I would be so pissed! My new GL (or any of my past GL's) does not have that sound! The only thing I hear is some road noise from my tires. I can't believe they are dragging this out! They just need to buy you out of this car already!!!!

 

I am more sad than pissed...or a combination of both.

As you can hear on the recording, I also have the road noise from the run flats...but the wind is easily heard OVER the road noise. I get this same amount of wind noise whether its windy or not. The road noise doesn't bother me, I expect a little of that with the tires...the wind, NOT SO MUCH.

Interestingly, the only time I didn't seem to hear the wind noise as much was when it was RAINING. Sigh..

Thanks Momz!

Tam

 

Thinking out of the box. Are your in-cabin air filters installed?

 

Hmmm, when it's raining less noise? Do you see any leaks in the car around the windshield? It really seems like there is missing adhesive around the windshield and maybe the rain is plugging it. If I was MB I would start with a new windshield and see if that fixes the noise. Seems like something easy to try.

 

I listened and I had my speakers on my computer set pretty low so didn't notice it at first. Let me offer some suggestions on your recordings in hopes of helping you. I believe you and want to help strengthen your case.

First, maybe it would make sense to talk once in awhile during the recording. That would help people to calibrate to the sound of your voice. If it's hard to hear, speakers must me too low, if it's too loud speakers must be too high.

Second, have you considered buying a DB meter that measures sound? I'm an engineer so I'm analytical by nature. It's hard to argue with facts. I did a quick google search and looks like for $20-40 you can have an actual measurement of the noise. You could take a recording and have it pointed at the meter's display showing how much noise you are getting. If you are really ambitious you could run the same experiment on another GL. If you get a measurable difference you can let the facts speak for themselves.

 

I have no idea why it's quieter. We were driving down the freeway (same one I went down when I recorded the wind noise yesterday) and I stopped and said, "Listen...to how quiet this car sounds right now in the rain.." and we just sat there and it truly is amazing how quiet the VEHICLE is in the rain. I don't necessarily mean the windshield area/wind noise but just in GENERAL..you barely even hear the water washing up in the wheel wells, etc. In THAT area, the car really does shine. But...that still doesn't fix my wind noise issue, and the fact that it rarely rains here in Southern California, as you know, does't help me much. I will note that I have not noticed ANY leaking whatsoever around the windshield and with all the taping, etc that my husband and I have done in addition to the additional taping/testing the mechanic at the dealership has done--Nobody has ANY CLUE why the wind noise on this car is so bad. The mechanic even took off the windshield wipers, thinking they were catching air and it has the same amount of wind noise regardless. He said in his honest opinion, all of the things he had done as far as removing moldings, taping up all areas, etc. would have eliminated the noise IF it had needed a new windshield. Everyone is stumped.

Today I was the squeaky wheel at MBUSA. Just got off the phone with my Claim Adjuster. I took my frustrations out on him a little--not his fault, surely--but someone has to deal with this. Poor guy.

Tam

 

Thanks Jim for the ideas, I very well may have to resort to this later. It is so frustrating, as wind noise truly is such a subjective matter.

I guess its equatable to asking someone if they think a particular dish is too salty. Some people only like a sprinkle of salt, others prefer a tablespoon. I guess with my GL, I feel like instead of a sprinkle of salt (a small amount of expected wind noise), I ended up at the table where the people before me, as a prank, unscrewed the cap lid of the salt and I am the one stuck with a RUINED MEAL. Sigh...

For now, I am going to deal with just the less subjective issues with my car, such as the grinding compressor, etc. There have been so many other things that have gone wrong with my vehicle that I think it is wise to just deal with the things that are less inclined to opinion and are less refutable. Obviously, at every stop, my GL shouldn't be making a grinding and sputtering noise with a huge burst of air.

I am going to keep your idea in mind. Thanks for taking the time to answer and google that sound meter for me. Everyone's ideas and support have really been much appreciated!

 

I called my dealer today to check on the status of my parts and they are in (have been, apparently) but I guess they were waiting on the outcome of the status of my buy-back.

At first I tried to schedule the appt. to have the warranty work done on the vehicle but the SA advised me that I should probably called MBUSA to see what they said to do. He said he knew that MBUSA has been in touch with their service manager at the dealership and has been talking to them about my particular vehicle. He told me that the service manager has advised them that they supported a BUY BACK for me as well. So THAT was good news. What it will do for me, I have no idea but at least I have their support.

