mbC400convert

Hello all. New to the MB brand and took delivery on the fantastic C400 2 weeks ago. One thing that I am curious about is whether others notice a reasonable amount of wind noise when driving > 50 mph. It seems like the window seals are poorly fitted, but trying to determine if I am being picky or if it really is an issue I need to take up with the dealer. The level of noise is equivalent to having a roof rack on the top of a car. Not unbearable, but certainly louder than any car I can recall owning (Acura, Audi, Infiniti, Lexus, etc.) and wouldn't expect that from a Benz.

Just curious what other's experiences have been and whether others have taken a car back to the dealer for an issue like this.

floridadriver

Does your C400 have acoustic glass? Would have a notch on very top of driver side window when roll down a bit, instead of being rounded, or would have "laminated" instead of "tempered" on the corner stamp.

Either way, I'd have dealer take it for a spin, or better so you don't get the "that's normal speech", go ask to take a test in another car like yours at dealer and see if you notice a difference.

mbC400convert

Never even knew that acoustic glass was an option for the windows and don't see it in the build options online either. Regardless, checked the windows and they are fairly typical rounded edge window, so guessing they are not acoustic. Either way, the amount of wind noise I am hearing keeps making me check that the door is shut tight and windows rolled up. Hopefully don't have to test drive another one to assess whether this is normal or not.

floridadriver

Def would check with dealer.

DBOC205

Doesn't sound right. Most reviews I've read or seen, specifically mention the lack of wind noise on the W205.

StanNH

Assuming you checked the obvious ... a window not fully closed or the sunroof not fully seated ... there shouldn't be any obtrusive wind noise at all.

This is a quiet car, with minor road noise from the tires being about the only sound you should hear. This really has to be treated as a warranty fix by the dealer ... it is not at all normal.

mbC400convert

Thanks for the sanity check. Scheduled a visit to the dealer, so hopefully a simple fix.

NYC-Style

I have the same issue...I had them take a look and they did find some "shipping" material (paper/tape) around the seal. It still didn't fix the problem... I'm not sure if the wind is coming around the "door" seal or the "window" seal...in either case I hear it coming thru. Let me know what you get from your dealership...I need to take it back but not sure what really can be done to fix it. BTW I only hear it from the drivers side window...

mbC400convert

I also only hear from the driver's side, but not sure if that is only because of proximity. I see you are NYC area so taking mine to the dealer inFairfield, CT for them to assess the issue. Won't be for a couple weeks but will let you know if we find a solution.

shoat

I have the same issue in my c300, very noticeable at speeds of 60mph+.

I ended up taking the vehicle in to the dealer for the steering column recall and had them look at this and other issues. I also have squeaky brakes, and an engine tick when coasting in low gears when cold (not the normal idling noise). After the engine warms up the tick goes away.

In the end the dealership said this was all normal, the brake pads just need to be broken in, and the engine rattle is by design.

I got another c300 as a loaner which had similar wind noise and brake issues but no engine rattle. Still trying to figure out if I'm being nit-picky or not.

I'd be curious if anyone else has these issues.

c4004matic

I've been on 2 test drives, on both I noticed some wind noise at highway cruising speeds. I noticed it as a driver and as a passenger in the area of the corresponding windshield upper corner. Not a lot but definitely there. I think that all the hubbub about quietness has brought some unreasonable expectations. In my experience the car is very quiet, there is almost zero engine sound intrusion, unless revved and very little road and wind noise. However, its definitely not the tomblike quiet you experience in a Lexus LS or an S series. It is significantly quieter than our new MDX which is commendably quiet to begin with. The other issue with a quiet car is that any extraneous sound all of a sudden sounds like a racket! One example is the tick-tick of the direct injection which some people compare to a diesel sound. On the 4 cylinder it is clearly audible outside the car, however, to my pretty well trained ears it is essentially inaudible inside.

NYC-Style

Good points...however not hearing wind whistling through the window I would say is not an "unreasonable" expectation. The bad part is once you've noticed it...that's all you hear!!!

Glyn M Ruck

The W204 suffered wind noise in early production. Two sources ~ Door window frames not being properly set & swiftly cured. Wing mirrors ~ never cured.

I have a Benz DVD of the W204 development & testing in Namibia. A large German engineer says to one of his colleagues "That wind noise can't be the mirrors, we've had it in the wind tunnel" Well guess what. It was the mirrors.

