GLE 53 Coupe - Clunk sound from start - Need Feedback Pleasek
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I bought an AMG 53 few months ago. From day one I hear the clunk. You described it perfectly. It happens when moving from a standstill position. I took it to the dealer. They did a bunch of test and said they couldn’t find anything. I wasn’t able to reproduce it for them, and it would be difficult to try to record it. were you able to fix it?
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CLS63AMG
No...mine remains as is I have just learned to live with it, as the rest of the car experience is (to me) amazing plus, I am comforted that so many others experience the same issue. So while annoying at times, I know its a design flaw, and not that my car is broken. Thanks
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I bought an AMG 53 few months ago. From day one I hear the clunk. You described it perfectly. It happens when moving from a standstill position. I took it to the dealer. They did a bunch of test and said they couldn’t find anything. I wasn’t able to reproduce it for them, and it would be difficult to try to record it. were you able to fix it?
Edit: It might not be the same sound, that one is a click: https://mbworld.org/forums/cle-class...k-cle53-2.html
Last edited by W205C43PFL; Sep 17, 2024 at 03:44 PM.
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thank you for sharing .. I’ve got a 2 year old 53 SUV, done about 18K miles
just noticed a clunking noise at low speed with full right steering lock, noise is from left front hand side. I thought it was driveshaft but at only 18K .. it does have the adapted suspension. So this could be it
was your noise whilst steering at full lock.
As I write this I’m in the dealership, when describing the problem to them, they kinda knew about it , which is reassuring and alarming !
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Joined: Mar 2024
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GLE 450
I have this sound. It’s hard to replicate but it definitely is on acceleration from a start or almost coming to a stop.
2024 GLE 53 suv.
is there a fix? Is this a transmission or differential thing?
its a strange sound but it is unclear what it is because the car doesn’t seem to be negatively affected in performance. But its annoying cause I hear it now and it sounds like something is wrong
2024 GLE 53 suv.
is there a fix? Is this a transmission or differential thing?
its a strange sound but it is unclear what it is because the car doesn’t seem to be negatively affected in performance. But its annoying cause I hear it now and it sounds like something is wrong
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2024
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From: Frisco, Texas
AMG GLE 53 Coupe
Me too! 2024 AMG GLE 53 Coupe
Got the car in April 2024 and it currently has just over 4,000 miles. I have the same clunk sound from a stop and also slow rolls. From the driver seat I can sometimes even feel it. I had my wife drive while I got in the cargo area with my ear on the “floor” and the sound was more pronounced. I listened from outside also and heard more of a clanking sound, so, I’m not sure that was it.
It’s currently in the shop for this a second time. Nothing was solved the first time and they’re telling me this occurs in some cars. They want me to drive some of these other cars to demonstrate (that they build other cars poorly like mine?!?!?). I’ve never had a car do this and I’m not satisfied with their answer. It’s a cop out. I may ask them to drive a Toyota Corolla to demonstrate that a cheap car can be built without the clunk.
I just sent them a screen shot of the messages above about the active sway bar solving it for some others. I’ll see what they say. I’m not going to accept this problem.
”The best or nothing.”…we’ll see.
It’s currently in the shop for this a second time. Nothing was solved the first time and they’re telling me this occurs in some cars. They want me to drive some of these other cars to demonstrate (that they build other cars poorly like mine?!?!?). I’ve never had a car do this and I’m not satisfied with their answer. It’s a cop out. I may ask them to drive a Toyota Corolla to demonstrate that a cheap car can be built without the clunk.
I just sent them a screen shot of the messages above about the active sway bar solving it for some others. I’ll see what they say. I’m not going to accept this problem.
”The best or nothing.”…we’ll see.
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GLE 450
Hope that gets better and they fix it. Report back if that fixes it please. I don’t have the active ride control and still have the noise.
my service appointment is nov 4 so I’ll report back what I find out then
my service appointment is nov 4 so I’ll report back what I find out then
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 34
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From: Frisco, Texas
AMG GLE 53 Coupe
I’m not sure if they are even going to check what active sway bar. I just now sent them information from this site about it. I hope they do check it. I will report back.
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 34
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From: Frisco, Texas
AMG GLE 53 Coupe
Dealer claimed my “clunk” was normal and did nothing. They said they could see the actuator moving when the sound was heard. I don’t understand what that is, but, I got the car back with nothing done and the clunk still occurs. They also said they could replicate the sound 100% of the time after shifting into reverse and back to forward and then accelerating. They also offered to “validate” this by asking me to drive another vehicle that would produce the same sound. I didn’t do that. That MB would build a car like this and call it normal is unimpressive.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2024
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GLE 450
Dealer claimed my “clunk” was normal and did nothing. They said they could see the actuator moving when the sound was heard. I don’t understand what that is, but, I got the car back with nothing done and the clunk still occurs. They also said they could replicate the sound 100% of the time after shifting into reverse and back to forward and then accelerating. They also offered to “validate” this by asking me to drive another vehicle that would produce the same sound. I didn’t do that. That MB would build a car like this and call it normal is unimpressive.
Thank you for posting your experience! Sorry they didn’t fix it.
