Droning noise
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Annapolis Maryland
1999 SLK Sport & 2003 E500 Sport, 2014 GLK350 4matic
Is your GLK front end still quiet ? (no droaning..) Since mine is doing the same thing (14 GLK 350 32K) sounds like I will be chancing the front diff fluid.
Thanks,
Rick
Thanks,
Rick
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
E350 Wagon
Similar drowning in my E350 Wagon, shop recommendation in DC or MD?
We did the bent wheel first, didn't eliminate the noise. Then we did the front rotors and that helped with the noise and allowed us to hear it more directionally. Then we went for the wheel bearings and I asked to change the front diff fluid. That's when we caught the leak as they had a good portion the underside removed to service the differential. Not a lot leaked out, I'd say maybe 15% to 20%, but the fluid was definitely ready to be swapped out. The old had metal shavings in it, so it had gotten low enough and worn out enough to start degrading the differential, but didn't destroy it.
The car is buttery smooth now and the power delivery is also slightly more smooth. No feeling of dragging anything or burdening the drive system. Effortless rolling I guess is the best way to explain it. I can tell that what noise is left, is the tires because they haven't really been put to work since November and need to be run hard to heat up and smooth out again. Got some slight flat spotting that I suspect will go away in about 100 miles of highway driving. The tires on this car (the Conti's) are holding up exceptionally well by the way. The tread depth still looks close to new after 25k miles that I've put on the car since I bought it in 2017. I have two that are original from the CPO purchase, and two that had to be replaced along the way from road damage.
Loading up the car tonight and hitting the road for a near 3,000 mile road trip with my son tomorrow in it. Looking forward to the drive again!
....but in classic Murphy's Law world - that damn "pre-safe inoperable" error message keeps coming back on! It's my driver's seat belt latch. I actually have a new one sitting at the MB dealer that I forgot to get this week and just don't have the time to get it. A healthy dose of electric contact cleaner spray down into the latch seems to shut it up for a week or two. Stupid thing makes me laugh now after all of this work, we forgot to get that fixed! I presume it's like my door ding at this point. You know the drill - get one ding and if you leave it alone it'll be the only one you'll ever have. Fix it, and the car will be hit by a meteorite the following week....
The car is buttery smooth now and the power delivery is also slightly more smooth. No feeling of dragging anything or burdening the drive system. Effortless rolling I guess is the best way to explain it. I can tell that what noise is left, is the tires because they haven't really been put to work since November and need to be run hard to heat up and smooth out again. Got some slight flat spotting that I suspect will go away in about 100 miles of highway driving. The tires on this car (the Conti's) are holding up exceptionally well by the way. The tread depth still looks close to new after 25k miles that I've put on the car since I bought it in 2017. I have two that are original from the CPO purchase, and two that had to be replaced along the way from road damage.
Loading up the car tonight and hitting the road for a near 3,000 mile road trip with my son tomorrow in it. Looking forward to the drive again!
....but in classic Murphy's Law world - that damn "pre-safe inoperable" error message keeps coming back on! It's my driver's seat belt latch. I actually have a new one sitting at the MB dealer that I forgot to get this week and just don't have the time to get it. A healthy dose of electric contact cleaner spray down into the latch seems to shut it up for a week or two. Stupid thing makes me laugh now after all of this work, we forgot to get that fixed! I presume it's like my door ding at this point. You know the drill - get one ding and if you leave it alone it'll be the only one you'll ever have. Fix it, and the car will be hit by a meteorite the following week....
Hi NC211 - First, thank you for the detailed post, it has been super helpful and has helped me dispel notions that I was losing my mind So our new to us 2016 E350 wagon seems to have a similar droning noise between 60 and 73 mph. Have had the wheels balanced twice. My mechanic is skeptical it is the wheel bearings but I will push him on this. You said there was no wiggle in the wheel to indicate bearing wear on initial inspection? That would be good to know to encourage him to dig deeper! On the differential leak - are there any symptoms associated with that that you could identify? I assume the drone is from the bearings right?
I am in washington DC too - is there an independent shop you might suggest? I have one in Silver Spring that has been good to me but it’s always good to get second opinions!
thanks again!
David
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Joined: Jun 2017
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2020 GLS450 (wife) / 2024 Ford Bronco (mine) / 2014 VW Tiquan (son)
Hi David, I honestly was never able to fully nail it down, but was circling in on the front differential. I had replaced the rims, brakes, wheel bearings, driveshaft flex couplings, center bearing, aligned many times, 100% flushed the trans fluid for Amsoil full synthetic (made a hell of a nice improvement in the transmission, highly recommend) and it would diminish the noise for a while but would then come back. The car was smooth as glass and straight as an arrow down the highway. I eventually gave up recently and traded it in for a VW to give to my son for his first car and placed an order for a new Ford Bronco as my new car. I definitely think it was a damaged component in the front differential somewhere, and was on the fence to have it replaced, but ultimately decided to pull the plug and walk away.
