Stupid loose steering...
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 223
Likes: 3
From: Orlando, Florida, USA
09CLK550Cab 61k miles
Stupid loose steering...
Does anyone have a diagram of the 04 CLK steering box and steering column?
I brought it to the dealer to try to fix the loose steering, and they said that those cars just get loose steering as they age, and that's just the way it goes. Nothing can be done.
The basic symptom is at highway speeds, if I go over an uneven spot in the road, the car dives sharply towards the lower part of the uneven spot. And to top it off, it then oscillates left and right. My minivan doesn't do this, and the CLK didn't do this last year.
I don't want to believe it. There must be something that can be done. They double checked the bushings, and it's all fine.
I figure it must be either the steering box, or the steering column.
I brought it to the dealer to try to fix the loose steering, and they said that those cars just get loose steering as they age, and that's just the way it goes. Nothing can be done.
The basic symptom is at highway speeds, if I go over an uneven spot in the road, the car dives sharply towards the lower part of the uneven spot. And to top it off, it then oscillates left and right. My minivan doesn't do this, and the CLK didn't do this last year.
I don't want to believe it. There must be something that can be done. They double checked the bushings, and it's all fine.
I figure it must be either the steering box, or the steering column.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
From: Columbus, OH
2003 CLK500
Does anyone have a diagram of the 04 CLK steering box and steering column?
I brought it to the dealer to try to fix the loose steering, and they said that those cars just get loose steering as they age, and that's just the way it goes. Nothing can be done.
The basic symptom is at highway speeds, if I go over an uneven spot in the road, the car dives sharply towards the lower part of the uneven spot. And to top it off, it then oscillates left and right. My minivan doesn't do this, and the CLK didn't do this last year.
I don't want to believe it. There must be something that can be done. They double checked the bushings, and it's all fine.
I figure it must be either the steering box, or the steering column.
I brought it to the dealer to try to fix the loose steering, and they said that those cars just get loose steering as they age, and that's just the way it goes. Nothing can be done.
The basic symptom is at highway speeds, if I go over an uneven spot in the road, the car dives sharply towards the lower part of the uneven spot. And to top it off, it then oscillates left and right. My minivan doesn't do this, and the CLK didn't do this last year.
I don't want to believe it. There must be something that can be done. They double checked the bushings, and it's all fine.
I figure it must be either the steering box, or the steering column.
Good luck, bro!
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Try turning off your stability control to see if that makes the problem go away or less noticeable. My CLK seems to "twitch" more if I hit a sharp bump when I am at speed and in a turn... and sometimes when it is going in a straight line. However, the twitch is much less noticeable with the ESP off. I assume the sharp jolt from the bump causes the stability control to engage to some degree. I assumed this is normal for all CLKs, so I never mentioned it to my service adviser.
Also, I would look at upgrading the suspension bushings to eliminate the "loose" feeling of the steering. The MB bushings are soft to generate a better ride with less noise. Stiffer bushings will greatly increase the steering feel and provide quicker steering response. I doubt your steering rack is worn out at this point.
Bill
Also, I would look at upgrading the suspension bushings to eliminate the "loose" feeling of the steering. The MB bushings are soft to generate a better ride with less noise. Stiffer bushings will greatly increase the steering feel and provide quicker steering response. I doubt your steering rack is worn out at this point.
Bill
