K-A

This is unfortunate. My 2010 had more miles, and I didn't have the annoying inane sounds I'm starting to get with this car.

It seems like different sounds switch off. One day, I have a little "pop" coming from the dash/I/C display/Command area (can't pinpoint). Then, I'll start pushing the materials together (you can hear the plastics creak when you press them, making it easier to find the offender). One I think was groaning under the steering wheel, I pressed around the plastic, making it groan more, then it seemed to go away.

Once I take care of one, then another one pops up, like I've been getting a little "click" from around the A/C vents/dash/console area when I hit hard bumps.

Then that goes away, and I (and this ones a real winner) get a "creak" from the REARVIEW MIRROR! Are these guys working together? I start putting pressure and flexing the seams on the mirror, finding the sound, and I hope that it doesn't come back.

Now, I start hearing a "buzz" coming from the rear. Hopefully it's just some plastics vibrating on each other, but it's a PITA to find rattles in the back.

My conclusion as to why this happens? BECAUSE LIKE I SAID BEFORE: The W212 Sport Suspension does a poor job of providing a luxurious ride over harsh roads, and it doesn't swallow the harshness, instead it transfers it to the SUPER STIFF frame, which is obviously a terrible shock absorber in itself. The frame is so stiff, that when pressures get transferred to it, it's like a battle game as to who will give way first (will the fit and finish loosen up, or will the bump be absorbed.... Easy answer).

Odd, because over smooth roads, the car has the most sublime and best balanced characteristics of any Luxury Car that I've driven. But hit some roughness, and you're interior will eventually rattle apart.

I sympathise with those of you with lowered and/or bigger wheeled cars who will go high mileage, I imagine the load placed on the cars frame/interior bits will be a lot to handle for the car.

fromthebeginnin

I'm sure you'll get it worked out KA, I'm thankful my 2010 is perfectly quiet, even lowered with 20"s. Sometimes they lose the receipt for a period of time.

K-A

Yeah. Interestingly, the rear one got so bad, that the interior sounded like it was about to rattle apart when I slammed the door. I decided to get back there, and start shutting the door to find the sound. Voila, it came from the rear roofliner area (where it meets the rear windshield). I pushed it around.. no dice. Finally, I started banging it (punching it), and voila again, fixed, no more rear rattle and I can slam these nice and solid sounding doors and enjoy their sound WITHOUT the rear rattle.

Now the rearview mirror one and the dash one seem to be sneaking up, making very subtle click sounds every now and then. Very quiet, but I can't help but listen for them. It's like my car plays a game of "find that rattle" with me, and I kill one, for the next one to show up. Fortunately, they are all just individual plastic pieces, no structural rattles (that's when you have to worry), so I'll keep myself at bay.

hyperion667

I think the 3's and 5's are built differently......
I have no rattles either....

(love that car FTB!)

CEB

While it often seems that one creak shows up just as we've gotten rid of another, the fact is that the squeaks, rattles, creaks and groans are all there - they are just overshadowed by the "creak du jour" that we subconsciously focus on.

So, while it seems like a game of "whack a mole" you're really just eliminating them one at a time - until they come back of course.

You've certainly hit the mole on the head when you mentioned the sport suspension.

SolidGranite

When a car makes these noises that you dropped some serious dollars on, it can be beyond frustrating. This happened to a Lexus GS350 I owned a few years back which was so bad I will never buy another Lexus again. Have only had 1 noise resonate from my 2009 E550 which Mercedes fixed due to something inside the roof liner bouncing up against something else. My 2005 C55 which I owned for about 3 years never once had an issue with noises from inside the cabin. Tight as a drum.

I will admit that finding these noises on your own and fixing them can be somewhat satisfying as long as the "fix" is permanent. Nothing I hate more than bringing my car to service to fix some obscure noise.

K-A

E350's/E550's/E63's are all built, assembled, constructed identically (save for the AMG's engine/drivetrain/suspension/etc.). It's really just luck of the draw, and how bad the roads are around you, and how well the "floaty on smooth roads/harsh on rough roads" Sport Suspension can filter them out from getting into the cabin and shaking things apart (Airmatic/Steel Suspension also has something to do with it of course, however, there have been people here claiming that the Airmatic with 18's don't filter out road-harshness that well either).

And I agree SolidGranite, no matter how much I love this car (and I do love this car), even the slightest rattle will immediately ruin the experience. And I too hate to bring my car to the Dealer to try and fix some obscure noise. Firstly, it's a crapshoot, secondly, I don't like the idea of them all over my interior when trying to find the sound.

RNBRAD

That's one thing I love about my car, the only noise I have ever experienced is the single light pop sound that comes from the pana about once every couple of weeks when I drive over a significant uneven surface.

The only true complaint I have about this car is the crappy quality of tape they use for the spoilers.

K-A

Why, is your spoiler coming off? That would be unfortunate (I have two factory spoilers on mine).

I think the spoilers are painted separately also (like, maybe not from M-B facility), because my spoilers, namely the roof spoiler, has some oxidation already (had it before I bought the car). In such short time. It's not noticeable, and you couldn't tell unless you look in high res, under certain fluorescent lights, but it's there.

hyperion667

huh? having a problem with it??
warranty right?

RNBRAD

Yea the tape the factory uses is supposedly the high strength kind. I've used it before for other applications and it turns very soft when it gets hot and from the heat we had this summer, I had to redo both of them. I didn't take it to the dealer, really don't trust them when it's something I can do and use a better product. So make note, on hot days just occasionally check the status of your rear spoilers. I noticed it when I went to the car wash and the soap was going right under the spoilers in certain area's. I did a light tug and it pulled right up. Had I not noticed this I'm sure I could of lost one going down the road.

