I have a 2009 GL450 w/o ADS.

When i go slowly over speed bumps I get a creaking sound similar to old wooden floors in an old house.

It gets worse as the weather gets colder.

I'm leaning towards it being the swaybar bushings. Anyone had similar issues? If so, what was your resolution?

 

I have exactly same issue. Only happens in cold weather (<50F). No solution. Probably dried cold rubber in suspension. I am panning to replace rubber stuff if it started happening in hot weather too or becomes unrelated to weather.

 

You could try spraying some silicone spray (this won't harm rubber) at any spot in the suspension that has bushings. Spray liberally, come back and spray again in a few days. It might work well enough to help for at least a little while.

 

Usual source for "creaking" sound over slow speed bumps or turns is ball joints. Inspect for torn boots and replace those joints.

 

The boots on mine are in pristine condition although I know that doesn't mean the actual ball joint isn't going bad. When the weather improves I will give the ball joints a good once over.

 

I came here to ask the exact same question. 2009 GL550, sounds like a creaking boat or floor - especially over speed bumps and yes, more noticeable in cold but it started in the Fall when it was still 60-70 degrees.

 

Ball joint creaking is usually unrelated to temperature as it is metal on metal creaking. Plus you can also hear it on regular road imperfections.
It is rubber that gets cold and brittle in low temperatures. I have been thinking that mine are probably bushings in lower control arms. But it is just a guess.

 

Today I sprayed the following with a heavy duty CRC silicon:
- upper control arm bushings
- lower control arm bushings
- ball joints
- sway bar end links
- sway bar bushings
- outer tie rods

I'll let you know if there was any improvement.

 

So on day one there was still some degree of 'creaking' but definitely reduced. This morning I didn't hear a peep. Fingers crossed. Tonight I'll spray down all of the rubber components again for good measures.

 

Good luck!

I keep meaning to do this as a "preventative measure", especially here where they use salts on the road.

 

I'm in the rust belt as well (Wisconsin). They use a ton of self each winter although this is the first winter of salt for my GL.

I didn't jack up the front of the car, i just turned the front wheels all the way to the left and right and had full easy access to all of the rubber components.

 

I had the same issue on my 2010 GL550 and got it fixed today and I don't hear a sound. The sound I was hearing was everytime I went over a bump, the front end sounded like it was bottoming out.

***The solution on my GL was the front lower sway bar bushings. I replaced them and never heard this sound again. It's extremely easy to do and here in St Louis I picked them up at Plaza Motors for $72.14.