First off I wish to thank everyone on this forum. I have read countless pages on here for brakes/oil changes and so on. Your posts have been amazing help. I bought my car on a whim and I am absolutely in love with it.

Now to the matter at hand, I bought the car in August with 46k miles. I am now at 51k and getting ready to go to Mercedes for the 50k service. I have changed oil three times and developed the famous vibration after a hard brake on a sweet summer day. So I just recently replaced rotors with centric and due to an error on the ordering of brakes went with the Autozone ceramic last minute. I will be posting my results soon enough.

All that is fine and dandy, its the smoothness I am starting to lose. When I first got the vehicle the acceleration was super smooth, as in I felt nothing but the sweet pull of speed on the seat. Through time though I am starting to feel something of a grinding feel on the pedals and to some extent the steering wheel as well. Its not a vibration exactly, it just feels rougher is the only way I can describe it. Like I can feel some form of friction on the both pedals when I have my foot on them. Mind you I have been acceleration happy. First time that I have owned anything so powerful.

t first I thought it was the tires degrading, so I replaced them. I then thought it might be the rotor issue, but I have now replaced them as well but still have it. Its there even when I don't accelerate, just coasting. I thought it might be wheel bearings but I checked them and they seem to be ok. I am not a mechanic but I am thinking that it has something to do with the drive axle. I hope the dealership might be able to give me an indication and go from there.

I just wanted to check the infinite wisdom of the forum if anyone has had anything similar.

A pleasure to be here and look forward to participating.

Otis.

 

Your description doesn't really make sense.. how do the pedals feel "rougher" or have "friction? When you depress the pedal its not "smooth"? Same with the steering, does it feel rough when you turn the wheel?

Shot in the dark, motor and transmission mounts, have them checked.

 

My money is on thrust arm bushings, control arm bushings, and/or ball joints. Front end suspension components.

 

I would check the motor mounts/transmission mount. My E550 sedan motor mounts were replaced around 50 thousand miles, and just over 6 years from when the car was built.

 

I understand my description is a bit cryptic, I am just having difficulty explaining what exactly is going on. I will try my best. So basically when I first got the car when I would press on the gas pedal I got no feedback from it, it was smooth, no engine rumble or vibration. What I am getting is some form of feedback on both pedals, as if the brake calipers are touching the rotors at all times kind of thing. A grind so to speak.

As an update my parking brake is broken, the pedal does not even work at all, ic an press it in and it just pops back. . I am considering the possibility that it is stuck and will examine further , thrust arm bushing sound like a possibility and mounts of course.

Thank you for the feedback, will check it out.

 

Appointment set for the 6th. It is sequentially getting worst. I can feel the rumble more, I can feel it on the floor at this point. So she is going in.

 

So here is the update. I went to Mercedes dealership but because I haven't registered the car yet they gave me a whole heap of trouble. At some point he said I need a deposit to get started and we expect to to do the work. I said I need a diagnosis, and then we discuss the work, to which he said we don't want to diagnose and not fix the issue. I was upfront that I don't know how much the estimate would be. etc. I took my keys and left. Went to two other mechanic shops and they both said everything fine. Well its not fie. Actually a new issue has developed.

A friend changed front rotor and brakes and ever since he did the car was driving funny. The steering got really soft and and it felt like I was driving on loose wheels After some searching on the internet, I have diagnosed it to be rack and pinion related. Basically its pulling to the left (even after alignment) and the wheels make these small adjustments even though I am not moving the steering wheel. As if I have some slack on the actual wheel axel. I am going to have to put it up and basically tear the whole front end apart and go from there. I don't know how this could of happened, but my friend did say that one rotor would not come off easily and had to bang it a bit, smh. Last time I have anyone else work on it.

 

Bluelq, yeah issues like this are tough to diagnose.

I can't believe the dealer They don't want to just provide a diagnosis - sheesh. Good luck.

 

Took it to a different dealer. Motor mounts, transmissions flush bent wheel and 2 new tires. 4k. Will get back on Thursday and see if all is well. Good call on the mounts though.

 

My baby is back, apparently I had a bent wheel, bad alignment and mounts. Still feels a touch lighter then before but is in good condition.