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This is exactly how I feel. I am planning on getting a new C class in March, but hesitate, because I don't feel I will be taken care of in case of any problems. If I was responsible for the introduction of W205, I would be all over the forums, hunting the problems and working on solutions. Most importantly, I would make sure the customers are reassured and know what I am doing.
Had I not already purchased mine, I would have held off until the wind noise issue was addressed satisfactorily by MBUSA. Perhaps by now I would have bought a different car. I love most everything about the C300 but their ploddingly slow response to some real issues is very disappointing. I would urge anyone that is still on the fence about buying one to hold off for a while and see what happens to this problem. A $40-$60,000 luxury car should not be plagued by wind/road noise, not to the extent some of our cars are.
Had I not already purchased mine, I would have held off until the wind noise issue was addressed satisfactorily by MBUSA. Perhaps by now I would have bought a different car. I love most everything about the C300 but their ploddingly slow response to some real issues is very disappointing. I would urge anyone that is still on the fence about buying one to hold off for a while and see what happens to this problem. A $40-$60,000 luxury car should not be plagued by wind/road noise, not to the extent some of our cars are.
Very true statement. The C300 is quiet in many ways, but this wind noise is like a basic Kia with a window cracked down. I know it's not a safety issue. But I'm amazed how bad it is and has been reported in Europe for a year and a half. Plenty of time to make new seals or whatever needed.
Very true statement. The C300 is quiet in many ways, but this wind noise is like a basic Kia with a window cracked down. I know it's not a safety issue. But I'm amazed how bad it is and has been reported in Europe for a year and a half. Plenty of time to make new seals or whatever needed.
I couldn't agree with you more...I hate to say it but this issue actually has spoiled my new car enthusiasm...in hindsight had I known this would be a problem I would not have purchased this car. I'll probably end up trading it in next year...
Well, I just picked my car up from the dealer with no improvement in wind noise issue. Dealer states the wind noise is not abnormal. They also did a crappy job on the rear bumper realignment. :-(
Well, I just picked my car up from the dealer with no improvement in wind noise issue. Dealer states the wind noise is not abnormal. They also did a crappy job on the rear bumper realignment. :-(
Amazing.
This focal wind noise is the biggest problem with the 2015 C300 or C400. Unlike the bleeding seats, or quick to burn out light bulbs, there's no fix. It also doesn't show up on some cars until you've had it a little while.
I know it's not a safety item and there's many things to love about the car. It's still unreasonable for the price paid for ANY car.
So far, about double the people hear the noise that don't, and some who have said they didn't at first, now do. Fair to say the majority of W205 have a yet to be addressed wind noise problem.
A couple months later NO dealer technicians have found 'a cure' yet.
I tried an experiment that took only 5 minutes, and ask if others please try and report their findings here. I simply pressed/turned the key to on without engine running and turned the fan of climate control on HIGH and through the A/C vents, and with fresh air (not recirculate). And closed the doors. .
From the outside, you'll hear the fan intake towards bottom of windshield. There's a subtle, but very unmistakable whisping of of air I could feel on the back sides of my hand in a few spots. The "new car scent" was starting to fill my garage from these spots. One just forward of the wing mirrors at the door (not the mirror housing). One towards the back and top of the front window glass. And along most of the bottom of the driver and passenger doors. No air at windshield on mine. The rear doors had air leaking from bottom and towards the side of one glass on driver and towards the top front of glass on passenger side. Pretty inconsistent areas to be by design. And I doubt any air should be felt by doors.
I tried the same on my wife's Hyundai Genesis. NO air was felt from ANY areas of door or glass. Tried the same on my son's Chevy, and no air felt except both sides by lower back door (assuming design as was identical as though an exhaust spot for cabin air)
S205 C250 Sport prem+ Airmatic / E220 CDI Coupe / Lexus RX400h
I have an S205 manufactured Aug 2014, delivered Nov 2014, from South Africa. As soon as I drove it over 50mph I noticed the wind noise problem. Even my wife, who is slightly deaf from burst eardrums, can hear it.
Took my C250 prem+ into dealer who took it for a test drive and he acknowledged the noise was bad. They tightened up the doors and this has slightly reduced the noise but not completely fixed it.
Took my car into the dealer yesterday as Sat Nav had stopped receiving traffic congestion updates. Spoke to the dealer who said Merc were still working on the problem and he'd had a lot of customers complaining. The dealer has tried tape and lubricant on the door seals. The lubricant apparently works for a short while and then dries out and stops working.
The C200 AMG Sport is was loaned does not have the level of wind-noise, but its still there. It only has 400 miles on the clock so guess it was manufactured Jan/Feb 2015 but still has the problem!
As for the sat-nav, dealer completely bricked the entertainment system and i've got to wait until Germany wakes up on Monday to get a reset code.
Last edited by JurassicPark; Mar 22, 2015 at 10:42 AM.
So far, about double the people hear the noise that don't, and some who have said they didn't at first, now do. Fair to say the majority of W205 have a yet to be addressed wind noise problem.
A couple months later NO dealer technicians have found 'a cure' yet.
I tried an experiment that took only 5 minutes, and ask if others please try and report their findings here. I simply pressed/turned the key to on without engine running and turned the fan of climate control on HIGH and through the A/C vents, and with fresh air (not recirculate). And closed the doors. .
From the outside, you'll hear the fan intake towards bottom of windshield. There's a subtle, but very unmistakable whisping of of air I could feel on the back sides of my hand in a few spots. The "new car scent" was starting to fill my garage from these spots. One just forward of the wing mirrors at the door (not the mirror housing). One towards the back and top of the front window glass. And along most of the bottom of the driver and passenger doors. No air at windshield on mine. The rear doors had air leaking from bottom and towards the side of one glass on driver and towards the top front of glass on passenger side. Pretty inconsistent areas to be by design. And I doubt any air should be felt by doors.