So I called my adjuster at MBUSA to talk about my claim. He said that he could see that it was still in review, being processed but that a decision has still NOT been made on my case. I advised him that during the time I have been waiting for the parts from Germany the car has gotten significantly worse with the grinding compressor noise and now spits out bursts of air at each stop sign in addition to when I'm just driving around. (It does occasionally release air when a door is opened, when it's not started but I know THAT is normal, etc. What happens when I'm driving is a different thing I guess. It releases air 10-20 times in the 2.5 miles I drive my daughter to school sometimes, whenever the grinding noise starts. You can hear the compressor running when I am driving but as you slow it gets louder, then sputters..then POOF.)

He advised me to continue having all the warranty repairs done until MBUSA states they have approved my BUY BACK. He gave me the reason that should MBUSA not step forward and get me out of this vehicle, I will want to make sure I get all of these issues taken care of before my warranty runs out. Again, I've only had the car 16 weeks...my warranty is far from out, but I guess he is right. If MBUSA wants to pay the dealer more warranty work to fix this car, that is their right. And maybe it will fix the grinding noise.

But I did let him know that as of right now, my car had already been in the shop 25 days in the first 9 weeks of ownership. They estimate another 5 days for this repair. I told him it was my understanding that this will officially push me over into the 30 days in an 18 month time period to qualify for the lemon law.

In talking to my adjuster, honestly--it seems like he is mostly just a messenger and has very little, if anything, to actually do with my case. He did not have ANY answers for me at all. In essence, it sounds like he is just waiting for the answer on my case, as I am. Seems to me, he's more like the secretary who sits at that front desk, intercepting people before they get to talk to the big man. But whatever...

So..My car goes in NEXT Tuesday at 9am to begin the additional repairs.

This is all extremely frustrating! At least I can come here and vent.

As you know, I will keep updating accordingly.

Tam

 

My husband checked all of that, and I'm hoping the mechanic checked ALL of that when he spent a couple days trouble shooting it. As far as WE could tell, the filter was in..and the moving mechanical door was sealing as it should, etc. I really believe that if that mechanic knew of ANY way to rid this car of the wind noise, he would. He was as shocked and confused as I was as to where it is coming from.

 

This is all GREAT Tammy! MBUSA is communicating with the dealer, your dealer supports you and it is in review! I would definitely take it in for the repairs, and then fax the repair slip to your rep and have it added to the pile. The more it is in the shop and the more repairs attempted the stronger your case! I feel you are well on your way to a new GL!

 

I think M-B WILL do right by you. And soon! The adjuster you go through really IS just a go-between and he gets paid well to be nice but not promise very much. He really doesn't have the decision power. Don't ever forget that the Mercedes folks read these threads too. [Hi Y'all!] And they know what you are going through.

 

I sure hope so...this entire thing has just been so frustrating. I sure hope Mercedes reads my thread. Maybe that means they've listened to the recordings of my wind noise because they are going to be going to my adjuster Randy's email tomorrow.

I hadn't really given much thought to MBUSA reading these threads, but I do know that there are an awful lot of views on this particular thread and I can't imagine MBUSA wants THIS kind of publicity-yet I also feel like a very small fish in a big ocean..even if my thread eventually gets 10,000 views, what does that really mean to MBUSA.

Crossing my fingers. I'm also going to make them revisit the clunking from the back that they say is my ad blue sloshing/clunking around. I can't imagine that after only 2,000 miles it would need ANOTHER 7 bottles of adblue. If it is going through that much adblue in only 5,000 miles, something must be wrong with that adblue/urea system--the NOX sensor already went out on it, perhaps there is more involved because it CLUNKS like crazy back there.

 

I can't speak to MBUSA's situation, but I do know that there have been dozens of times when I've used (as politely as possible) some magic words when I don't feel like I'm getting where I want - "Is there a manager I could speak with about this?" Now it doesn't sound like you're getting much more than delays while they discuss or think about or try to decide, something like that, but had they given you the idea that they didn't want to continue fixing the vehicle under warranty I would've suggested the magic phrase. Just my own experiences. It's gotten me some pretty great stuff before, usually without even talking to the manager him/herself. The person who answers the phone is never supposed to be the one who makes the decisions, they're there to buffer the decision makers from you.

 

Just an update to say that my GL is now once again back in the shop. They couldn't really give me an exact time it will be done but I don't expect I will have it back until next week.

They are going to install the new shocks/bushings/etc.

Try to figure out the airmatic compressor issue and install some new valve that may help shut off the compressor and help stop it from running all the time like it does.

