rostov

Hi guys,
For about 3 month now, I have this very strange rattle coming from, as I think, left (driver’s) front of the car. It happens mostly at low, below 40 speed when go over the small bumps/cracks on the road, and sounds like some light object is loose in a plastic bucket, or like something that has to be secured on both ends is loose on one and when car shakes, it hitting surrounding walls, or like if you take an empty plastic milk jar, put small piece of wood in there and shake it with 1 second amplitude. It does not happen when I go over speed bumps, so I guess it has to be more like side to side or front to end motion, not just up/down. Sorry, it is very difficult to explain, but maybe someone experienced it?
I took it to the garage and put it on the lift, but could not find anything loose under there.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks!

vettdvr

Could be defective ball joint. The E class has a problem with early failures. I replaced my front ball joints on our E500 at 70,000 miles.

Benz-O-Rama

I think so too. Had the same problem, but on my right front. It ended up being ball joint and thrust arm bushing. Very common problem on the W211.

Hold on to something tight or be sitting when your mechanic gives you the estimate.

rostov

Yes, you are right about those, but at 55k (its 70K on it now) I had replaced lower and top ball joints, and control arms with bushings. I am thinking about tie rod on left hand side – it has a very little play on inner end, but I don’t think it is enough to make that noise.

rostov

I do it all myself - just can’t think of waisting thousands on those relatively easy jobs.

konigstiger

Sounds like it may be the Airmatic compressor bracket (#55). Check your email.

rostov

Thank you very much!

Thank you all for the input!
I think the issue is resolved - that compressor brackets are loose.
I will replace them (has to be done anyway) and let you know if it did the trick.

nadtech

hi rostov i have the same problem did you manage to fix the problem

rostov

I am going to work on it this weekend. I already got parts – there is a repair kit (mb# 211-327-00-50; On the picture above: 150,140,130,120,173) that you can get at the dealer for those “absorbers” - $11 each, you need 3 of them.
Since I could not find anything else wrong, I hope that will resolve the issue.
I will let you know as soon as I replaced it.

Frasmat

I have the same problem took the car to the dealer several times and the issue is still not resolved

nadtech

good luck rostov i have the w211 07 and have the noise coming from the right. took it in MB main dealer they could not find the noise when test driving. but when you are on local roads going under 40 the noise comes and is very enoying but after a while when you go on high speed the noise will go way and might not come back for a few days but then it will come back and enoy.
keep us informed

rostov

Well, I am trying to avoid all the repair shops, including MB dealer with their “highly trained technicians” for a long time now. I go there only if I need to hook it up to the computer and get the code out, or for alignment, or for the job that requires use of very specialized expensive tools that I can not fake with something else… I am not sure if I tolled this sad story before, but... Last time, after replacing ball joints and some other staff in front end, I took my car to the dealer for alignment. After the second try they were able to set the steering wheel straight, but tolled me that the car now pulls to the right because of the tires that could be defective (tires, all 4, did not even have 1k on them). After this statement I did not argue, but took it to a friend’s garage, put it on the lift, and right away figured out that front wheel bearings had a pretty big play. I spent 15 min adjusting it and the problem was resolved.
Now, if I took my car there just because the car had an issue and they just could not figure it out – that would be ok with me, since computer does not have codes for these kind of issues, and they are not mechanics, they are “technicians” , but don’t they have to check all that BEFORE they even touch that alignment machine?! I am sure they passed a test on this procedure, and this is required by the book!
I am sure there are great mechanics out there, but unfortunately you never know who will be working on your car. The worse thing about this issue is not that they did not know how - they just did not care.

rostov

By the way, what kind of noise? Steady/grinding? - Could be the bearing too. Had it.

nadtech

hi rostov hard to explain what type of noise it comes as the wheel turns the car only has 40k so i was thinking it cant be the bearing so early only happens on low speeds and slower you go it gets lowder i got it checked from another garage they adjusted the bearing checkd all other things on that side joints arms etc and all seems fine but enoying thing is when i take it to any gtarage re producing the noise is dificult so they look at me as if i am imagining things. any ways keep us up to date with your fix

Mackhack

Extended warranty comes in handy when you have this ball joint/thrust arm bushing issue and the SA tells you its a 1200 bucks repair

nadtech

Hi Mackhack please can you elibarate what you think the problem might be my w211 is still under warranty but they cannot find the fault everytime i go to main dealer they fob me off by saying there is no noise or they cant find it but as i work nights it is difficlt to take it to them as they are closed. thanks for your feedback.

