Mine is erratic...but like yours, it can almost always be counted on to do the loud compressor noise when we get going, after stopped and then release air at the first few stops. Then it might go a few stop signs or lights before doing it again. Then, I can hop on the freeway and drive 30 miles and get off the offramp and it won't make the noise at the stop sign/light at the end of the offramp..but then I can go to the next stop 4 stop lights and it makes the loud compressor noise and releases air each stop. During actual driving, the compressor also comes on and it does release air when just simply driving down the road (not freeway, but usually roads in town) but this is not nearly as often as the compressor noise/air release at stop signs. It's an annoying guessing game as to when/if it will do it's "thing."

I just find it odd that some people have NO noise and others have some noise, while I have excessive noise (air release in addition to the compressor noise.). Whose airmatic systems are working "correctly?" The silent ones or the noisy ones? Sigh...

I'm going to try and call the adjuster guy again. I left a message for him this week to get back to me with a fax number because I wanted to fax him another letter with more information about the most recent repairs, etc. But he never returned my call. Frustrating.

Tam

 

surprised they haven't just replaced the entire air compressor.

our lemon'd 07 ml500 exhibited the same constant air releases like you're experiencing plus it had an annoying and constant buzz while running.

compressor was found defective, and it only had 4,200 miles on it.

sent you a pm btw.

 

Mine has the buzz....I told the SA when I dropped it off that it has a constant "hum" to it. He looked at me like I'm nuts but I did see in my paperwork that he mentioned the humming noise. The humming noise is a bit different than the louder compressor grinding noise. Hard to describe the sound, grinding is probably a harsher word than necessary, but it's an odd motor noise..I told the other SA today when I went in to pick up my garage door opener, it makes me wonder, if eventually this dang compressor can "burn out" running like that all the time.

They have "tested" my airmatic system, they say. Using soap, etc to find leaks. It "tests" as working in normal operation, yet CLEARLY, it doesn't seem to be operating normally in the true sense of the word. I have wondered several times now why they don't just REPLACE the dang compressor! The mechanic is such a nice guy, he really is...and I know if he runs the tests and it tests normal, its harder for him to "fix" something he's not sure where to start to fix it. Same for the wind noise, I know he went above and beyond to try and figure out why my car is so loud with wind noise but he finally told me, he can't fix what he can't seem to find. UGH!!!

Maybe if I am feeling energetic tomorrow and I can get my husband to drive me around while I sit in the passenger seat and record the noise, I will do so and get that posted up on here. It would be one thing if we had to endure this noise just say once, at the first stop light and then it leveled out and was quiet the rest of the trip until stopping. It's the constant barrage of compressor noise and hissing air release everytime we come to a stop that is absolutely ridiculous! Interesting, sometimes when I am sitting at a stop light, I will notice the car "raises" or lowers, when I am just sitting there....but it does THAT SILENTLY...not a sound..and if there is a sound, its dang near silent. I only know I'm moving because I get a bit of that vertigo feelings and watch the bumper of the car in front of me and realize I'm moving up or down. But it's not making a noise when it does THIS?! (which is what I'd expect from the airmatic.)

I try to do most of my whining in PM's to Momsbenz..lol...I'm feeling whiney right now about all of this...but I sure appreciate everyones responses!

Tam

 

i checked my computer to see if i still had my sound recording of the buzzing compressor, but it looks like i deleted it.

if you lived closer to me in san jose i would have stopped by and let you know if your sound and my sound were the same.

on my service report, it said...fault code stored, leak test performed, no leak found, and no output from pump when pump on and running during activation. removed pump and replaced.

after the pump was replaced, i didn't have that issue anymore.

 

I used to go to San Jose a lot back in the 70's and 80's..my Grandparents lived in Fremont. You're about 6 hours away from me. MomzBenz is about 3 hours from me. I sure wouldn't mind having someone from this board listen to/drive my particular GL so you could all see what I'm talking about, perhaps give me a little validation. LOL!

In my most recent letter I have written to my adjuster, which I was trying to fax to him but he hasn't returned my call for his fax #, I personally invited them to send someone out here from MBUSA to "experience" driving my car for a day so they can experience what I get to experience every day of driving it. Rather than just take my word for all the issues, I'd love for them to come out and see for themselves. Actually, it surprises me they wouldn't want to do that, before a buy back, just to see for themselves. I guess they don't really do that, they just go by the paperwork.

If they search through the service records on my 16 week old car, it really speaks for itself, so I guess there is no need to see firsthand if my car has problems. Starting from the moment the engine light came on....I hadn't even made the first payment yet and did not have my vehicle in my possession when I made my first TWO payments. Frustrating.

I'm less whiney about it today--I'm trying to trust in the process.

I appreciate everyone's responses!
Tam

 

Before I added SIX MORE BOTTLES of bluetec to my car to stop the clunking/sloshing, I thought I'd throw my video camera in the back to record the sounds I get to listen to a the stop signs and when parking/backing up/taking off..lol.. To record this, I just pulled my GL in and out of the garage a few times and then did a 4 point turn in the driveway.

