Pulling, balancing, steering
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Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 143
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From: Bay Area
2004 E500
Pulling, balancing, steering
The car pulls to the right and the steering wheel is a couple of minutes to the right of midnight. They have tried to fix it once and the results partially fixed the problem.
Should I have them attempt it again? Or should I do what some have suggested and take it to a local shop recommended by Porsche enthusiasts which concentrates on wheel alignment.
Is the right pull something that can even be fixed or is this something inherent in the E-series which cannot truly be fixed? In this case. are they likely to make the situation worse by fixing this symptom and '"breaking" something else>
Should I have them attempt it again? Or should I do what some have suggested and take it to a local shop recommended by Porsche enthusiasts which concentrates on wheel alignment.
Is the right pull something that can even be fixed or is this something inherent in the E-series which cannot truly be fixed? In this case. are they likely to make the situation worse by fixing this symptom and '"breaking" something else>
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 263
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From: Bay Area
e55211 traded in for CLS55
Originally Posted by Rudegar
The car pulls to the right and the steering wheel is a couple of minutes to the right of midnight. They have tried to fix it once and the results partially fixed the problem.
Should I have them attempt it again? Or should I do what some have suggested and take it to a local shop recommended by Porsche enthusiasts which concentrates on wheel alignment.
Is the right pull something that can even be fixed or is this something inherent in the E-series which cannot truly be fixed? In this case. are they likely to make the situation worse by fixing this symptom and '"breaking" something else>
Should I have them attempt it again? Or should I do what some have suggested and take it to a local shop recommended by Porsche enthusiasts which concentrates on wheel alignment.
Is the right pull something that can even be fixed or is this something inherent in the E-series which cannot truly be fixed? In this case. are they likely to make the situation worse by fixing this symptom and '"breaking" something else>
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 678
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From: Vancouver WA
'14 GLK250 Diesel
DO NOT accept this situation. When properly aligned, these cars track like a train. You need to find a dealer who is willing to assign a tech who knows what he/she is doing, and able to use a little imagination, as well.
First, eliminate the obvious: has anyone tried rotating the tires front to back or side to side? This is always a prime suspect where pulling is involved. However, since the steering wheel was off from the get-go, I suspect pure alignment as the issue.
Our C240 pulled and had a misaligned steering wheel that was evident on my test drive. I stipulated in the sales contract that this would be corrected immediately. The first attempt, using the std. alignment specs and after intalling the caster kit, improved it but did not cure it completely. The second attempt, after I insisted the svc. manager assign the most experienced tech, solved the problem. He had the idea to slightly deviate from spec, and gave one side a different caster setting from the other [caster influences how easily the car can be turned in either direction]. Voila, now the car tracks straight and true, and of course the steering wheel centering was handled as part of the deal.
Suggest that a different caster setting might be necessary [right front vs left front] and see what happens. In any case, a state-of-the-art alignment rack is assumed, and you have to be dealing with someone who knows their stuff.
First, eliminate the obvious: has anyone tried rotating the tires front to back or side to side? This is always a prime suspect where pulling is involved. However, since the steering wheel was off from the get-go, I suspect pure alignment as the issue.
Our C240 pulled and had a misaligned steering wheel that was evident on my test drive. I stipulated in the sales contract that this would be corrected immediately. The first attempt, using the std. alignment specs and after intalling the caster kit, improved it but did not cure it completely. The second attempt, after I insisted the svc. manager assign the most experienced tech, solved the problem. He had the idea to slightly deviate from spec, and gave one side a different caster setting from the other [caster influences how easily the car can be turned in either direction]. Voila, now the car tracks straight and true, and of course the steering wheel centering was handled as part of the deal.
Suggest that a different caster setting might be necessary [right front vs left front] and see what happens. In any case, a state-of-the-art alignment rack is assumed, and you have to be dealing with someone who knows their stuff.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Red Sox Nation (No. Va. chapter)
2004 E500
Have to agree with jrct9454. I did my first post-breakin distance drive over the weekend and it was straight as an arrow. It was mostly rain on Saturday and dry on Sunday but it handled perfectly on a variety of roads, surfaces and speeds.