Member
Joined: May 2024
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From: New York
2024 GLE 53 SUV
hi All...In my '24 GLE Coupe, a few weeks ago I noticed (likely because the radio was off... 
) a "clunk" sound from the rear of the car when I am starting off from a stop. It's not crazy loud, but nonetheless, I thought it was unusual. So, I brought it in, and they had the car for a week. They did a bunch of tests, and also a transmission adaptation (no idea what that is). Anyway, I was advised to pick up the car today, and was told that all is normal. I spoke with the shop Foreman and he indicated he has driven two other GLE53’s that were there on property and found similar “clunks,” which he feels may simply be driveline slack with the all wheel drive system. So, they are classifying this as mostly nature of the beast after all the extended testing. Other than this sound, the car has performed brilliantly, and I am at 2,200 miles.
So, the question is....any other GLE 53 coupe owners experiencing the same thing, just to put my mind to rest? Thanks much
) a "clunk" sound from the rear of the car when I am starting off from a stop. It's not crazy loud, but nonetheless, I thought it was unusual. So, I brought it in, and they had the car for a week. They did a bunch of tests, and also a transmission adaptation (no idea what that is). Anyway, I was advised to pick up the car today, and was told that all is normal. I spoke with the shop Foreman and he indicated he has driven two other GLE53’s that were there on property and found similar “clunks,” which he feels may simply be driveline slack with the all wheel drive system. So, they are classifying this as mostly nature of the beast after all the extended testing. Other than this sound, the car has performed brilliantly, and I am at 2,200 miles.So, the question is....any other GLE 53 coupe owners experiencing the same thing, just to put my mind to rest? Thanks much
Curious to know if that helps.
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 34
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From: Frisco, Texas
AMG GLE 53 Coupe
I would guess you have the parking brake engaged and the clunk is the sound it makes when you drive off with it engaged and it automatically releases. If the red PARK sign is on the screen, pull up the emergency brake button next to the headlight switch to release brake before driving off.
Curious to know if that helps.
Curious to know if that helps.
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Dealer claimed my “clunk” was normal and did nothing. They said they could see the actuator moving when the sound was heard. I don’t understand what that is, but, I got the car back with nothing done and the clunk still occurs. They also said they could replicate the sound 100% of the time after shifting into reverse and back to forward and then accelerating. They also offered to “validate” this by asking me to drive another vehicle that would produce the same sound. I didn’t do that. That MB would build a car like this and call it normal is unimpressive.
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GLE 450
I think me and @TaterTex have the same car lol. The way he describes the clunk is the same for me.
It could be any number of actuators, from transmission to brake. To me, it’s to be driveline because it appears from stop and sometimes when already rolling. I haven’t ruled out something in the differential of course.
and that thing in the headliner…good to know it’s a back ordered part 😅
It could be any number of actuators, from transmission to brake. To me, it’s to be driveline because it appears from stop and sometimes when already rolling. I haven’t ruled out something in the differential of course.
and that thing in the headliner…good to know it’s a back ordered part 😅
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 34
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From: Frisco, Texas
AMG GLE 53 Coupe
I think me and @TaterTex have the same car lol. The way he describes the clunk is the same for me.
It could be any number of actuators, from transmission to brake. To me, it’s to be driveline because it appears from stop and sometimes when already rolling. I haven’t ruled out something in the differential of course.
and that thing in the headliner…good to know it’s a back ordered part 😅
It could be any number of actuators, from transmission to brake. To me, it’s to be driveline because it appears from stop and sometimes when already rolling. I haven’t ruled out something in the differential of course.
and that thing in the headliner…good to know it’s a back ordered part 😅
Another way to describe the sound is that it’s like a faint drum. Like there’s a little monkey with a drum hiding back there. MB’s answer is that it’s normal and want to prove it to us by having us drive other MB’s with the sound. Is it smart to prove to people that they engineer cars poorly? I’ve never had a car do this and it’s very annoying. I want to prove to them that cars should not do this and have them drive a Ford Escape or Chevy Trailblazer.
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GLE 450
Another way to describe the sound is that it’s like a faint drum. Like there’s a little monkey with a drum hiding back there. MB’s answer is that it’s normal and want to prove it to us by having us drive other MB’s with the sound. Is it smart to prove to people that they engineer cars poorly? I’ve never had a car do this and it’s very annoying. I want to prove to them that cars should not do this and have them drive a Ford Escape or Chevy Trailblazer.
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GLE 450
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GLE 580
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Joined: Apr 2024
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From: Frisco, Texas
AMG GLE 53 Coupe
I was just told by the shop that it’s the Rear Differential Actuator. Again, they call the sound normal and dismissed it. I can feel it and hear it more often now since picking it up from service. Maybe it will get so bad that they’ll have to do something. Maybe they know the fix is very expensive and are hoping we all learn to live with this flaw. I’ve said a few times on this thread that this was my first Mercedes and likely my last.
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I was just told by the shop that it’s the Rear Differential Actuator. Again, they call the sound normal and dismissed it. I can feel it and hear it more often now since picking it up from service. Maybe it will get so bad that they’ll have to do something. Maybe they know the fix is very expensive and are hoping we all learn to live with this flaw. I’ve said a few times on this thread that this was my first Mercedes and likely my last.