This is just more annoying than anything else and one of the reasons I may not consider another GL350, much to my husbands dismay. I think I may prefer the 450. I either have a low tolerance for noises or your guys's bluetec isn't as loud as mine LOL!

I will be trying to record the compressor noise. It was just too hard to try to do alone. I was bored today and all I had to do for this was throw it in the back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McvwQ9GWMBo

On my laptop, it sounds a little tinny through my little speakers. It's a pretty deep 'clunk" I hear in the back when it makes the noise. I'm getting used to it...I guess......... If you listen at the end, you can hear how long it still "clunks" after I turn off the vehicle and take the key out.

 

TamZ, I've got to say that would bother the ever-lovin' schmidt out of me! I'm the guy who pulls over to get an empty can out from under the passenger seat (the kids - teens - will have decided it's easier to "forget" to take it out) because it makes the occassional rattling noise. That clunk would cause me to shoot my truck with a Howitzer. I do hope that's not the "normal" noise one gets from that tank! Is it just an unbaffled plastic bottle? Seriously!

 

STP--it DOES absolutely drive me crazy. It drives me even more crazy when I hear people on here say they NEVER HEAR anything from theirs. Because mine..literally sounds just like you described it...its like a bottle of water rolls back and forth in the back area each time I come to a stop..and also when I lurch forward to go...its clunk..clunk...

My Mercedes dealer, says this is NORMAL. My husband asked and there are NO BAFFLES in the tank either.

 

It's not normal. Our GL320 is very quiet.

 

And that is what is so frustrating..because the sensible person inside of me says, "This is SO NOT NORMAL." but then the dealers only "solution" for me is to keep adding bottles and bottles of adblue every 2000 miles. When I fill up the bluetec tank, the clunking is reduced to a slight slosh, that can still be heard but is not as "clunky" more of a liquid sound without the clunk. After about 2000 miles (that is when 7 additional bottles were added a month and 1/2 or so ago at the dealer.) it starts to clunk.

It now needed an additional 6 bottles (who knows maybe it could take more, I don't have any more) but it is NOT CHEAP to keep filling up this adblue tank every 2000 miles to try to keep this clunking down.

I don't even know how to fight with MB in regards to this not being normal. I complained again last week when I brought it in for the (still unfixed) compressor noise and they told me again, "that's just normal for the GL Bluetec Diesel...."

 

I know that 43221B has also had this problem. https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-...blue-tank.html

that they made it this way, is shocking to me...and extremely frustrating

 

I listened to your recording and unless you have the microphone right on top of the tank your tank's sloshing sound is way louder and more continuous than what I've heard. I can only hear one or two sounds immediately after I put my car in reverse or forward when changing directions when parking. I do not hear it driving down the road or coming to a stop at lights, etc.

Honestly, it almost seems like they forgot to insulate your entire car and you are hearing all kinds of noises that normally are muffled. I'm not sure though how that could happen.

 

Well I know they insulated the car..lol..because my husband crawled underneath, he took off the panels on the inside of the car (where the first aid kit is, etc) and could see how well insulated the actual car is. He even mention how good of a job they did insulating various parts of the car. He was surprised.

As for the recording, I tied my video camera to one of the side strap things, with the rungs that look like you can tie something with. It wasn't directly on top of the tank, more to the side of the vehicle in the back. The 'lid' to the area where the tank is below was shut. but there is no insulation once you open that lid, there is just the tank with its blue cap. I wonder if I could buy some type of foam to put on top or maybe stuff towels though not sure that would really work or even if there is enough room. I guess I could put the video camera in the back seat facing towards the rear and that would give you a better idea of what the driver passengers hear. I was just trying to record the actual sound. I'm sure the clunking is much louder in the third row vs. the first row, but from my drivers seat, the loud clunk is extremely annoying.

Although this clunking is something I brought up in my complaints about the car, I know there is really nothing that can be done about it, sort of like the excessive wind noise. This Adblue tank thing just seems to be a poor design (to me).

In general, I don't hear this tank when I'm driving around either. Not even when I slow down for a corner, etc. (which surprises me, really.) I hear the clunking at stop lights/stop signs, with the clunking being slightly lounder at take OFF rather than stop. Where I seem to really hear it the most is during parking and these 3 pt. turns I demonstrated in the video. For whatever reason, as you are parking and pulling up slowly, and tapping the brakes to get closer to the front without hitting or backing up and tapping the brakes as you are making sure cars aren't coming, it really gets to 'rockin', I guess.

I guess I just really wanted to record the sound once before I refilled it. It's easy to tell people my "adblue clunks" but I thought it might help for people to actually hear the sound of that liquid in the car. I do so much stop and go driving, literally it's all I do all day long with 3 kids... I doubt I get another GL350, it's sort of a deal breaker for me, I think.

