woofwoofz

I have a similar problem with my C300 after I took the delivery. I took the car back yesterday and they found the alignment was out of spec. After they re-aligned the wheels, the problem did not fully go away. I just spoke to the service manager and he is telling me about the wider tire (my previous C280 was straight line an arrow. I never had to do any alignment in 3 years).
What are your thoughts about the wider tires?

C300Kid

My 09 pulls to the right as well. I brought my car in for bodywork this week and the 09 C300 loaner car I have now pulls to the right as well.

Maybe it's the wind??

sameer13

I am glad to see that I am not the only one with this issue, I have an 09 C300, 1 week old with 350 KMs and it noticeably pulls to the right. It's at the dealer today to be looked at.

My steering wheel would start to turn towards the right if I let it go. I know that the car is very responsive to the steering.

I will see what the find and if they did anything.

woofwoofz

Sameer13, I see you are in Toronto too. I picked mine at the Midtown dealership. I brought it in yesterday and they told me it was out of spec. They re-aligned it and now the condition has improved but not eliminated. I spoke to the service manager today and he maintained that it is not the alignment anymore and it is related to the crowning of the road. I found it hard to believe because my previous C280 was straight like an arrow for 3 years. In any case, please let me know what your findings are. I can't tolerate a brand new Mercedes behaving this way.

woofwoofz

I felt different than wind because it is continuously pulling to the right. I am going to do more investigation at a empty parking lot tonight.

sameer13

I bought mine in Thornhill but it is currently at Midtown today being alligned.

I am not sure if they check the allignment on PDI but it could shiffting or something that happened during transportation from Germany to here. They usually tie down the cars but you never know what happened.

I drove an A4 for 3.5 years and never did an allignment as the car never pulled. I do find it hard to believe a brand new Merc with this problem.

I will see when I pick it up tonight and if it has improved.

sameer13

Regarding the crown on the road, my old car didn't pull because of that and if it was the case, should it not pull to the left as well sometimes instead of always pulling to the right?

C300Kid

No because the roads always slope to the right. If you were driving in the opposite direction you'd be on the opposite side of the road, still sloping right.

sameer13

Thanks for the info C300Kid. My old car never pulled like this one does and I travel the same roads. Could the staggered setup be why I notice this more now?

C300Kid

I'm not sure. My last car didn't pull to the right either and I'm on the same roads.

This seems like a big problem with W204s.

woofwoofz

What do you mean by "staggered setup"?

JimPap

sameer,

Be sure that you're running your tires properly inflated.
Seems that mine likes to wander if the tires are a little low.

sameer13

I have wider rim and tire in the rear 245/40/17 AMG 6 double spoke wheels.

I checked the air pressure in the tires before I took it to the dealer and I wasn't feeling any vibration so the balance was OK too.

The dealer swap the 2 front tires and was still pulling to the right so they did a full 4matic allignment and according the work order, they adjusted both front camber/caster by half (don't know what it means). My 3 kms drive home from the dealer, I noticed a big difference on the same roads where it used to pull, the car doesn't pull anymore and the steering wheel stays straight. Before it would start to turn right when I let it go. I will drive more tonight and this weekend and see how it is.

woofwoofz

Sameer, good to know that yours are fixed now. I am going to tell my dealer this as well. Did the mechanic write all that in the work order? When they did mine yesterday, they did the alignment and adjusted the front wheel toe angle. I am going to ask them to try adjusting the caster. Do you mind sending me a copy of the MB work order? I want to be able to tell them exactly what to do. BTW, who was your service advisor?

sameer13

Yes it's the work order and my copy when I picked up the car. My advisor is Deen. I don't know how to send it to you but here is the info

401590 ROAD WHEELS 2 REMOVAL/INSTALL
401590 ROAD WHEELS 2 REMOVAL/INSTALL
406500 WHEEL ALIGNMENT PERFORM 4 WHEEL 4MATIC ALIGNMENT
404064 FRONT WHEEL TOE ANGLE ADJUST (WITH VEHICULE ALLIGNMENT CHECK
406716 EXTRA WORK FOR: ALIGNMENT CHECK: CAMBER/CASTER AT LEFT FRONT-AXLE HALF ADJUST
406717 EXTRA WORK FOR: ALIGNMENT CHECK: CAMBER/CASTER AT RIGHT FRONT-AXLE HALF ADJUST