I tried the same on my wife's Hyundai Genesis. NO air was felt from ANY areas of door or glass. Tried the same on my son's Chevy, and no air felt except both sides by lower back door (assuming design as was identical as though an exhaust spot for cabin air)
I did your experiment, my back doors are pretty tight and consistent. My front doors leak out air at various spots of window seal and door weatherstripping, and at different spots both sides. Mostly at the back and front tops of the doors and some at window near the mirror.
BMW e89 Z4 sDrive 35i & MB S205 C200 AMG Premium Plus
Originally Posted by floridadriver
I did your experiment, my back doors are pretty tight and consistent. My front doors leak out air at various spots of window seal and door weatherstripping, and at different spots both sides. Mostly at the back and front tops of the doors and some at window near the mirror.
I have close, mine has the air balance with scent, you can smell it outside the front doors when finding the leaks. A not bad citrus/leather scent in the garage.
I have the whispers of wind noise above 45-55 mph. If it's windy the noise increases.
I did "the test" and didn't feel any air coming from the door seals or window seals. I also used a Kleenex which I dangled around the seals and there was no movement.
I have the whispers of wind noise above 45-55 mph. If it's windy the noise increases.
I did "the test" and didn't feel any air coming from the door seals or window seals. I also used a Kleenex which I dangled around the seals and there was no movement.
Thanks! Sounds like there's quite a variation in the seals.
It would actually be quite useful to get people that do NOT suffer from the wind noise to try this out - that way you might be able to rule out some of the areas which might leak, but don't cause the noise...?
I do not have wind noise and just tried the test.
I couldn't hear or feel any air escaping except for a small spot in the same place on both sides. The spot is in the seem between the front and rear door where the door transitions into the window frame. The leak was minor. In doing the test i even tried using a small length of garden hose held to my ear and the other end run around the door perimeter. Used my hand to feel too, both wet and dry. No air exiting as others have described. I consider myself very lucky based on what I am reading here.
I had multiple issues with wind noise on my BMW and am very sensitive to this issue. The BMW dealer immediately changed the rubber door seals. That partially helped and a few months later BMW had improved door seals which fixed the problem. It's disappointing that those who have this problem are not getting more aggressive help from MB. Keep complaining, it's not normal.
I have close, mine has the air balance with scent, you can smell it outside the front doors when finding the leaks. A not bad citrus/leather scent in the garage.
Our S205 have no wind noise. In fact the cabin is extremely quiet.
Sometimes we also detect a slight scent from the air balance in the garage.
I tried kellens experiment. I couldn't detect any air leakage by sound, feel or by holding a piece of tissue paper along the seems (both drivers and passenger side). I took the car for a high speed ride and couldn't notice any of the wind noise that has been described. I guess I'm one of the lucky few, so far. I've had the car since September.
My car is very noisy. Running the HVAC on high, I get a a decent amount of air escaping between the front and rear doors, right above the lower chrome stripe near where the glass starts. Also some in the same place at the rear door near the C pillars.
Last edited by rustycruiser; Mar 22, 2015 at 08:41 PM.
I thinking about buy C220, but with this response from MB.... I am not sure... Without comments. In Spain the users are posting the same problem... And the dealers do not know this noise. Any Solution has been found...
When I tested the car I heard wind noise, tomorrow I am going to test car again.
BMW e89 Z4 sDrive 35i & MB S205 C200 AMG Premium Plus
This is a solution on a frameless door though so the rubbers will be quite different. We'd have to get someone to look at the shape of the rubber seals on the C class to determine what might be done.
I get mine soon, if mine suffers with this issue, I'll be experimenting, within reason, with weather stripping in different areas to see if I can come up with something.
It will only go back to the dealers if its something serious, I learned that mistake with my last car.. too many dealer trips are not only annoying but also make some thing worse.
The noise I'm getting sounds like a metal rod tapping on the window/metal door at high speeds. The actual "wind noise" is normal but that tapping sound is driving me nuts.
BMW e89 Z4 sDrive 35i & MB S205 C200 AMG Premium Plus
Originally Posted by e92miami
The noise I'm getting sounds like a metal rod tapping on the window/metal door at high speeds. The actual "wind noise" is normal but that tapping sound is driving me nuts.
Perhaps one of the assembly workers is still trapped inside your car?
This is a solution on a frameless door though so the rubbers will be quite different. We'd have to get someone to look at the shape of the rubber seals on the C class to determine what might be done.
I get mine soon, if mine suffers with this issue, I'll be experimenting, within reason, with weather stripping in different areas to see if I can come up with something.
It will only go back to the dealers if its something serious, I learned that mistake with my last car.. too many dealer trips are not only annoying but also make some thing worse.
Ok. Ty. Lucky with your acquisition.
Today I have tested a C220 Avantgarde model (I'll buy a AMG model), with a raining day (no wind), and I was not able to hear wind noise. I drove between 100km/h and 120km/h for 30 minutes ...
Could be a problem with AMG model and not for Avantgarde model? With AML model I heard wind noise... Does have anyone Avantgarde model with wind noise?
Then, I stayed with the dealer to test the car another wind day (no rain)...
Does anyone know approximately when MBUSA will have its 2016 C300 available based on previous release cycles?
MB touted quiet running for the C-class in its December 2013 press release, still available on its web site. I hope they are working hard to correct what appears to be a false claim, at least in the experience of the majority of drivers responding to this poll.
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