Tam

 

Wow Tammy, that is loud! I can't believe that your car has already taken 13 bottles of ad blue in the first 5,000 miles. We were seriously considering getting the 350, but when you had all these problems we decided on the 450 again, which we know has proven to be a good car (besides the '08 with the battery issue). I also wanted the spare tire as I commute up and down the mountain daily and don't want to be stuck.
Good job on all the recordings! I really want to hear the airmatic compressor! I hope you get all these resolved very soon! And hopefully your hubby will let you get another GL!

 

My friend's 2011 Denali used 16 gallons at 6000 miles.

 

WOW!!! That has to get expensive!!!

 

397 H.P. and 765 lbs. of torque creates a lot of exhaust to clean up.

 

Oh, MomsBenz....lol...You already know exactly what my husband thinks of Mercedes. LOL.... Sigh...

It is loud..and annoying. I'm sure because the recorder is in the back area, it is louder than I actually hear it up front, but it is still a very noticeable, loud CLUNK from anywhere in the vehicle. Even the mechanic was surprised. He actually crawled under the vehicle, because he thought something must have come "loose" under there and was causing the clunk. He spent over a day diagnosing it and trying to figure out exactly why it was doing that, even going as far as to lie in the back while he had another mechanic drive him around. I can tell by the look on their face when we talk about they are as surprised at this as I am, but they have been informed to tell me that it is "normal for a BlueTec Diesel." It is not MY kind of normal, for sure

I just figure if anyone is reading this thread who is actually considering a GL350, at least this recording lets them see for themselves that it does indeed make a clunking/hard sloshing sound. Had I known this, I would have opted out of the GL350 simply because of the type of driving I do. Great gas mileage is wonderful and I know it makes my husband happy but at the end of the day, when you spend $70,000 on a vehicle, the person DRIVING the vehicle needs to be happy too. If a person wants great MPG and doesn't mind a constant clunk each time you stop, then I'd say go for the GL350.

I guess it does make sense that the Denali would use more adblu than the GL, considering the engine differences. (not that I understand the differences AT ALL..lol) What a pain in the butt for them too. Do you know if they too hear their clunking in their Denali? (I should say that my husbands first choice was a Denali, although I have no idea if he meant Diesel or Gas..I just know he preferred the Denali over the MB but let me choose. FINE job I did with that! hehe...)

I am off to try and record the compressor. My husband doesn't have time to leave his employees and help me do this, so I will see if I can set it on the dash again. The problem is, the wind noise is so bad on the dash, that I'm worried you won't hear the actual loudness of the compressor...lol... Funny, huh?

Tam

 

The "Denalli" that LEOSOPHIE is talking about is probably not the one you're thinking of.

I'm guessing that you mean the GMC Yukon Denali, which is a big SUV. LEOSOPHIE is talking about the Denali package on a GMC 2500HD heavy duty pickup with the Duramax/Allison powertrain.

They're both "Denalis," but it's much more of a trim package on the 2500HD than it is on the Yukon (where it means a bigger engine, etc). It's also a lot cheaper on the 2500HD as a result.

In any case, the Duramax rocks. I miss my 2002, hence my order of a GL350.

- Mark

 

The diesel Denali is a crew cab pick up and the urea tank is under the bed so it is isolated from the cab.

 

Ohhh...yes, I was thinking of the SUV one.

My husband has a Chevy Crew Cab Duramax. He likes it. That engine is MUCH louder than my GL diesel for sure LOL!

 

Okay..I'm ashamed to admit that it took me 4 months to finally figure out that to get my picture on the side like Momsbenz, I had to use an avatar.

face to the name at least. Hello everyone!!

 

And the funny thing is that it is MUCH quieter than the Ford and Dodge diesels that came before.

- Mark

 

I can imagine. Our work trucks are all Chevy Crew Cabs with pipe racks, etc. (diesel) My husband seems to like them. We just got a new truck that took us forever to find, had to get it from back east somewhere. Apparently there aren't any more (new ones) available in the US or something? It's a Huge thing, called a Chevy Kodiak but I think it too has a diesel engine. My husband is a diesel fan, obviously. Thus, the GL350. I'm not such a fan


Side note on our Chevy--last summer pulling our boat on our way home from Havasu, the engine blew up. We were stranded on the I-40 in the dead of summer until a tow truck could get us. Bradley Chevrolet in Havasu put in a brand new Duramax motor ($$ kaching..trucks LOOKS brand new, but its a 2004 so we were WAY out of warranty!). When we got it back, etc..it kept smoking really bad, more than normal..and was burning through 2 quarts of oil every 1000 miles. Our local Chevy did a bunch of tests on it and turns out the new motor we got was bad--Chevy ended up putting another Duramax in and it's been perfect. My husband loves his truck.

 

Yeah, the Kodiaks are cool. I'd like a TopKick to pull my race trailer.

I loved my Duramax - it really is a great motor and the Allison transmission is fantastic.

The rest of the truck, though, is built by cavemen with clubs.

- Mark