Alex 3

I have learned over the years there are two rules when it come to Benz cars.
First, tires can account for a lot of tracking issues. Pressures are critical and a bad tire will drive you nuts. Remember the tires come from the lowest bidder. Move them around and see what happens. It can make for an intersting Saturday.
Second, MB is really tight on alignment. My E320 was smacked back in 2006 and after repair it is about 6 minutes out on caster on the left side and about the same on camber. The regular shops never even thinks about this degree (no pun intended) but it is critical. My car will run straight on a flat road but really sees the left side of the crown as a reason to drift left. I run 1 lb more air in the left tire to compensate.You also are wasting your time if all they align is the front. The back is critical and should be done first to set the rear track and toe then do the front. This may not be the issue and it could well be a flaw in the C300 suspension design but for what it cost you...!

woofwoofz

Thanks Sameer! That's exactly all I need. No need to send me the working order. This give me enough ammunition to speak to the service guy.

Thanks!

jrct9454

Yes, DO NOT ACCEPT ANY EXCUSES FROM THE DEALER. When properly aligned, these cars track like a train. Ours does, period.

Caster adjustment will often solve a pulling problem - but it sometimes takes a tech who is willing to think outside the box a little. Even if it's technically within spec, a small adjustment in caster on the side that's pulling will usually solve the problem. Too many dealer techs are stuck with saying "it's within spec, so we don't have to do anything". This is so much baloney.

Stick to your guns and insist they fix it.

woofwoofz

What does caster adjustment do? I saw post somewhere about using a differential settings. Does this make sense because this would make the front wheels slightly not parallel right? If the casters on left and right side have the same setting, how does changing the caster help with the tracking? I have a curious mind:-)

whiteongrey

In my experience any or all of the following can cause pulling & wandering:

1. High - performance summer tires, defective tires, low quality tires, unidirectionals mounted incorrectly
2. Improper tire pressure
3. 18"+ rims if roads are crap
4. lowering with out a caster/camber kit or realignment

jrct9454

Caster is the vertical angle of the main suspension pieces, AS VIEWED FROM THE SIDE OF THE CAR. More caster tends to make that side resist changes in direction; less caster has the opposite effect.

It was my post that you're referring to - our '02 C240's pulling problem was solved by MB Sacramento after the tech dialed in slightly different settings for each side. That car then went down the road like it was on rails, for the life of the car, at any speed.

Yes, tires can be defective, etc. Once you've dealt with the easy suspects, it's time to fool with the settings a little to see what works. Modern alignment equipment makes this a relatively easy task, but you have to have a tech and a dealer who is determined to solve the problem, not just brush it off.

woofwoofz

Just an update about my ordeal with the wheel alignment issue. I took it to a different dealer for a test drive with the service manager. He immediately identified the problem as steering wheel not centered. This will be fixed this Friday!

akbro93704

My steering wheel was not centered when I got mine...I had it fixed, and its dead center now. However, when I let go of the wheel, the steering and the car starts to veer off to the right...yes, I know its normal to some degree, but mine veers off instantly.

I took it in to my dealer once, they said that its "normal". I have to take it back again to show them how bad it really is.

Sportstick

My 09 C300 came with Continental ProContact....I used Blizzak WS60s during the winter...I've replaced the Contis with Michelin Pilot A/S Plus....the car has never exhibited any tracking problems with any of the 3 sets of tires....straight as an arrow, although steering wheel is just a hair off center when going straight, if you really look for it, with a slight angle to the right, but nothing I want "fixed"......leave well enough alone!

jrct9454

Well, I won't keep repeating myself - I've said this too many times already. It's fixable, not "normal", and my car tracks straight as an arrow. You just need to find a dealer and an alignment tech who wants to solve the problem. A little differential caster [a bit more caster on the side toward which it's pulling] will take care of it, if you can only find somebody who'll take the time to do it.