Mackhack

Be persistent... I had a defective woofer speaker and the guy hired from my extended warranty company told them he can't hear no distortion and I persisted to be there with him. I selected several songs and turned the volume up b/c that guy was close to 70 years old and told me he can't hear nothing.

Well after the 3rd time of bringing it in and complaining they paid for the replacement of my woofer speaker.

Or change the dealership or consider to go to a certified MB repair shop. They are cheaper and usually more honest and more likely to work with you. I got 2 of them here and they are great. Both of them here never charge me a dime if I bring the car in b/c of something and if they can't help me. Here and there I bring in a box of beer or so to show my appreciation.

lei

Hi rostov, Any update ?

rostov

Yes. It did not work.
I replaced those robber mounts for the Air compressor, but the rattle is still there.
Well, “a good noise would always come out”. Will let you know when it did.

Next weekend I will get it on that special lift where you can lift the car on wheels and will try to figure it out.

lei

Haha,

Yes, I'm very interested, since I have almost the same noise.

nadtech

Hi guys i took my w211 07 to the main dealer again and this time i insisted for the technician to sit with me for a test run whilst i drive, as they could not hear the noise last time and i also had a rattle from the front pasanger seat. So off i took the technician for a spin the best place to do a test drive i thought would be the country lanes as they tend to be more bumpy etc. so after a few minutes on the country road i asked the technician if he could hear the seat rattle? Yes he could and after a few minutes i sat him in the drivers seat and asked him to drive at the speed of 30 to 35 mph on the country lane and before long the noise apeared from the front right of the car. there is the Ba*****d noise i said can you hear it. YES he said now he drove for about a couple of miles very slow and he was now satisfied that there was noise there and very enoying too. I asked him what it could be he said it is something to do with the suspension and he would order a few parts and hopefuly have it sorted tomarrow.
lets hope. well if anyone else has this problem as in getting the noise to come back i would recomend country lanes to demonstrate to technician/mechanic.
I will fill you guys in on what parts they used or if they have fixed the problem. wish me luck.

rostov

That is a beauty of the warranty - in a few days you will have 2009 front end on 07 car.

nadtech

Hi an update I phoned main dealer today to check up on my car and they say the seat rattle they fixed with a few new clips on the inside of the seat. But the noise from the front right is still there. they changed a few bushes and after road testing the noise is still there they now have ordered a bearing hoping that should solve the problem. They also stated that if this does not cure the problem there is nothing much they could do as rattles are not covered after 12 months under warranty. i feel that they are trying to fob me off again. I think after changing certain parts they have to go back to mercedes to ask for more advise and authorisation on what parts they should change next. the technician working on my car has over 24+ years of experiance but still this noise from my car is chalanging him and he is finding it hard to cure. any suggestions on what actions i could take next if they dont find the fault? But the promissing thing is that the service team leader at the main dealer did say he will try his best to resolve the issue. and will keep trying. lest hope they dont give up and leave me with a merc with a noisy front righ end very enoying. just my luck :-( :-( :-(

lei

jacked the car up and took a closer look this morning.

I can reproduce the noise by pressing down the left front repeatedly. The laud clicking noise seems to come from the strut. What in the strut/shock can cause that ?

By the way, also checked the airmatic pump. It's a "floating" mount, easily move around by pushing here and there. I assume that it is normal, and the noise when it bottoms out is different from the noise heard when going over bumps.

Rostov, any update on your end ?

rostov

No, no updates, I just don't have enough time for it… These past weekends were too busy.
By the way, if I had regular suspensions, not Airmatics, the first thing I would check based on my noise would be top mounts. I never dealt with airmatics before and I don’t know how those looks from inside. But this idea did cross my mind.