fintail

Hi all

My car (2013 E350 bluetec) has acquired a weird rattle, more like an occasional pop, coming from the rear deck. It just started a couple days ago, and seems to be connected to the newly warm weather - if the car sits in the sun and is driven, I get a click or pop at irregular times from the rear deck area. I went back and pressed hard on all rear deck areas, then drove as normal - stopped the noises for maybe 5-10 minutes, then it returned. This kind of thing drives me nuts.

I have noticed a few others complaining about rear deck noises, but did not notice a solution. Has anyone else experienced this, and had it cured by the dealer? I am somewhat afraid to take it in to have them inspect it, if it is difficult to duplicate - other than simply asking them to take it all apart and reassemble it. I want to guess it is caused by something expanding or contracting with heat, but I don't know what it could be specifically.

Thanks for any ideas.

W210

I have the identical problem, it appears to be related to the pano roof, does it go away in your case, if you tilt it?

dan1495

My 2012 E550 does the same thing, and it just has the standard sun roof. I agree that it seems heat related. I have never had the dealer look at since it generally goes away shortly after the car is started.

K-A

I had the exact same thing on mine. I would literally lash out at the rear seats while driving, trying to reach the rear deck to whack it. Like an angry parent with their nightmare kid in the back. That's how much it drove me nuts.

I usually would try and go back there and kind of push and lightly smack things around, to try and "pop them into place", sometimes it would help for a while. What I found was that both my W212's had rattles that would come and go constantly. Sometimes the car would rattle like crazy from multiple points, forcing me to come here and write threads about it turning into a dreaded "rattle trap", then all of a sudden they'd all disappear. I think before I got out of my last one, it was mostly quiet on the rattles.

chrisvr6

I don't have pano and mine rattles when the bass is up or even just by shutting the doors.

dfordham

Mine is the rear sunshade. Sunshade up, no rattle; sunshade down, rattle.

Regards,
Don

fintail

Thanks for the feedback. I am 99% sure it is some kind of heat/temperature related issue with the different materials on the rear deck. I got the rattle/pop no matter whether the shade was up or down. Passengers in the car noticed it too. My car has pano, but the noise is definitely on the rear deck. My pano assembly is rattle-free (knock on wood).

I can duplicate a similar noise if I press on the hard plastic on the rearmost section of the deck, above the high mount brake light. I think something there is fighting with the surrounding material, and maybe at the edges by the C-pillars too.

I had the car out today (cloudy and 55F vs sunny and 75F yesterday), virtually no rattles or pops. It's the sun and temperature, seems to be too much of a coincidence otherwise.

I made an appointment at the dealer for tomorrow morning, and am going to suggest some felt be put on the border areas where two different materials/pieces come together. I have a little experience with rattles, coming from a W210 which had a console rattle and sunroof rattle. The former was solved by the felt method, the latter by putting small pieces of cloth between the headliner and roof. Of course, my half century-old W111 is rattle-free.

W210

Let me experiment, have rear sunshade too.

rpatrickkelly

My first brand new MB was a 2011 C300. No rear sunshade. The rear deck or rear window snapped and cracked when the car was moving. I traded it when the car got "refreshed" and got a 2012 C300. It made the same noise...
In January I traded the 2012 for a 2013 E350. No one else has ever driven the car but me so I know it hasnt been on any advenures. It has been warmer here lately and the rear window has been snapping/cracking. I thought maybe the glue hasn't setsolidly, or maybe the glue never really hardens and the rear window is flexing. Yes, sure is frustrating.

fintail

Took it in this morning, dealt with the service advisor and a lead tech directly. They were hesitant to disassemble the rear deck and fool around with it, as of course the noise wasn't able to be duplicated. I drove the car around town yesterday and today for ~30 miles at varying speeds and road conditions, virtually no odd noises - I still think the temperature does it, much cooler yesterday and today. Took the tech out for a little drive, nothing. Tech seemed to think it could be the folding seat too (I remember my W202 folding seat was a rattler, but opening it and closing it would cure it). So, I had nothing done, and will take it in again on a warm sunny day if it flares up. I even drove it on angled hills and turns that should produce a little flex, nothing. Not a single noise on the drive home.

chrisvr6

I can hit the top of the deck to make it rattle.

