Anyone have or heard of issues with the suspension? My car is rough over bumps and doesn't quite right at high speeds. It seems like something is wrong w/ the suspension. I was just at the dealer for a check up and mentioned there might be a suspension issue but the tech who drove my car said it "actually drives pretty well!"...uh it has just under 60k miles and is out of warranty, it better be driving well. But the more I drive the car, the more I'm sure there is something not quite right about the suspension. I can feel bumps through the steering wheel at higher speeds. A little vibration. Any inout guys/gals?

Also, any issues I should watch out for on this car? I don't mind maintenance but would like to avoid costly repairs? How much should I expect to shell out for my 60k mile maintenance and how much would suggested suspension/drivability issues run me?

Much appreciated!

 

You didn't mention which version of the car you have (sport or luxury), nor did you mention whether or not you have dynamic (adjustable) suspension.

Both of these questions may have impact on how the car feels.

For example, my E400 is a Sport version, so it has lower, stiffer suspension with low-profile 18" tires -- all of which can contribute to stiffer ride. Add to that that my particular car has the standard steel spring suspension (not air suspension or dynamic suspension, so not adjustable), and you get a car that can seem to ride quite harshly on bad roads. Drive it on a smooth interstate highway, and all is forgiven. It becomes smooth and well-controlled.

So. . . which options do you have?

 

Thanks SteveE400! I should have clarified. The troubling thing is that I have the Luxury Version with 17" wheels. The tires are just regular all-season tires. The thing is that the car feels VERY smooth on level roads at lower speeds. It is what I would describe as rough going over bumps, potholes, etc. at lower speeds as well but I should clarify that at these low speeds, it feels very solid when going over these road imperfections. So while it might be taking a bumps hard at lower speeds, the car does not creak or rattle or anything like that. It is cohesive.


That being said, at higher speeds is more so when I start to notice issues. Anything above 60-70MPH and the car does not feel quite like the cruiser I know it should be. Any imperfections on the road at higher speeds can really be felt throughout the entire car and also through the steering wheel. They're bad enough to make you clench your teeth when you see certain things on the highway that you know will affect the car. ALso, when I start to get to higher speeds, the steering wheel starts to feel like it MIGHT start vibrating a little bit. Not a severe amount, or even a moderate amount...just some. All of this is to say that while I feel safe driving it down the highway, I don't feel 100% like I could bust *** all over the road or go 90-100MPH easily. (Not that I plan to do this but it shouldn't be a problem for this car.) I just know this is not right for the car. For one thing, my friend has a 2014 E550 4Matic Sport verision and his was significantly better going over bumps (although possible he has the air suspension, I don't think it does). Also, I owned a 2008 BMW 535xi when it was brand new I barely noticed what speed I was going, it was great. Plus and I have been in many a luxury German vehicle in my life and I know that something is up, I just don't know what it is.

To the best of my knowledge, it doesn't seem or feel like one specific shock. (Not that I know much about cars). But it drives perfects straight. There is no misalignment or pulling in one direction or the other. And the bumps are felt throughout the entire car. (I think less so in the back...but I've only ridden back there to see how it felt.)

I should also mention that I have a 1998 E320 Wagon that rides more smoothly on the highway that my current ride. I realize that older car had a hydraulic system and the steering is very floating and there isn't great control but still.

Hope this helps! I really hope to hear back from you! Sorry for the novel.

 

Still - your problem could be a variety of things.

You could need new shock absorbers. Usually they don't wear out at 60K miles, but who knows? It has happened before. When shocks do go bad, it often happens gradually over a long period of time. You may have more than one that is ready for replacement.

You could also have one or more suspension bushings that are worn. These often make themselves known by general vagueness of the steering and suspension, and sometimes don't even make any noise.

Also, your tires may play a role. Which ones do you have? How many miles on them? how much air pressure do you keep in them? I keep my tires inflated to the higher end of the recommended range, so I get a harsher ride, with some "basketball" bouncing over certain types of road bumps. I'd rather put up with that than have to worry about bending rims on the nasty potholes here in the Upper Rust Belt. You could try reducing your tires' air pressure down to the lower end of the recommended range and see if the crashing and banging over bumps changes, although the steering response may become a bit less sharp.

The easy one to play with is tire pressure. After that, it may be time for a good mechanic to have a look at all the suspension components for wear.

 

Check your motor and the transmission mounts. They are hydraulic and collapse when they fail. Superior when functioning properly, and transmit all kinds of noise when failed.