bumparker

2104 E350 Sport with about 60,000 miles. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ on front (10000 miles) and back (new). New struts on front.

I hit a rather large pothole about 3 months ago and I have bee fighting this issue ever since. The steering feels like the car wants to wander a little and follow road imperfections. I had a 4 wheel alignment performed and it was a little better. I put new struts on front. I rotated the front tires right to left. I replaced the rear tires (no issues, they were just due). The car drives OK, just not the way it did originally. It's driving me crazy because I know how it used to feel.

I have rear shocks on order to replace but I only expect the ride to improve from that upgrade. I've looked at the front suspension and wheels and I don't see anything obvious. I've got no vibration or pull which makes me think the tires are probably OK.

Any words of wisdom out there? I'll probably end up having to take it to a Mercedes front end specialist or it will drive me crazy.

My other car is a C7 Corvette and my wife drives an Audi Q7, every time I drive one of those I'm reminded it ain't right.

belarus27

Could be one of the suspension or steering components (bent control arm or inner/outer tie rods or steering rack(not likely tho))
although might be a bent wheel , but it would cause a vibration

KEY08

Sounds like you have done everything since you hit the pothole, but there must be something out of whack with the suspension and alignment. These cars simply do not tramline like some high performance cars. They go straight down the road and do not dart around. My Shelby is the king of darting around and it's due to the big wide front sticky tires. You have to pay attention around town or end up in a ditch. I don't know what to offer you other than to follow your own suggestion of getting it to a specialist. Any of those items mentioned in belarus27' post are suspect.

MBNUT1

I wonder if you damaged a control arm bushing

Mud

I'm assuming both front and rear wheel hit the pothole. If so, check both front and rear suspension components for damage and also verify that there are no bent rims.

kajtek1

Do you have copy of alignment results? I had dealer doing alignment on my W211 and they gave me car back with a dozen measurements in red. No wonder they hesitated to give me the copy and I had to insist on it.
Than I ditto on checking mentioned control arm bushing. On my 4 years old MB the bushing has big cracks on it and even my car drives straight, I will have to replace it soon. (whole arm as bushings on lower are not replaceable)
Mind my MB has 180k miles, but those bushing on older cars lasted for 30 year and 1/2 million miles.

Arrie

There are a couple of things that make the car "search" the road. One is loose component in the suspension and the other is toe setting being wrong.

Who did the alignment?

You said you don't see anything obvious so it could easily be the toe. With wrong toe the weight shift of the car will change the steering where the car will want to go.

If toe is wrong you should see it on the tires after enough miles.

bumparker

4 wheel alignment done at my local Firestone (convenience). I did get a copy of the alignment report. The rear was slightly out of alignment (right rear camber was -1.8 degrees, but they said it was not an adjustable setting. They told me the only way to correct rear alignment was to replace my worn out rear shocks (quoted $1224 to replace two shocks with genuine MB shocks) which I declined. That is why I have shocks on order for the rear (I doubt they are worn out, probably just trying to upsell me). But the front aligned within spec based upon the paperwork they gave me and they did not mention any issues on the front.

kajtek1

There are several simply ways to DIY checking toe. I think you are due for one.

Arrie