Curious thing about the E400 Steering---Pics
 

I have always had M-cars, or AMG products, and now I went for a more luxurious, less powerfull sedan. Tha car is great except for one Annoying Nagging thing...

The Steering! Don't get me wrong, it is nice except for when I am on a High Speed Sweeper, and I'm holding a nice tight line, all of a sudden, and without any steering input right or left, the car changes it's line ON IT'S OWN, and I must slow down, and re steer the Car.

It's like The lectric power steering has a mind of it's own. It is dangerous, and have almost considered selling the car because of it.

Anyone experience this? I mean i don't even know what to call it, when it does it? :confused:

I found exactly what is happening. Its like on this video at 2:20 time stamp thru 4:04

anyone experience this?

I believe you're referring to the "Direct-Steer" system, which was made standard MY14+.

I tried to find technical information regarding it, but all I can find is this graph.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...1c73cf3530.png

It's part of the lane keeping ... It's detecting something in the road that's indicating you're going off course

I just experienced it when I was on Hwy today.

It's like the car has it's own mind.

I almost thought that my tires were losing grip.
But it only happens at high speed.

Really? Is it that obvious of a deviation from the input you're doing at the time? If so that does seem dangerous. Is it just something that takes some getting use to or I guess a better question is can you turn it off if you want to do so?

That's pretty strange - What speeds are you up at when this is more noticeable?

I just checked, and LANE KEEPING has always been off.

It is like taking a turn about 45 and I'm holding a tight wheel, and it is tracking perfectly around the turn, and the wheels move on their own a little, just enough to take you off you once tight line...

Did you guys see the video at the correct time?

yes! that would be great if we can turn it off! or is it a malfunction that does not throw a code? weak Steering Booster? I have no idea.

i'm counting on someone here to save the day!...lol

Glad I'm not the only one...

Turn off all distronic and all nannies and see if it still happens

lets say youre cruising down the freeway doin 120ks with just one hand on the steering wheel on a clear straight road, would it actually steer to either left or right randomly?

i have never experienced on a straight, and like tram-lining, i would have noticed it.

Nope, just on the turns...

hmmm, does it feel like a struggle when it happens? you reckon youll have an under/over steer if you let the car correct itself?

no struggle, it's like I'm holding the steering wheel on a long 55mph turn and while I have the steering wheel locked, the car's front wheel turn a little wide and I have to correct the line.

It's like the power steering is giving or subtracting boost. It is just a little but at 55 or so, it changes the line by about 6 inches to a foot.

It's like if you took a loose pratractor, and while making a circle, the protractor slips and the circle is bigger... :nix:

Can you go for a drive with a tech

I AM GLAD I KNOW WHAT THIS IS NOW!!!!! (I hope) I have to learn to adapt or trust the system I guess.

OP, let me describe what I had experienced. I had just thought MB don't build cars with good steering response.

I have been driving BMWs until last september since 1997. E39 5 series, E46 3 series and E70 X5 V8. Anyways, previously when I go into a long, large curve (even though the speed limit would say 45 mph) like from one interstate onto another interstate and you're on an overpass going left. I only do this when I am going left. When you're the driver, since you're in the "center" of the turn, I would take the turn fast, since you don't feel the inertia as much of trying to keep the car going straight vs if you're in the passenger seat. Anyways, I only do it when I am going left since I feel more confident - going as fast as I can and then feather the gas padel if I start to feel (Or think) I may be losing the rear traction of my car. I am not a professional driver nor ever been trained or ever test the limit of my car. Essentially if I feel scared, I left off the gas :-).

Always felt pretty confident and as your steering wheel fights or provide counter feedback, I would adjust according to the feedback and it takes a steady force to keep the steering wheel turned.

Then I experienced my e400. Same thing not sure if it's assisted steering or something. I just can't find that right balance as I enter the turn, I would think I need to exert a certain force to keep the steering wheels going left. But then it feels the car isn't turning as much as I want to as if the rear is about to go sideways to the right because the car is aiming straight. Then I yank the wheel a little harder, all off a sudden it's like I oversteered and car quickly shot left and the steering wheel feels loose all of a sudden. It freaks me out that I need to slow down to speed limit to feel more in control. And looking back in my rearview mirror, there is a Jeep Wrangler on my tail.

I am like WTF - jeep wranglers can't handle curves and if they go too fast, they flip! I had one long time ago.

Maybe someone can teach me how to drive MB through turns and curves. Sometimes the steering wheels just feels too loose. I get during low speed it makes it easier to turn. But at high speed, it may be tight and get "loose" just for a brief second - you lose all connection with the road. So is this all part of the "feature?"

Do you guys all have Distronic Plus? I do not, and have not experienced any strange behavior with my E400. I am a recovering autocross nut, so I think I would notice it. . . given the way I corner the car.

This part has me in tears laughing as I can picture the whole thing so vividly when you added this piece. Good luck learning the system or figuring a way to turn it off when you want to be more aggressive.

I can confidently say I have no idea what you are talking about OP but that I have not experienced this on 4 different 2014-2016 e class sedans

If your car has variable rate steering this might happen. See if it always hits at the same speed. If it does that is where they have mapped the steering rate to change. At lower speeds the rate is higher than at higher speeds.

I am going to try to play with it and look at my speed limit. The curve I refer to is sometimes part of my daily commute route home then give the play by play. may be next time I'll see a suzuki samurai in my rear... (those over 40 know what I'm talking about... the samurais were king of taking high speed curves...

Look in the bushes or guard rails for a Samuri trying to take a curve at 40mph. Heck, even 20mph!