They are also going to try to figure out where/why it is leaking oil from the Bell Housing. (I still don't know exactly what a bellhousing is.)

Sigh..... I am in a nice Black C300. Much nicer than the other C300 I had been given in the past, this one has burlwood trim, etc. Tan interior though, and it's not very old and the interior is already REALLY dirty/stained carpet. (I doubt people take care of loaners.) but it did make me glad I got my black interior (with my kids!)

I'll keep everyone updated. I still have not heard back again from the claims person handling my buyback. I called to get a fax # but he never returned my phone call. I'll try and call him again today. I was told yesterady at the dealership that the Service Manager at our dealership has really gone to bat for us with this. Crossing my fingers he is right.

Tam

 

Crudely, it's one of these ...
http://www.motorera.com/dictionary/p...ll_housing.jpg

 

Looks like a bell!

On a different note, I am very grateful for the loaner cars. Not sure what I would do without them, as of the 4 months I've had my GL, I've been without it for nearly a month of that time (or more!.

I just noticed today that the car I am driving has AMG wheels, etc. I had wondered why this car looked a bit nicer than the other one.

Now I have to worry about dinging the wheels..not good!

 

Well...here's an update:

I got the car back last night. They replaced all the special ordered parts that were supposed to fix the compressor noise/air release at each stop and the upper and lower control arms were replaced as well.

On the paperwork, it says that the noise was gone and the airmatic was operating as it was supposed to. This was exciting, as I finally thought maybe they had fixed the problem.

We get in the car, head out the driveway and....

air compressor comes grinding on..and it releases air at the driveway of the Mercedes dealer....continue on to the next stop light about 100 yards away...compressor comes on.......releases a big burst of air......drive to the next stop light, another 50 yards away.....compressor comes on....releases burst of air..... at nearly every single time we stop the vehicle...the loud compressor comes on...and then I know it will release the air because whenever the compressor makes that noise, it releases air as you slow the vehicle and come to a stop.

They replaced the upper and lower control arms...honestly, I can't really tell a difference. The loud clunk is gone, I guess but that was gone after the last time they replaced the bushings or whatever..he said it was still creaking then. In the paperwork, they say there is no more creaking/groaning over bumps but it seems to have the same amount of creaking/groaning it did before I brought it in last week but not enough to complain about. So at least THAT is off the table now.

But there just seems to be something wrong with the airmatic on this vehicle. I went in this morning to pick up my garage door opener that I had left in the loaner car and I talked to the SA. He asked how it was after all the repairs and I explained that whatever they did to the airmatic compressor (valve thing) did NOT FIX the problem. I explained again to him, how, even on the drive in to the dealership this morning, from the first stoplight down the road from their dealership until I pulled into their driveway, the compressor loudly came on and it released air THREE TIMES within a football field length of road.

Even he is stumped: He said that the only time they expect there to be that "release" of air is when you stop the vehicle and take the key out, or open the door, etc. It will release air during those times and this is considered normal. I have experienced that in the garage, where I will run out to get my purse out of the car or something and when i open the door, it releases air-- I know it's normal to do that, and have never worried about that. But he said he has never heard of it being normal for it to release air erratically like mine does. He was shocked that it had came on and releases bursts of air three times just from the stop light to their dealership.

I'm just confused by the fact that the mechanic surely drove my car after he fixed things and he should be hearing this air release at each stop as well as that loud compressor coming on at each stop sign. And when I say loud, I just mean that you can definitely hear the compressor come on, even over the radio that is on...Several people have asked whose "cell phone keeps vibrating" when the nosie comes on..so it's definitely louder than the radio...and I always know immediately that the airburst will come as well. We joke about it as we drive, saying "Wait for it...Wait for it...Pshhhhhhh." AT EACH STOP SIGN.

I told the SA today that I am just disgusted with the car and I know they are doing everything they seem to be able to do to fix the problem but I just don't understand how they can tell me that it is not normal for the compressor to run like this and release air constantly at every stop sign, but have no way to FIX the issue.

I am just about ready to get an attorney involved to deal with MBUSA, I'm at my wits end trying to fix this. If any of the other GL's that I test drove on the lot made this compressor noise and release of air at each stop, I'd consider mine normal, but since none of the GL's I have driven do this, I can't HELP but think there is something wrong with my ours.

Show of hands, how many of your guys' GL's, when coming to every stop, makes a grinding compressor noise for about 10 seconds, immediately followed by a loud burst of air. AT NEARLY EACH STOP SIGN/STOP LIGHT YOU COME TO. If you can tell me that all of your GL's do this, then perhaps it IS normal.