The W205's I have driven fast have not had any wind noise. I have detected a slight wind rustle at very high speed that is probably the mirrors. Tell them to fix it. Don't watch because they will probably have to bend the door frames slightly to correct what the plant got wrong. If it's screen sealing that's easy.

mbC400convert

Good information and certainly trying to keep my expectations reasonable. I am comparing wind noise to a 2007 Acura TL and a 2011 Acura MDX, both of which I also own and drive consistently on the same roads in the same conditions. I have a bike rack on the Acura TL and the level of wind noise is still more noticeable on the C400.

There is a very noticeable increase in wind noise from the window or door frame on the driver side (possibly others, but have only driven this car and never been a passenger). It is strange as it seems like a very quiet cabin and very well isolated from engine and road noise...with the exception of wind from the window/door seal. When I first started driving the car, I was consistently rolling windows up and down and pulling over to check to see if the door was shut tightly. The car has a pano roof, so not sure if that is a contributing factor, but it really sounds like the front/top edge of the driver window to me. Granted, the cabin is remarkably quiet at speeds under 50, but at 60+ there is a definite increase in wind related noise.

Jinzen

I have all of those issues on my C300. Exact engine noise when coasting.

I consider them normal. I don't have unusual wind noise - seems par for course for wind noise.

c4004matic

I know, its the OCD in all of us!!!!

NYC-Style

NYC-Style

Just thought I would give you guys an update...I dropped the car off today and they determined that the wind whistling around the window was caused by a defective door seal...they're replacing it now. I'll update again once I get it back...keeping my fingers crossed!!

Eilers

I would think the rattle is from the Direct Injection. That sound is the price we pay for added power, torque and better fuel economy.

TopGun32

I was reading auto week the other day.. they had the same issue. One reason I leased this car. Being built in Alabama will take a few years to get German quality standards, that's just my opinion. Just like the Japan built cars vs US built cars.

=========

Otherwise, my only beefs with the C400 involve the infotainment system, which changes the brand’s excellent COMAND system just enough to force me to relearn how everything works, and a couple of odd rattles in our tester: There was an intermittent noise from the steering column, and a more persistent glass-on-weatherstrip noise from the driver’s side window -- I re-rolled up the window, checked the door closure, everything I could think of, yet it reappeared whenever I encountered rough surfaces. The redesigned C is the newest model to be produced in Mercedes’ Alabama assembly plant; whether my experiences stem from teething troubles on a new line or they’re just random occurrences remain to be seen.

Hopefully it’s the latter -- the new C-class is just too good to be weighed down by manufacturing issues.

- See more at: http://autoweek.com/article/car-revi....huQs7ssV.dpuf

floridadriver

I had the pleasure to check out W205 lengthened wheelbase made in China, and the fit & finish of it far exceeded the tolerances of the any W205's I've seen at dealer made in Alabama. Very tight. New C Class is a great car either way, but I don't think we'll ever be to those standards, but very well should. Some of the issues reported here from cars made in Alabama are an embarrassment and hopefully will be quickly fixed. Here's a link and some interesting reviews from employees at the Vance MB plant.

http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Mer...ews-E18781.htm

Glyn M Ruck

As I've said before. The Asian plants do a superb job.

floridadriver

Very true Glyn, the differences aren't subtle. New C class great wherever you can get it, but they're more than worth the large price difference in Asia. In hope of improvement here, do you think there is there any true way MB (and others) could tap into that & put in a QA team globally...if MB even that interested in build/reliability? Obviously they're doing something very different in the Asian plants with the exact same R&D and technology provided by Germany.

Glyn M Ruck

The quality mindset has to be inculcated into the plant at all levels. Benz has Quality Advancement teams & runs a global quality round robin between all plants which SA is proud to have won many times but SA was Jurgen Schrempp's personal baby. He still sits on the board here & grew up with MBSA.

An Asian Benz QA team could get Tuscaloosa & suppliers sorted pretty quickly but would be unpopular. QA has to have precedence over production.

People should take heart from improvements in the ML. It was shocking at one time & we took from Austria. Much better now although I still see seat stitching that does not line up etc. Still too many come backs for stupid things like transmission fluid leaks from transmission cooler pipework that has been carelessly installed etc.

floridadriver

Great points Glyn. No doubt the Asian Benz QA team would be unpopular in Alabama, I'd kinda doubt the managers nor some team members would last long...maybe a good thing. You'd think MB who would see glaring differences in the exact same vehicles made in US vs Asia/other plants & wouldn't care...they'd want biggest bang for their reputation & buck, just like we do as end purchasers. Hopefully they fix suppliers/oversight. Obviously some problems.