ESIX3POWER

KA, I my self occasionally have a few rattles coming from the area around the middle two air vents. It kind of comes and goes but I have to say other then that, the car is rock solid.
I'm kind of surprised to hear about all the rattle/noise issues with your car, I would have thought that your new car with out the Pano roof would but even more quiet,sturdy and compact. Your previous E had the
Pano roof, right ? . Strange as the saying is " stay away from first model year cars " but in this case, seems your 2010 was rock solid.Knock on wood,my 2010 E550 has been great. So far !

K-A

ESIX: Yeah, you're spot on. I will say that my 2011 *drives* a bit tighter than my 2010, a little lighter on its feet it feels, and fortunately, the rattles have all been related to the individual plastic bits on this car, and not the actual car/construction (so far, knock on wood). I will say, structurally, my 2011 feels a slight bit more sound than my 2010....

.... But on the other hand, I've had a lot more "little stuff" go wrong with this car. Individual plastics rattling. My rear taillight was defected (some smudge inside the housing), the passenger window made "clicks" when it rolled up/down (replaced the control module or something), and some other very minor things that were easy to take care of, but that my 2010 didn't have indeed.

Build quality wise, this car has been great, but compared to my 2010, it almost feels as if they rushed this one through the line faster, while they took their time putting the pieces inside the 2010 (figuratively speaking).

The new cars got some character alright, I will say that, as it keeps me paying attention. Fortunately, everything minor thing that has popped up, was easy to solve.

BenzE350

Sorry to hear about all the rattles. Between this and your complaints regarding the harsh sports suspension, I'm surprised you still love this car so much?

I could never put up with a car that rattles.

K-A

To stress:

The rattles aren't present anymore. They were related to individual plastic pieces, more-so "vibrating" or "popping". Futzing around with them got them to stop (at least, for now).

So that leaves my only complaint about this car as the harsh (over rough road elements) Sports Suspension. It's a big problem, and it's unfortunate because otherwise, I really love the car. It gets compliments all the time, wherever it goes, and gives me lots of comfortable, long distance drives, what more can you want?

.... Until a bump or break in the road ruins the honeymoon.

SolidGranite

Is it possible your car is experiencing some stress due to climate changes? What part of the country are you in? Is your car primarily parked in a garage? Did your 2010 go through the same climate changes and parked in a garage as well or not?

K-A

Yeah, parked in a garage, and in the Desert (Cali), so climate changes may play a small part in the plastics occasional noises, but it's not an extreme climate at all, and it's basically what my 2010 went through.

To note, my 2010 did start making Pano creaks right before I took it in for its first A-Service (which was fixed when they lubed it during said service), and it did start making a weird occasional vibration noise coming from the center console area (on the Highway), which I couldn't tell if it was related to any of the hard elements of the car, or if it was some stuff I had in the car, etc. vibrating.

K-A

LOL.

Okay, this is no BS, no sensationalizing, and no complain-puss owner rambling.

Today, a new rattle popped up.

YES, after "fixing" the other ones, and getting the car back to proper, and feeling good about my ability to smack these rattles in the chin, the loudest and most obnoxious one yet, pops up. And of course, it's most prevalent at Highway speeds and roads (where they're constantly "bumpy" here), and is too far back for me to find. It was SO obnoxious on my trip back home today, that I almost sacrificed crashing while I lashed out in anger trying to whack anything back there to get it to stop.

I thought it was the headliner again, so I got out and started pushing it around, and tried duplicating this sound, and came to the conclusion that the headliner is not making a sound anymore, as I neutralized it before (hopefully). I *think* that it may be coming from the rear headrests. It sounds like a constant chatter/vibration that is something hitting metal (yes, I've upgraded from the softer chatter of plastic). So, I shook the headrests around, and voila, I think I hear the catalyst, coming from inside of it (whoopee).

Starting to get fed up....

BenzE350

Does California have a Lemon Law for Rattles...

Maybe your car is crying out in pain because you said some bad things about it...

K-A

It probably is, lol. There's no other explanation for this freak occurrence of new ones popping up after old ones have been dealt with.

I don't know if there is, but even if so, unless the car becomes a literal rattle kingdom, I haven't reported the first batch of rattles, as they were singular and easy to "fix" (hopefully) on my own.

CEB

...and beat it with his fist.

No state has a lemon law for rattles. That said, some manufacturers may buy a car back or give you some sort of monetary payment if the problems are significant and cannot be resolved.

K-A

Like I said before, fortunately this isn't any structural stuff (real rattles), like I felt in my Cousins CTS Sedan today (going over uneven roads gave the car a noticeable flex and sound), but individual (annoying) parts, at least thus far.

MBE350Driver

My 2010 E350 Sport has several rattles from the B pillar to the C pillar up high by the roofline on the right side. There are also buzzing sounds from the dash when sharp bumps are hit. The interior began to loosen up at about 4,000 miles. The service folks worked on the rattles 3 times now and no improvement. This is also the first MB that left me stranded unable to start when the battery control unit failed. Pure trash. It's like shoveling my money into a fireplace every month with 2 years left on the lease.

K-A

Yikes, looks like you got a bad one. The quality/reliability of my 2 W212's I've had so far have been great (knock on wood), aside from of the very negligible little things that were quickly taken care of with my 2011.

The rattles have been the most worrisome, however, all of a sudden, my car has 0 rattles/buzzes again. It's weird, they come, then they go. Hopefully the car has settled in and they're gone for good (crossing fingers).

newyorktoLA

When the dealer replaced my windshield, the rearview mirror started making noise... i know how you feel