DISGUSTED....
Tam

 

My GL doesnt make any noises like that. In fact my GL doesnt make any noises at all. Everybody who has ridden in it talks about how smooth the ride is and how quiet. Just yesterday my fiance's mother talked about how smoother it was than her minivan and why I wasnt sliding all over the road in the snow like her minivan would have been.

 

Pteam- I want to hate you lol... But in all seriousness, I am really glad you are getting to enjoy the GL350 as it's supposed to be enjoyed!

At least now I know it's not just something "normal" that all GL350 diesels "do." Because I got to thinking maybe because it is a diesel, it is supposed to do the semi-truck compressor noise/ air release thing at each stop light. I'm just trying to take into consideration all things before I go completely crazy.

I've talked to several people now (including the SA this morning) who say that the GL isn't expected to make these types of noises at each stop.

But surely I am not the only owner who has had this type of situation with the compressor and airmatic system. SURELY this has happened before...I'm at a complete loss as to why they can't fix it.

I am now thoroughly, 100% convinced I am the very unproud owner of the most beautiful piece of CRAP vehicle I've ever owned in my life.

Tam

 

My GL releases air at every stop just like yours. I think its part of the Airmatic, automatically leveling the car due to varying speeds... Maybe its just a BlueTec thing... My GL350 has more problems than my other GL450's I had, but I'm not sure the noises are as loud as yours. Is there a way you can record the whooshing noises you hear? It actually might compare to mine

 

My '08 Gl doesn't release air (in any audible way) at all - anytime - stop or not. When we had the '07 we would occasionally notice a hiss sound when a door was opened and we all got out. Never heard that on our '08. Ever!

 

On my 09 Bluetec, the only way I can hear the compressor is if I raise the car by pushing the button on the console/dash. And even then, I have to turn off the entire hvac system to hear it. It is that quiet. When I come to a stop I can sometimes hear the air release but it is so faint that I really have to try to hear it. I don't think I ever even noticed it until reading your posts.

 

Oddly, when I push the button to raise/lower the car, the compressor is quieter. I'm just stumped as to the sound it makes when coming to a stop. The air release is loud enough to be heard from the backseat of our GL...my son reallllly enjoys saying the car is "f@rting" each time we come to a stop. LOVELY.............sigh. This is something that is just very noticeable at stop signs, sometimes even when coming to a slow down, where say you aren't necessarily coming to a full stop but going around the corner...it will make the noise and then blow air. It happens at just about every stop sign...occasionally it won't do it, it's pretty erratic in deciding when and if it wants to "Pshhhhh"

I appreciate everyone's responses. My husband is going to go in and talk to our service advisor.

In the meantime, I've been PM'ing with Momsbenz and we don't live too terribly far apart. I think we will be making a nice road trip up to her place and then she can see first hand what I'm talking about. It will be nice to have someone else, who has listened to me whine for months about this get to hear it and then she can tell me what she thinks as well. She's owned THREE GL's...so she would know more than I would what is "normal" for this car!

On another note...I drove the car nearly all day today doing dress shopping for my daughters Jr. Prom..and I should retract what I said about the front shocks not seeming different. Now, after driving it over different terrain and various sized speed bumps, I DO THINK whatever they did help. It is much quieter and I could swear, even smoother, over the speed bumps now. Doesn't seem to "hit as hard", seems like it has more "give"(softer?) over the bumps. So...I'm fine with those!

 

I get the air release you are speaking of when I run out to grab something out of the car when it's parked in the garage. When I open the door, sometimes I hear a buzzing coming from the engine compartment and it will occasionally (though not very often) release air, even when all I've done is open the door, and nobody gets in, it will release air. I knew all of those things are normal.

You can't NOT "not notice" my cars compressor noise and air release. Add to that the fact that I know it happens, it is even more noticeable. But my passengers also notice it and ask too. I am getting tired of explaining....but then again, I spend a good amount of time explaining to everyone why I am always driving a C300 and not my new GL too. I am getting used to it.

 

I've noticed that our GL350 "farts" too. It usually happens within the first few miles of driving when stopped. After the car warms up, it seems to stop farting. When I'm driving, I can't hear a thing; must be HairNation playing a little too loud :-) Our '09 GL450 didn't make this noise, atleast not on the road; it would only make this noise when parked for a while and the doors were open & shut. Strange. We love our GL350 but I can't help but question some aspects of MB engineering.