On mine, I can’t tell you what it was exactly, but I can tell you what it was not:
Rims
Brake rotors
Driveshaft
Bushings
Wheel bearings
Motor mounts or transmission mount.
Silver Star in Fairfax is a solid indi with a great reputation. I live out past Dulles and when Covid hit, I switched over to InMotion Motors in Leesburg who has been excellent. They take care of my wife’s GLS since brand new as well.
key problem I’ve had with MB dealers in our area is the insane and constant turnover of staff. You never know who you’re going to get and if they know what they’re doing in general. 90% of the time for me, it’s seemed to go against me. I gave up Mercedes Benz because of this with the Bronco. Simply walking away. When the GLS starts acting up and if a mystery to fix, it too will be gone for a different brand altogether.
On mine, I can’t tell you what it was exactly, but I can tell you what it was not:
Rims
Brake rotors
Driveshaft
Bushings
Wheel bearings
Motor mounts or transmission mount.
Silver Star in Fairfax is a solid indi with a great reputation. I live out past Dulles and when Covid hit, I switched over to InMotion Motors in Leesburg who has been excellent. They take care of my wife’s GLS since brand new as well.
key problem I’ve had with MB dealers in our area is the insane and constant turnover of staff. You never know who you’re going to get and if they know what they’re doing in general. 90% of the time for me, it’s seemed to go against me. I gave up Mercedes Benz because of this with the Bronco. Simply walking away. When the GLS starts acting up and if a mystery to fix, it too will be gone for a different brand altogether.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,374
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2020 GLS450 (wife) / 2024 Ford Bronco (mine) / 2014 VW Tiquan (son)
Forgot to answer your leak question. Raise the car up and look down the driveshaft tubes at where they enter the front diff. If they’re not dry as a bone, then you have a seal gone bad. It happens. If you have the seal replaced, then I would suggest replacing the driveshaft bearing in there too. If the leak is bad enough or has gone on long enough to have reduced the level of gear oil, then you might have a damaged differential too. I think that might’ve been my situation.
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2024
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E350 Wagon
Thanks NC211 for the quick reply! I am bummed that the problem came back on you! For you and me both. There is nothing worse than a problem that refuses repair. I will have my mechanic look at the differential in front. Is the oil a scheduled service item or only if leaking kind of thing? The shops in VA are too far from me - I like my mechanic but he tends to the don’t do anything unless absolutely necessary school of thought. Which is usually great except when you are a bit **** about your car and want it perfect! My mechanic warned me though not to swap out our 2002 wagon for the 2016…but we wanted something newer after 155k miles…
Agree with you on dealer service departments - it’s terrible that they are essentially an unusable resource. I doubt MB has much leverage over them as the dealer protection laws are so strong in the States. I also agree that the current MB lineup lacks anything compelling. BMW is doing better lately.
Agree with you on dealer service departments - it’s terrible that they are essentially an unusable resource. I doubt MB has much leverage over them as the dealer protection laws are so strong in the States. I also agree that the current MB lineup lacks anything compelling. BMW is doing better lately.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,374
Likes: 781
2020 GLS450 (wife) / 2024 Ford Bronco (mine) / 2014 VW Tiquan (son)
Usually the front diff needs nothing at all, as the power delivery in the 212 is fixed between the rear and the front, with the rear constantly taking I believe 60% of the force and front at 40%. On mine, a 2014, the front diff didn’t even have a fill plug, just a drain plug and the requirement to pull the passenger side drive shaft to refill it. Dumb design, but MB probably figured the only reason to ever change the gear oil was if a problem with the diff occurred in general. Since mine leaked, a problem indeed. I think one too many pothole hits caused it. Mine came from the MD side (CPO in 2017 from Euro), and a lengthy repair history on the wheels. Even noting two of them had to be replaced instead of repaired.
In my own opinion, I would start with the diff. Check the mounts for the diff to make sure they’re still good and no metal to metal contact to cause sound transmission to the frame. If nothing else is obvious to the cause on the car, then I would not do what I did and go part hunting from the cheapest point upward. I would just start at the diff, as I do think that was my issue all along…
They’re excellent cars when they’re right! Mine was 99% right most of the time, just that annoying droaning sound at/around 70mph from the center/front of the car. 80+ and no noise. 65- and no noise. 65-80….noise.
In my own opinion, I would start with the diff. Check the mounts for the diff to make sure they’re still good and no metal to metal contact to cause sound transmission to the frame. If nothing else is obvious to the cause on the car, then I would not do what I did and go part hunting from the cheapest point upward. I would just start at the diff, as I do think that was my issue all along…
They’re excellent cars when they’re right! Mine was 99% right most of the time, just that annoying droaning sound at/around 70mph from the center/front of the car. 80+ and no noise. 65- and no noise. 65-80….noise.
