jinsu

Hi guys,
I'm from South Africa. I bought a C200 CGI in Aug 2010.
The car has ran just over 3000km.
Before the new year, I drove the car out and heard knocking sound on the drivers side. Then I brought my car to the dealer. After 5 min check, it's been confirmed that the shocks were gone. They said it's a common problem on many late 2010 model Merc.
This is my first new car. But the quality isn't impressive.

lingnoi

You're not the only one: 12.000 km and both of my front struts are defective "clonk clonk clonk". These control agility things are junk.

L

JimPap

Are those the one's where you can firm up the ride by depressing a button on the console somewhere?

lingnoi

No, agility control is standard equipment.

L

ismeto

hey guys you say-mention that new CGI engines are Not so good

albert101

Had the same problem at 10,000km. Had to replace the front shocks. Luckily it was still under warranty.

Sportstick

I'm starting to notice creaky/crunching sounds from the strut area in our cold weather, but which goes away as the car is driven and warms up. I had a friend who is a tech elsewhere walk alongside as I drove over some speedbumps and he said the sound was high up, seemingly over the top of wheel well, so he ruled out ball joints. Anyone recognize this issue?

whiteongrey

It's the bearings that are on top of the strut - a common problem

Sportstick

Did not do it last winter, but certainly is now. I'll head back to the dealer with this information.

whiteongrey

Mine did it at very low mileage - right one was replaced.

Now when it is very cold I can hear more clunking from the front - think it is the same one but need to wait until gets a little worse before taking it in + a streak of cold weather.

I agree with the quality being sub par - my care has been to the dealer at least 20 times to fix stupid stuff with an average of 3+ visits to resolution on single problem - good thing the dealer is 5 min away LOL.

Every new car we've had in last 6 years is the same - stupid small issues that are always 2-3 visits to resolve - so as my wife points out when I we should get a new car / brand "they are all the same build quality".

I bet new Hyundai are much better quality ! or Porsche !

envyxc350

Just another reason to buy coilovers!! ;]

jinsu

Still in warranty and maintenance plan. I can't do anything.

The Merc mechanics told me that the bearing inside the shock tube is broken. It takes one and a half days to replace the front shocks from the dealer. They are lazy and greedy....

billvip

i replaced my front struts when 15000km. same problem, knocking sound.

LaicepsYdobon

I have the same creaking/groaning problem with my new E. Now that the weather is cold there is a creaking/groaning sound at times when I go over a rough surface. This past Monday I had my front right shocks replaced but I still have this problem. I'll go back and tell my SA to check the bearings on top of the strut to see whats going on. Thanks for the info guys; I'll keep you posted.

jinsu

Yesterday, the shocks and mounting kits have been replaced.
The car is back to superb conditions now.

LaicepsYdobon

Just an update; my SA just called and told me he heard the creaking/groaning in my car and he will replace the sway bar and its bushings. Keep your fingers crossed folks

Sportstick

My antisway bar bushings were the cause of my creaking, except they are not OE. I changed the front and rear bars and bushings over to Eibach, which have a different design and will need to be periodically greased, about once or twice a year, which will coincide with winter tire on/off swaps. I am getting bushings with grease fittings to make this alot easier!

The reason your whole bar has to go is that the OE design vulcanizes the rubber bushing to the bar, making one permanent unit. Eibach uses a separate bar and urethane bushing design.

jctevere

Sportstick, are you talking about a "wobbling" noise or something that sounds like rubber, as if you had a low or flat tire? I have this when it is cold out and it goes away when car is warmed up. Except I can hear it anytime when I go over a bump on the highway.

I just wrote it off as if my tires were cold and this is normal... But should I get my car checked out. And if so, what in particular. I am going to have to push my dealer, because they are notorious for "not being able to replicate the problem".

Could this also cause alignment problems? My car would pull to the right all the time since new. But I didn't want to pay $200 for an alignment since I just got it and didn't think I should have to. I got one done and my car now goes straight, but my wheel is not centered...

Sportstick

The first part of your symptoms had me start thinking about your tires flat spotting overnight and, with freezing temps, taking a while to warm up. But, if you are hearing this warm on the highway on a bump, the thoughts go back to the chassis. I think a pro would need to listen for you to get a credible opinion.

My sound was either a two cycle baby-buggy creak noise up one side and down the other of a speed bump, or more of a crunch if the same displacement was hit more quickly. It was the result of the Eibach antisway bar rotating in a dry urethane bushing, after the original grease had worn away. Of course, Eibach doesn't alert a new buyer that these bushings will require periodic re-greasing, but they kindly sent more grease packets along. The original MB design is a "dry" design, with no grease needed, as the softer rubber bushing is attached around the bar and essentially absorbs the rotational forces by letting the softer rubber donut flex from the inside of the "donut hole" out. For the OE bar to require replacing suggests the rubber bushing has deteriorated for whatever reason, and could cause a similar noise.

Whoever did your alignment did not do it correctly. The process should be completed with the wheel straight, so as not to get your outcome. I've had this happen and requested it be re-done with the wheel straight, which eliminated the problem.

RLE

Since the warranty will cover one alignment (used to be in the first 12K miles) I don't see why you didn't have the pull corrected.

As to the lopsided wheel, that is the fault of the lazy tech who didn't center the wheel FIRST.

Take it back.

jctevere

I mentioned it within the first 2,000 miles. They said that it isn't covered and it would be $200. Are you sure it covers one alignment? It seems like my dealer are very unhelpful and cheap. I think I am going to change my service location, but then I can't get a loaner...

Also, would they be able to fix the lopsided wheel without doing another alignment, or are they going to have to charge me for another alignment? They said they don't warranty the alignment since there is no way of them knowing if I hit another pothole as soon as I left. BS if you ask me.

Sportstick

I think the issue is their logic. If you hit a pothole and the car was no longer in alignment, the car would not track correctly. Let them drive and see that the car does indeed track correctly on a flat road, likely even with hands off the wheel...but the steering wheel is off center. It should be clear that they did a proper alignment, but with the wheel not correctly centered...that does not happen after a pothole.

RLE

Waiting 2000 miles before complaining about the lopsided wheel was your first mistake and it was a big one. Since you would have noticed it immediately, even a phone call would have been necessary.

Straightening the wheel means, back on the alignment rack, level the wheel and reset the toe-in. And it's a comeback so the tech pays for it.

I have been through this very thing with my 2001 C320 (good riddance) and it took several visits to fix it. And with me standing right there while one of their senior techs eliminated the sloppy work of the previous blacksmith.

There are all levels of competency and you were unlucky enough to draw a bad service writer and a careless mechanic.

A word with the Service Manager this time might not be a bad idea.

dalazernet

That right there is the bane of my existence. I've had probably 10-12 alignments done since I got the car in 2008, and just ONE of those times did they get the steering wheel centered (usually cocked to the right, or left just a bit)... and about a month after it was perfect, I hit a pothole and its cocked to the left again.

My '06 never had these problems, but I digress.