Hello,

I have recently got a South Korean imported GLC 2016 and wanted to discuss a few things that I have noticed so far with the car.

First of, the car seems to be in pretty good mechanical condition overall, with only 89k km(55k miles), apart from an issue with the downstream NOx sensor which I have already taken care of. I also managed to get some service history of the car from the local MB dealer which tells me that the milage seems legit and didn't have any rollbacks.

However, I have noticed that the interior trims on this car are creaking a lot. Going over small road potholes or bumps seem to make the trims(mostly dashboard) creak. I have also noticed the door trims creak when the chassis flexes on uneven terrains. Even a bit of pressure on the interior door handles(where I rest my knee while driving) or center console wooden trim produces creaks.

Maybe I'm a bit over sensitive on these noises, but coming from a previously owned 2003 C Class which was built like a tank with no creaks at all is making me a bit paranoid. I also hear a bit of random creaking on the dashboard when I turn on the heating, which maybe is normal because of temperature differences and causing the plastics to expand?

The previous day I was inside a similar year w205 C Class 2016 which I have read that the GLC is based on that chassis and there were minimal to no creaks even when applying some preassure to the trims.
Something else worth mentioning is that after 100kmph there is quite a noticable wind noise inside the cabin.

It has come into my mind that maybe these Korean imported MB are built with cheaper materials, but after doing some research and VIN decoding it states that the GLC is built in Germany, Bremen which should have same build material quality?

These creaks in the interior are driving me crazy. I thought that even the lower trim mercedeses have a bit more quality on the interior material compared to other car brands.

I would appreciate if you guys have any suggestions or maybe the creaks are normal for this type of car chassis?

 

Creaks are common on the early GLC, sadly. Nothing to do with where it's from they all came from Bremen. The cabin uses a lot of hard plastics that rub and creak as the chassis flexes. It's a known weak point compared to the older, more solid cars.

Wind noise over 100km/h could be worn door seals or a misaligned window. Check the rubber seals for any gaps or hardness. A slight adjustment of the window frame can sometimes help.

For the interior, you can try applying felt tape or silicone lubricant to the trim edges where they meet, especially the center console and door cards. It's often just the clips and panels shifting. It's annoying, but usually a fix you can DIY with some patience.