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Joined: May 2004
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My E500 pulled to the right also. Twice, I had the MB tech rotate tires, and align the 4 wheels. The third and last time I had the tech adjust the airmatic suspension to compensate for road crown. Apparently, the E500's steering is so sensitive that the road crown causes the pull to the right. The 5 to 10 degrees slope (the road crown) allows water to run to the gutter. Most roads where I live have the road crown slope to the right. On an even parking lot, my car never has a pulling problem; just on roads with pronouced right slope. Just tell your MB tech to adjust and compensate your suspension for road crown.
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I've had this pulling problem since day 1. Took it into the dealership initially 4 times to have this fixed. Last time, I drove with the shop foreman, and he said he can adjust it to make it better, etc.
After that, it was about 90% better, still pulling right but not so bad and the vibration at 60mph was reduced, so I lived with it. He said the exact same thing about slightly deviating from specs, etc to make it better.
5K miles comes along and I get my tires rotated and BANG, the pull is back even worse and the vibration massages my hands on the wheel. Fed up, I took it to NTB to get it fixed. He said it could not be aligned because the left caster and right caster are off by 1.5 degrees which requires the kit to be put on for alignment. Also he said 2 out of the 4 tires were not round and so he could not balance those 2 tires and could not do the alignment either.
I took it back to the dealer armed with this info, he says he does not know what NTB is talking about with the 1.5 degree separation, there is no adjustment to the caster. Also, he said the tire does not balance right, but when he puts it on some pressure machine it is in spec, so it can not be replaced under warranty, but he is making some adjustment so make it okay. But he said that when I rotate the tires again, it will probably be all messed up again.
He said he is still checking into all of this and will let me know the final things tomorrow, but this sounds like total BS to me. Anyone have any thoughts??
After that, it was about 90% better, still pulling right but not so bad and the vibration at 60mph was reduced, so I lived with it. He said the exact same thing about slightly deviating from specs, etc to make it better.
5K miles comes along and I get my tires rotated and BANG, the pull is back even worse and the vibration massages my hands on the wheel. Fed up, I took it to NTB to get it fixed. He said it could not be aligned because the left caster and right caster are off by 1.5 degrees which requires the kit to be put on for alignment. Also he said 2 out of the 4 tires were not round and so he could not balance those 2 tires and could not do the alignment either.
I took it back to the dealer armed with this info, he says he does not know what NTB is talking about with the 1.5 degree separation, there is no adjustment to the caster. Also, he said the tire does not balance right, but when he puts it on some pressure machine it is in spec, so it can not be replaced under warranty, but he is making some adjustment so make it okay. But he said that when I rotate the tires again, it will probably be all messed up again.
He said he is still checking into all of this and will let me know the final things tomorrow, but this sounds like total BS to me. Anyone have any thoughts??
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From: 2000 ft over the FL coast in a B-17
Various
The new CLK's are having the pull issues too, in addition the 500's are having premature outer edge front tire wear even after the bolt kit is installed and a new alignment done. I think there is too much toe-in for the factory specs on the CLk's causing the outer edge wear. My last 5 new cars were MB's from 99-04 and only the 03 and 04's have the alignment issues.
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From: San Clemente, CA
2003 E-500
The steering wheel should not be clocked wrong and that would be unacceptable to me. I had a modest pulling problem in my first E-500 but corrected it by setting the front tire air pressure to 27 psi instead of the 32 they were previously at. You might give that a try.
My current E-500 with 12,000 miles tracks perfect and doesn't appear sensitive to tire pressures in the front. I had in aligned prior to one year of ownership at about 10,000 miles and it seems even more stable.
Be sure to have them fix this and I agree with MrAMG, you need to find a dealer that knows what they're doing in the alignment area. It can be tricky, especially with the air suspension and how it interacts with normal mechanical alignment adjustments.
My current E-500 with 12,000 miles tracks perfect and doesn't appear sensitive to tire pressures in the front. I had in aligned prior to one year of ownership at about 10,000 miles and it seems even more stable.
