A new sound... anybody else heard this?
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2004 E Class
A new sound... anybody else heard this?
My 2004 E320 has been making a sound that I have never heard on any car before. It has happend while driving, sitting, with ignition off and other random times. Occurrs once or twice a week with no rhyme or reason.
The sound is a "tone" sort of a booooooooop. lasts about 1 to 2 seconds and seems to be coming from under the back seat. I have heard the sound from both inside and outside the car. It seems to be coming from somewhere under the car at about the rear wheels.
Has anybody else heard this? Any Ideas.
By the way, I know about the electronic "motor" sounding that has to do with the braking system. It is not that.
Thanks in advance!
The sound is a "tone" sort of a booooooooop. lasts about 1 to 2 seconds and seems to be coming from under the back seat. I have heard the sound from both inside and outside the car. It seems to be coming from somewhere under the car at about the rear wheels.
Has anybody else heard this? Any Ideas.
By the way, I know about the electronic "motor" sounding that has to do with the braking system. It is not that.
Thanks in advance!
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Philadelphia
2004 E320 Wagon
I have I think the same problem, it is an electronic sounding tone coming from the rear of the car. Sounds sort of like a tone you would hear when one of these electronic back up alarms goes off on a vehicle, if I had to compare it to anything. However, it is a single tone and not a repeated beeping.
I have a wagon though so it sounds like it is coming from within the car, as opposed to under it or in the trunk. It is about 1-2 seconds and seems random. I have not had the problem while stopped at all. So I am like you, what is up with this?
I have a wagon though so it sounds like it is coming from within the car, as opposed to under it or in the trunk. It is about 1-2 seconds and seems random. I have not had the problem while stopped at all. So I am like you, what is up with this?
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: New Jersey USA
2014 E350 4Matic/2011 E350 4matic / 2003 E500 /2000 CLK 430
mine does it too. like an electronic "ping"
going in for service "C" on Wed...ill address it as well as the other problems with the radio cutting out when a cd is playing and the hot air blowing out of the rear AC on my 4 zone climate control...
going in for service "C" on Wed...ill address it as well as the other problems with the radio cutting out when a cd is playing and the hot air blowing out of the rear AC on my 4 zone climate control...
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From: THE NAPA VALLEY, CA
Build date 2-04 E500
I have it too..... I've heard it only a few times since I've owned the car... I always figured it was the CD drive unit in the trunk for the nav system... I really don't think there is a problem and always thought of it as the norm.
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
Have any of you heard sounds coming from the front seats? It is two pretty quiet clicks (you can't hear it when driving). You hear it on the right side seat and then a second or so after you hear it on the left. It really doesn't make any difference to me but I am curious.
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Almost a Member!
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2004 E500
holy ****..me too!!!
Yes!!! My stupid car does the same thing and it's embarrassing as hell when I have people with me. Mine kinda goes "eeeeehhhrrrrpppp" but to me it sounds liek it's coming from the dash somewhere.
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Bay Area
Mine does the same thing. I brought my car in for a service "B" two weeks ago. I wasn't even going to mention it to the dealer, because I knew they would never get the car to make the sound during their two minute test drive. I did tell them, and of course, they were not able to replicate the problem. They said they had never heard of the problem before. what a surprise.
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From: THE NAPA VALLEY, CA
Build date 2-04 E500
I'm wondering why most that have posted think this could be a problem... I mean the "tone" sounds innocent enough and in my car it would probably have never been noticed or heard at all except for the rare exceptions when the kids aren't fighting or I don't have the stereo blasting. Even when heard its so slight I have to wonder if I was hearing things. Its definatly not so loud as to be embarrased as bugs has posted and is definatly not coming from the front of the car. I asked my wife about this "tone" since this is her car and is driven by here 80% of the time and she says she also hears it once in a while.... She also thinks it's coming from the rear of the car. I'm due for service soon and will make sure it goes in my file at the dealer just in case it turns out to be something down the road but I feel its more than likely "normal" 
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
My wife and I haven't heard any ping/beep/boing sounds in almost a year with our E500. I don't think that you folks who do hear something along those lines are delusional, though. Our E500 is very light on the options - just the sunroof/premium audio package and heated seats. What I'm thinking is that the sound may be coming from some item of optional equipment that we don't have. An electronic type of sound would make me suspect COMAND or the nav system, but no doubt somebody without those options will be telling me that they hear the sound too.
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From: Torquay, England
E-class E300e Estate, Sprinter (stretched limo)
Fingers crossed that I might be able to throw some light on this noise. First off, I have the estate, but no doubt the noise might also be heard in the saloon as well.
I had a Mercedes-Benz technician come to my home address to work on my car and iron out a few of the niggles that could not be located by the garage. All of a sudden the car started making sounds similar to a car alarm, but not quite as loud. (It had been doing this at irregular times since the car was new). The technician quickly ran to the rear of the vehicle, opened the tailgate but the noise then stopped
Luckily for me a few minutes later it made the same noise.
This time the techician took off the rear nearside panel and found an air pipe from the central locking had a slight kink. This 'kink' was enough for a 'trumpet solo' to be performed. It usually happened very infrequently, but on that specific day it happened twice and sadly it was the final performance. The pipe was re-routed and now silence reigns supreme.
Intermittant faults are notoriously difficult to locate, fortunately for me I just happened to have an extremely knowledgable techician at my home address when the car made this noise. Hopefully this information might be of use, if nothing else we could all have a 'get together' kink our central locking air lines and perform the 'William Tell' overture.
Regards,
John
Sunny Torquay
I had a Mercedes-Benz technician come to my home address to work on my car and iron out a few of the niggles that could not be located by the garage. All of a sudden the car started making sounds similar to a car alarm, but not quite as loud. (It had been doing this at irregular times since the car was new). The technician quickly ran to the rear of the vehicle, opened the tailgate but the noise then stopped
Luckily for me a few minutes later it made the same noise. This time the techician took off the rear nearside panel and found an air pipe from the central locking had a slight kink. This 'kink' was enough for a 'trumpet solo' to be performed. It usually happened very infrequently, but on that specific day it happened twice and sadly it was the final performance. The pipe was re-routed and now silence reigns supreme.
Intermittant faults are notoriously difficult to locate, fortunately for me I just happened to have an extremely knowledgable techician at my home address when the car made this noise. Hopefully this information might be of use, if nothing else we could all have a 'get together' kink our central locking air lines and perform the 'William Tell' overture.
Regards,
John
Sunny Torquay
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
The central locking is controlled by air pipes? How Victorian. I would have thought it was controlled by fiber optics or laser beams or quantum singularities or something like that. Well, a kinky pipe in the rear would explain why some people hear the noise and some don't.
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Dallas Area
2004 E500 AMG Sport and 2020 GLC300
I am not sure that what I heard today is the same as being reported in this thread, but I made a left turn in a parking lot today and heard a loud, high pitched squeal come from the back seat area. Nothing was in the back seat, and I cannot imagine what caused the sound. It was the first and only time I have heard such a noise. 
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: THE NAPA VALLEY, CA
Build date 2-04 E500
Originally Posted by NATS64
I am not sure that what I heard today is the same as being reported in this thread, but I made a left turn in a parking lot today and heard a loud, high pitched squeal come from the back seat area. Nothing was in the back seat, and I cannot imagine what caused the sound. It was the first and only time I have heard such a noise.
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From: Chino Hills, CA
2007 E63, 2007 BMW 335i Coupe & 1991 Honda Accord
My car makes so many different noises with the engine on or off - whooshes, air releases, hisses, kisses, dings and pings - that if it became quiet some day I would probably think there's something amiss and have the dealer check it out. 
