Turning noise
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Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
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C280 4Matic
Turning noise
I have just recently been experiencing a new sound and feel when making a low speed tight turn, either left or right. I happens when parking or any other situation where you are making a tight low speed turn. I reminds me of the sound and feel, like something is in a bind, when making a tight turn in an older four wheel drive truck. I have a 2007 C280, 4matic with 60,000 miles on it. I had the transmission and transfer case fluid changed at 39k just as recommended. This has just started and I have not yet contacted anyone for service. I have tried shifting to neutral when making the turn and that changes nothing. Just looking for any opinions based on prior experience. Thanks.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Cali
My Ride
Is it a loud clicking type of sound only in turns? Could be like another member has been posting... a bad CV joint. If so the front half shafts will need to be replaced. They seem to be in short supply forcing you to have yours removed then rebuilt and re-installed vs. just buying replacements that are on the shelf ready to go.
Read this... https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...blem-axle.html
Read this... https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...blem-axle.html
Last edited by Star Rider; Apr 24, 2011 at 09:04 PM.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Jakarta, Indonesia
C240
If it sounds like its creaking of some sort, it could be your shock breaker mounting.. Usually the rubber runs dry and becomes hard over time and causes the noise.
Park the car and have someone turn the steering left and right to its maximum while you listen closely to the shock mounts..
Park the car and have someone turn the steering left and right to its maximum while you listen closely to the shock mounts..
Thread Starter
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C280 4Matic
No, it is not a clicking sound like a bad CV joint. I have experienced that situation with other cars. For lack of a better description, it reminds me of the older four wheel drive vehicles that seem to have a crabbing effect when you attempted to turn too sharp.
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Cali
My Ride
Hope theres no issues with the front transaxle. When the tranny was done in my 4Matic last year there where some parts that needed to be replaced in the transaxle due to wear at about 100,000 miles on the clock.
Thread Starter
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C280 4Matic
Maybe my description of the problem is lacking but its the best I can think of. When turning tight it seem like there is tension between the front and back axles just like most all four wheel drive vehicles used to exihibit. No clunking or any of the other sounds mentioned. I had read the old post, Problem with the Axle, before I posted my origional question and that is not the problem I am experiencing either. Maybe this is a good sign in that there is no drivetrain problem these cars are prone to having. I was hoping that someone may be able to point me in the right direction based on prior experience.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Do you have Continantal SC 2/3 tyres fitted? If there is any sign of feathering & cupping of the tread they & some other brands can do exactly what you describe. That's exactly why I chucked them off of my car as well as noise. As soon as you changed direction even slightly from straight ahead they set up & typical ribbed tyre vibration.
Run the palm of your hand counter rotation over the tread on the front tyres. If you feel feathering then thats likely your problem.
Run the palm of your hand counter rotation over the tread on the front tyres. If you feel feathering then thats likely your problem.
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Thread Starter
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C280 4Matic
Thanks Glyn but that is not it. I did experience exactly that with the OEM Continental tires. When this first started I thought that was the problem so even though it wasn't quite time I rotated the tires. I have Michelin Primacy MXV4's and I saw they were wearing even and not cupping like the Continental's did. Strange thing though, today when I drove it, it is back to normal, no noise or vibration. I guess time will tell if there is a real problem somewhere.
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From: Washington DC
1999 E320 4matic Wagon, 2005 C55 AMG - sold, 1998 VW Jetta TDI - sold, 2006 C230 Sport - Totaled :(
thats an interesting problem...are you sure you just arent turning the wheel all the way til it hits and it makes the noise? if you turn all the way to the limit(which you actually shouldnt do with any car) its straining the power steering pump to the limit and when you do that, or at least this is what ive experienced with any car ive driven, it kind of vibrates in the steering wheel a little bit and you can hear the pump straining because youre turning it as far as it can go. i know that its worse with all wheel drive cars cause it was a lot more prevalent when i drove my sisters A6 quattro. other than that i dunno
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From: Australia
White w203 C200K Elegance
hello, I have a similar noise coming from my steering. At first it was quite hard to hear and it didn't happen all the time, but now it happens all the time.
I makes a whining sort of noise when you do hard-ish turns. (like a turn around a round about) or just a sharp turn.
I turned the wheel stationary the other day from full lock left to full lock right a few times and no noise. I seems like it only makes the noise when the wheel is under strain and moving as i'm turning hard.
I had it looked at and they say it needs a new Power Steering Pump? doesn't seem right to me since it makes no noise when i turn it form side to side with stationary with no noise?
any advice would be much appreciated. thanks
I makes a whining sort of noise when you do hard-ish turns. (like a turn around a round about) or just a sharp turn.
I turned the wheel stationary the other day from full lock left to full lock right a few times and no noise. I seems like it only makes the noise when the wheel is under strain and moving as i'm turning hard.
I had it looked at and they say it needs a new Power Steering Pump? doesn't seem right to me since it makes no noise when i turn it form side to side with stationary with no noise?
any advice would be much appreciated. thanks
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From: Michigan
W203-4M W163
Is it coming from the front or rear? I'm guessing its the front. i had a grinding sound coming from the rear in my 2006 C280 4M, and it was a common problem, solved by replacing oils (but only if done before damage was done to the rear gearbox). I have noticed an odd "clicking" sound in the front when making slow, tight turns. Does that sound familiar? My ML320 doesn't make any sounds when turning, so it does seem like some issue is waiting in the wings to torment me.