Be sure to have them fix this and I agree with MrAMG, you need to find a dealer that knows what they're doing in the alignment area. It can be tricky, especially with the air suspension and how it interacts with normal mechanical alignment adjustments.
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I've tried tire pressure adjustments, but it does not really seem to help, I have them set on the exact amount noted 28 in front, 30 in rear (according to the tire pressure sensor). Of course, that is another issue, because the tire pressure sensor keeps telling me to check tire pressure, even though it is set exactly to the factory label on the door!!
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From: Georgia
E 63S Wagon Renntech, E55 Renntech, SL65, SL 55 030, ML, bunch of old ones--they come, they go...
Don't go for all this mess...
You need a new dealer. Any MB service writer or manager worth his salt knows that 211's have a serious pulling issue. Either this guy knows and isn't telling you, or he doesn't know and he's so far out of the loop that you need to be somewhere else. I don't know how early your 211 is, but the camber kits have been installed under goodwill warranty on numerous cars (including 2 of mine, the lst one was over 6 months ago). However, I understand that MBUSA has had the parts on national backorder for a while. The fix involves installing the newer camber bolts in the front and adjusting the ride height to what they now say is the proper spec. (Notice how the early cars sit quite a bit higher than the newer ones?). In fairness, you should also know that a very high percentage of this "pull problem" is related to tires. I'm going to guess that you're on the factory Continentals, which are absolute junk. Once you get some relief on the suspension issue, invest in a set of the Michelin Pilot Sport 2's. If you search the archives here, and even on other boards, you will see that those tires have cured many a problem with the 211 pull. If your service manager/writer can't find it, call MB USA and ask them for info regarding the tech bulletin on 211 pulling. Hope this helps.
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Here is the amazing thing with this. The dealer has now said that it is a tire pull, but to cover it under warranty, he has to put the tires on some pressure machine and then if it fails that test, then they can replace them. But my tires did not fail the test or something, so now he is working with the factory rep, who has said to put the tires on the machine for longer to get them fail, etc., etc., ....bottom line the car has been in service for 3 days now.
BTW, he still does not know why the NTB alignment machine shows 1.5 degree difference and he is still investigating that.
The SA is a good guy so he has said he is still going to find a way to replace all 4 tires, but if he comes back and says he can't I'm going to have to raise hell....
BTW, he still does not know why the NTB alignment machine shows 1.5 degree difference and he is still investigating that.
The SA is a good guy so he has said he is still going to find a way to replace all 4 tires, but if he comes back and says he can't I'm going to have to raise hell....
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From: Georgia
E 63S Wagon Renntech, E55 Renntech, SL65, SL 55 030, ML, bunch of old ones--they come, they go...
I see now that...
your car is an 04, so it shouldn't have the suspension issues as much as the early cars. Sounds like it is totally a tire issue, but if they replace your tires with four Continentals, it ain't gonna be much better. Being an 04, you could have Michelins, but I doubt it. Keep us posted.
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From: 2000 ft over the FL coast in a B-17
Various
Originally Posted by allenjdmb
your car is an 04, so it shouldn't have the suspension issues as much as the early cars. Sounds like it is totally a tire issue, but if they replace your tires with four Continentals, it ain't gonna be much better. Being an 04, you could have Michelins, but I doubt it. Keep us posted.
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From: NJ
'05 e320 cdi, '05 lexus rx330
Originally Posted by HELL ONA HARLEY
My 04 came with Michelins and I have never had this pulling issue with my car from day one....
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Well, they replaced the tires and with 4 new tires the car is DEAD STRAIGHT....anyone having this issue, should push for new tires, but it is sad that I had to take the car to NTB to have them tell me the tires were defective. With the new tires, I let my hands off the wheel on the highway, and the car went straight for about 1-2 miles before even moving a little to the right.
I still have vibration at 60mph, and steering wheel is a slightly off center.
I still have vibration at 60mph, and steering wheel is a slightly off center.
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From: 2000 ft over the FL coast in a B-17
Various
Originally Posted by abhansali
I still have vibration at 60mph, and steering wheel is a slightly off center.
