a Lexus without a rattle or squeak.

Glyn M Ruck

A dump of seatbelt noise complaints on W203 & very few fixes. They don't sound like your problem.


Rattle on the plastic cover of the driver's seat belt (the one near the adjuster).
Buzzing from driver's seat belt anchor
Seat belt adjuster rattling (replaced)
I'm starting to hear sounds from the seat belt adjuster
It seems to be coming form the seat belt mechanism. Everytime I barely strain on the seat belt (accelerate, decelarte, turns), it makes that popping noise
you are not alone, i also have that clicking noise from the seatbelt
I had this rattle noise on both of my seatbelt mechanism. Dealer fixed both of them by installing some felt inside. Hope the the noise doesn't come back in the future.
I finally was able to record it on my Treo 650 (video)...and showed it to my service advisor and a tech. He then ordered a whole new seatbelt assembly and installed it. Since then, I've never heard it again. It sounds like 2 pieces of metal hitting each other. The best description of the sound would be like 2 marbles hitting each other lightly.
The question I have, is does anyone have a technical response to this problem with the seatbelt mounting area clicking during the slightest movement of the seatbelt? I read above that some people managed to get their tech to replace the whole seatbelt assembly, but I don't know if that would fly over at my stealership, as they'll probably just stuff some foam inside and call it a day, which I will then refuse this, and then they'll just say it's an "inherent vehicle characteristic." My *ss.
We've experienced the very same annoying "tinking" noise from both of our seatbelt mechanisms with our '06 C230
I had a rattle in one of my rear seatbelt mechanisms. Told the dealer during service and he did a minor adjustment. It hasn't rattled since.
is coming from the seat belt housing area.
front passenger seat belt retractor (3 visits to fix)

Cintoman

One of those seatbelt dump noises was mine. Man was that annoying.

RE: Lexus, I know what you mean Glyn...incredible fit and finish, but still not as solidly built as a Mercedes. And still just an appliance.

Paul

JLD2k3

Thanks for checking it out for me Glyn. No help from the dealer. I took it in for a complimentary inspection. They didn't know.