late model 213 steering wheel stuck in up position
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 1
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From: St George UT
2018 E300
late model 213 steering wheel stuck in up position
I have a 2018 E300. I had "Easy Entry" turned on and sometimes in the past month or so I would have to manually return the tilt angle to my favorite position. Now it is all the way up and will not move. I do hear what sounds like a relay closing when I try to manipulate the lever. Youtube searches indicate it might be a broken "dogbone" link but that seems like that configuration is only on an earlier year model than mine. When I asked about a replacement link the parts guy checked with a mechanic in the service bay and he said sorry you have to replace the whole steering column. That sounds like a rather an extreme fix. Anyone have any info on a fix for this year model chassis? I had always purchased a factory manual in the past for each of my cars but it seems like lately you have to have a computer science degree to work on the newer ones. my 380SL and my 300SD were both '81 year models so it was easy to figure things out. I thought that I heard that the service manuals were now on line with a subscription or?
Barry
Barry
Newbie
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 3
Likes: 2
From: near Louisville KY
R231 SL550
OK. I just went through this ordeal, also.
I’ve had my R231 (’14 SL550) for six years. Other than replacing the auxiliary battery (and all the nonsense a weak aux battery causes), I’ve had no trouble with this great little car!
Then, seemingly while sitting in the garage, this NO-Tilt-Steering-Column problem started. For the record, I do keep the easy-exit feature on AND I’m sure I routinely put downward pressure on the wheel when exiting the car.
Fortunately there are many online articles and references to this problem and how we may correct it. Some simply suggesting we take it to the dealership for a $1,200 replacement tilt motor (which, by the way, does NOT resolve the potential for this problem to recur). Others suggesting the “absurd” recourse of beating on my car until it relinquishes a normally tilting steering column. I confess I thought this was a load of crap.
Since the SL dash is so well buttoned up, I used a bore-scope to look behind the dash and try to learn what the mechanism was that was failing. I easily saw the worm-drive which tilts the column is at end-of-travel and over-torqued to the UP position (like a tightened screw and nut) and the motor doesn’t have enough torque to reverse out of it. In engineering parlance we call this "taper-lock".
I didn’t beat on my steering wheel. But, I did use my knees to force the steering column even farther up to reduce the wedge-tightening effect and allow the motor to reverse away from full-up position, when operating the switch. I can see how adding some light impact knocks to the steering wheel may also help. But, the upward pressure on the column is key. ...problem solved (until it happens again).
I hope this helps someone!
I’ve had my R231 (’14 SL550) for six years. Other than replacing the auxiliary battery (and all the nonsense a weak aux battery causes), I’ve had no trouble with this great little car!
Then, seemingly while sitting in the garage, this NO-Tilt-Steering-Column problem started. For the record, I do keep the easy-exit feature on AND I’m sure I routinely put downward pressure on the wheel when exiting the car.
Fortunately there are many online articles and references to this problem and how we may correct it. Some simply suggesting we take it to the dealership for a $1,200 replacement tilt motor (which, by the way, does NOT resolve the potential for this problem to recur). Others suggesting the “absurd” recourse of beating on my car until it relinquishes a normally tilting steering column. I confess I thought this was a load of crap.
Since the SL dash is so well buttoned up, I used a bore-scope to look behind the dash and try to learn what the mechanism was that was failing. I easily saw the worm-drive which tilts the column is at end-of-travel and over-torqued to the UP position (like a tightened screw and nut) and the motor doesn’t have enough torque to reverse out of it. In engineering parlance we call this "taper-lock".
I didn’t beat on my steering wheel. But, I did use my knees to force the steering column even farther up to reduce the wedge-tightening effect and allow the motor to reverse away from full-up position, when operating the switch. I can see how adding some light impact knocks to the steering wheel may also help. But, the upward pressure on the column is key. ...problem solved (until it happens again).
I hope this helps someone!
