Car is pulling to the right constantly...any tips?
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Irvine, CA
2008 E550, 2012 GL450, 2014 GLK350, 2015 S550, 2020 GLC350e
Our cars are famous for doing this. After buying mine I went with a drive with a tech who took me to a truly flat road (no crown) and it drove straight as an arrow. Our roads here in SoCal are crowned and it causes the car to pull to the right.
I've also heard that the cars are setup that way so if you fall asleep the car will drift right and all it requires is for you to gently hold the steering wheel for it to go straight. I heard in the UK the car pulls left for the same reason.
I've also heard that the cars are setup that way so if you fall asleep the car will drift right and all it requires is for you to gently hold the steering wheel for it to go straight. I heard in the UK the car pulls left for the same reason.
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 39
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From: Indianapolis
2007 E550
I have the same issue with my car. It pulls to the right I suspect it needs an alignment. I highly doubt this is an intended "feature" of the car as a car that pulls right or left will cause uneven tire wear. I cant imagine MB thought this would be a good idea. I'd love to think MB was being innovative, but the botttom line is the alignment on the car is out of whack...
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From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
I have the same issue with my car. It pulls to the right I suspect it needs an alignment. I highly doubt this is an intended "feature" of the car as a car that pulls right or left will cause uneven tire wear. I cant imagine MB thought this would be a good idea. I'd love to think MB was being innovative, but the bottom line is the alignment on the car is out of whack...
Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 122
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From: DC
03 E320/ 11 E550 Cab/ 18 E400 Cab
This is so wierd! I thought that there was something wrong with my car.
I had a tire replaced(had screw in side wall) the car started pulling to one side terribly-don't remember which side. I drove it that way for a day, approx 100miles. The next day I went back, he lifted up the car, looked around, didn't find anything, put it down... and it's driven straight ever since.
I had a tire replaced(had screw in side wall) the car started pulling to one side terribly-don't remember which side. I drove it that way for a day, approx 100miles. The next day I went back, he lifted up the car, looked around, didn't find anything, put it down... and it's driven straight ever since.
Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 97
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From: Connecticut
2007 E550 4-Matic
I've noticed this. But I have also noticed that if I drive on the left side of the road the car seems to pull left. I've guessed it's the crown of the road that pulls the car to one side or the other. My shop has told me my tire wear is perfect so I don't think it's an alignment problem.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 16
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From: Bay Area, CA
2008 E350
All cars have the alignment setup to try to compensate for road crown, but very few succeed. Road crown is there to help water drain toward the shoulder of the road, it usually also makes cars drift right.
Your alignment should be setup to have more positive camber on the left and less positive caster on the left....toe settings should be equal (close to zero). Even with these settings the car will drift unless the road is very, very flat.
If your car is pulling hard to the right, you might have a problem....wouldn't hurt to have the alignment checked regardless. In some cases the tires themselves could be the issue, called radial pull. A Tire rotation would cure most issues, but with offset wheels that isn't always an option.
Your alignment should be setup to have more positive camber on the left and less positive caster on the left....toe settings should be equal (close to zero). Even with these settings the car will drift unless the road is very, very flat.
If your car is pulling hard to the right, you might have a problem....wouldn't hurt to have the alignment checked regardless. In some cases the tires themselves could be the issue, called radial pull. A Tire rotation would cure most issues, but with offset wheels that isn't always an option.
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Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Northern California
09' E350 AMG Sport, 09' C300, 03' Honda S2K
I have an alignment done and sometimes it still pulls to the right and left and on certain new roads, especially new ones, it goes straight. So I know it not an alignment problem, it just the road.
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Austin, TX
'13 E550 W4
I have brand new tires all around with perfect pressure. I asked the tech to do an alignment, and he checked it and said it didn't need one. The car pulls right, from left side of road or right. If I'm going 70 MPH, and let go of the wheel, it takes a noticeable dive right. I recently had the rear drivers side airmatic air bladder replaced, and it pulled right when that was going out. They put a new one in, and although the bladder now operates fine, it still pulls right when driving. I'm at a loss.
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From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 421
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From: Bay Area
2004 E500 CLK320
If the wheel alignment is checked out fine, then check out the front lower ball joints. They're known to go bad after 50k-60k mi on the E500s. How did the tech verify that the alignment was ok, by visual inspection??? He needed to hook up the equipment to check that.
My car (when it had ~45k mi) was also pulling to the right at about 70MPH. Then the dealer did the wheel alignment and the driving got much better, although it was still slightly pulling to the right. And at ~60k mi, the car was again pulling to the right, and the dealer again performed the wheel alignment. It got a little better, but the car was still pulling to the right. Later I found out it was one of the ball joint was completely worn out. I replaced the ball joint and the car has been going straight ever since. The car now has 75k mi.
My car (when it had ~45k mi) was also pulling to the right at about 70MPH. Then the dealer did the wheel alignment and the driving got much better, although it was still slightly pulling to the right. And at ~60k mi, the car was again pulling to the right, and the dealer again performed the wheel alignment. It got a little better, but the car was still pulling to the right. Later I found out it was one of the ball joint was completely worn out. I replaced the ball joint and the car has been going straight ever since. The car now has 75k mi.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 11
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1992 Camry LE and 2005 E320 CDI
Koningstiger, with the picture you posted, is the lower ball joint #20 or the ball joint attached to #140 arm? Do you know where I can get these parts and the part number for each? Thanks!
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15,901
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From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...rt-design.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...oint-w211.html
FYI #140 is strut; left 2113304311 (146.05 / 160.71), right 2113304411 (146.05 / 153.80) bearing 145 is not included. If vehicle is equipped with originals installed at production they are hollow/hydro-mount type with high failure rate I recommend replacing with solid rubber 2113331114 at same time (25.88 / 23.71) for improve performance/longevity.
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Joined: Dec 2008
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C350 Elegance
Mi C350Elegance, despite the condition of many crappy roads and hits on the suspension in crates and bumps, has 15,000 miles and inspected the alignment to a deviation of 3/16" per mile. I don't know if it is a matter of model, parts vendors for each car, point of manufacture, or what, but MB is to me what I expected in manufacturing quality. Ah if no humans would be involved, now that 'd be haven.
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 218
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03 E320, 03 Lexus RX300
My car always pulls to the right on normal roads here in NY, but on the highway its straight, try to do a 60mph test on the highway and let go of the wheel. Highways are normally flatter, especially the center lane.
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Joined: Apr 2008
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2007 R320 CDI, 2010 FJ Cruiser, CTS-V
If you move the tires from the left to the right side and the right side tires to the left, does it still pull to the right?
I had this issue with an Infiniti and after three alignment attempts, it turned out that it was the tires.
I had this issue with an Infiniti and after three alignment attempts, it turned out that it was the tires.
Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 104
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From: Los Angeles, CA
Daily Drivers: 2019 Tesla Model 3+, 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia TI, + a few non-street legal race cars
Had the same issue with our CLK, plus the steering wheel would point slightly off when in a straight path. All new front suspension and steering bushings and 2 alignments later, no change. Finally, I just bought 2 new front tires and the problem was instantly cured.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 254
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This solves a lot of pulling/ drifting to the right issues. This should be the first thing to try if all alignment values are within spec.