Firestopper0383

I have a 2010 E with the rear sun shade and no folding seat. I experienced the same rattle that is being talked about. Took to dealer for other service but mentioned the rattle to the service advisor. They fixed it and told me it was the brackets in the rear deck that secure the rear sun shade. They tightened them and the rattle went away. Only once in a great while is there a slight rattle with extreme temperature changes.

golfster

There is a panel as the roof liner meets the rear window. I had a rattle/pop that sounded like the trunk or maybe even suspension could be the cause, especially when crossing bumps on a bias towards the right rear. The service manager said he suspected that roof panel, changed it and the rattle (pop) ceased.

fintail

Update: Car had been quiet for the past week, as the weather has been cool. Had it out today in scattered sunny periods, enough to put heat in the car, lo and behold, a random creak or pop again from the rear deck.

I took it in to the dealer, and had an idea to run the heat on its highest setting to keep the interior warm, and create more noise. It kind of worked, I could get quiet creaks from the rear deck, but no pops. I took a test drive with a tech, who seemed to be both looking at the deck and area near where the headliner meets the rear window. He couldn't give a diagnosis as the noise was faint, but said he could disassemble the rear deck and put it back together with care where different materials meet. I am pretty certain this is related to temperature change - it will make noise even when the car is not moving.

Car goes in next Monday. I mentioned the sun shade brackets today and will mention them again Monday, along with looking at the roof panel.

rufmb

Well my 2013 E350 Lux came with the creaking armrests feature - both driver and passenger. Never owned a car before that creaked in the armrest area in 3 months.
(I know I should have stayed away from the electrically heated armrests. )

fintail

Another update - had it in Monday, they took apart the entire rear deck area, added felt and lubrication in potential trouble areas. On the drive home, not a sound. But - it was cool and cloudy then.

Had it out in the sun and relative warmth today. Within 10 minutes in the sun - snap crackle pop! I parked it outside for a couple hours, and on the way back, plenty of irregularly timed noise. So I headed back to the dealer, right in time for the sun to vanish (spring in Seattle). Went for a ride with the tech I have dealt with before - he now has fair certainty that it is coming from the piece above the center high mount brake light, which apparently needs deck removal again to investigate. Back it goes next Monday...

chrisvr6

Mine is better with the screen down.

fintail

Another update - knock on shiny dark colored laminated wood, the problem appears to be solved. Had it in yesterday, and they apparently worked on the hard plastic area directly above the center brake light. Took it out for ~100 miles in the sun today, barely any odd noise at all in the car. I hope this lasts!

Car also returned a claimed 42.4 mpg.

tresean1

Wow, I just came across this thread and thankfully (but unfortunately) you guys are experiencing the same things as me. I have 2014 E350 w/ pano roof. I thought I was going crazy! I just got my (brand new to me) car delivered this week and have been hearing these freakin' creaking sounds from the back every time I would go over a bump or something; driving me insane--imagine the discontent over hearing this in my "new" car. At first I thought it was the rear headrests and then the rear parcel shelf and the rear sunshade (still happens whether it's raised or lowered), but now it helps to narrow it down exactly. You should have seen me, I was in the backseat like a wild man pushing and tapping and squeezing and testing every panel I could get my hands on, hoping to isolate it.

I will be taking her in to get this covered under warranty; anyone know the exact TSB on this?

stogge

Any update on this? Mine has it bad, and it is really noticeable at low speeds, sounds like it is coming from the roof in the back?

tresean1

Yeah. It was the pano roof bolts and the right c pillar

stogge

Haahaaa, turns out it was my softball bag in the trunk! The Bat handles were hitting the metal basket holder in the trunk! Problem solved!

Mbracer26

I had the loud scratching creeking noise come from the same area but on the right hand side passenger piller, they fixed it then in return I got the popping sound you guys are talking about from the left hand side. sounds like a subwoofer is loose and pops up and down when driving. makes one irrationally made when in traffic on the freeway doing 30mph. This car had less rattles then my new E300. The new one is like childrens rattle box. Dont recommend.

tresean1

Coincidentally I hear the subwoofer/speaker sound too, I had to sit with the Assist. Service Mgr. and physically demonstrate the cracking to him before I could convince him of the annoying sound. They fixed the C pillar and the pano roof, but I am taking it back now so they can replace my speaker.

fintail

I think my issue was the plastics on the rear deck - it would make noise even when the car was stopped and not running. My theory is that direct sunlight made the plastic expand, and occasionally pop. In cold or dark weather it never happened, but once the sun came out, there it was. The dealership improved it a bit with felt and lubrication. I no longer have the car, but I notice it a little in my current 2016 car. I think it is a design flaw. I've never heard the legendary pano noise.