Last edited by FraKctured; May 17, 2011 at 12:52 AM. Reason: incomplete
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From: Washington DC
1999 E320 4matic Wagon, 2005 C55 AMG - sold, 1998 VW Jetta TDI - sold, 2006 C230 Sport - Totaled :(
hello, I have a similar noise coming from my steering. At first it was quite hard to hear and it didn't happen all the time, but now it happens all the time.
I makes a whining sort of noise when you do hard-ish turns. (like a turn around a round about) or just a sharp turn.
I turned the wheel stationary the other day from full lock left to full lock right a few times and no noise. I seems like it only makes the noise when the wheel is under strain and moving as i'm turning hard.
I had it looked at and they say it needs a new Power Steering Pump? doesn't seem right to me since it makes no noise when i turn it form side to side with stationary with no noise?
any advice would be much appreciated. thanks
I makes a whining sort of noise when you do hard-ish turns. (like a turn around a round about) or just a sharp turn.
I turned the wheel stationary the other day from full lock left to full lock right a few times and no noise. I seems like it only makes the noise when the wheel is under strain and moving as i'm turning hard.
I had it looked at and they say it needs a new Power Steering Pump? doesn't seem right to me since it makes no noise when i turn it form side to side with stationary with no noise?
any advice would be much appreciated. thanks
Thread Starter
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C280 4Matic
As I mentioned in my first post it is an 07, C280 4-matic, with 60,000 miles. Anyway the problem appears to be solved. I was talking to an independent mechanic and described the problem to him and he rather quickly printed out a MB service bulletin addressing the noise. It requires flushing and changing the transfer case fluid. Then last week I had my car back at the dealer to have some unrelated work done and mentioned the noise to the service writer and he told me the exact same thing without even looking anything up. He said it is a common issue with the 4-matic and the fluid change fixes it. I also talked to the service manager and he said that they have never had to replace a transfer case due to the noise, they call it shuddering. He also said that usually one fluid change resolves the problem for good. Now I just have to get this done soon and see how it works.
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From: Australia
White w203 C200K Elegance
and i hear to noise on most turns, but when standing still and i turn the wheel from full lock right to full lock left, no noise.
It sounds more like it rubbing on something while i turn the wheel to go around a corner.
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From: Washington DC
1999 E320 4matic Wagon, 2005 C55 AMG - sold, 1998 VW Jetta TDI - sold, 2006 C230 Sport - Totaled :(
thanks for your reply. the car is 2002 and its done about 53,000 miles. (85,000km)
and i hear to noise on most turns, but when standing still and i turn the wheel from full lock right to full lock left, no noise.
It sounds more like it rubbing on something while i turn the wheel to go around a corner.
and i hear to noise on most turns, but when standing still and i turn the wheel from full lock right to full lock left, no noise.
It sounds more like it rubbing on something while i turn the wheel to go around a corner.
Junior Member
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From: Australia
White w203 C200K Elegance
build date is early 2002, so i don't think it is.
Last edited by tijn; May 17, 2011 at 10:17 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Washington DC
1999 E320 4matic Wagon, 2005 C55 AMG - sold, 1998 VW Jetta TDI - sold, 2006 C230 Sport - Totaled :(
sometimes with 4matics they have the problem with the transfer case like they were talking about previously ^^^
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From: Boston, MA
'14 ML350, '13 C220 CDI, '07 C280, '98 ML320
Easy way to tell if a C-class car is a 4-matic is by looking at the front passenger compartment (on the floor). The floor space (for the passenger) near the center console will look awkward because the transfer case sits below that space.
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From: Australia
White w203 C200K Elegance
it is not a 4-matic.
I got another question.
benz quote me $1800 to install a new power steering pump.
and a local guy quoted me $800 to install a second hand power steering pump.
I can see ebay has power steering pumps from $100 to $200 dollars. not EOM but copies.
my question is do all w203 take the same power steering pump? I have a c200 2002 w203. like will a c320 power steering pump fit?
I got another question.
benz quote me $1800 to install a new power steering pump.
and a local guy quoted me $800 to install a second hand power steering pump.
I can see ebay has power steering pumps from $100 to $200 dollars. not EOM but copies.
my question is do all w203 take the same power steering pump? I have a c200 2002 w203. like will a c320 power steering pump fit?
Junior Member
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Posts: 37
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From: Australia
White w203 C200K Elegance
no closer to solving the issue.
From all my testing so far i've come up with.
CAR is 2002, w203, 53,000 miles (85,000km), non 4matic, stock wheels.
- Makes noise when you turn corner's medium to hard. (like a roundabout)
- No noise on stand still, if you turn the wheel full lock left to full lock right.
- No noise if moving and turning light corner's (non sharp corner's)
Do you think flushing the power steering fluid will do anything? or is it just a waste of my time and money?
From all my testing so far i've come up with.
CAR is 2002, w203, 53,000 miles (85,000km), non 4matic, stock wheels.
- Makes noise when you turn corner's medium to hard. (like a roundabout)
- No noise on stand still, if you turn the wheel full lock left to full lock right.
- No noise if moving and turning light corner's (non sharp corner's)
Do you think flushing the power steering fluid will do anything? or is it just a waste of my time and money?
