Drove the car the other day with no unusual noise whatsoever. The next morning I hear a horrible grinding noise when turning the wheel. I checked the fluid level which is OK. Noticed an obvious leak coming from the p/s system. The pump is absolutely covered with caked on fluid. I'm still able to turn the wheel with no issues but the noise is very annoying.
The p/s fluid in the reservoir is filthy! Unsure when the fluid was changed last. With the car on, I peeked inside the reservoir and noticed little bubbles and a swirling motion.

My mechanic wanted to charge me 700 to replace the pump and reservoir plus a flush. I asked him to replace the reservoir only as well as change the fluid for now to see if that will solve this.

What would cause this to happen over night? 😡

 

There is a recall on most W163 MLs for a hose clamp near the reservoir. Have your VIN handy and contact an MB dealer for assistance. I had mine done many years ago but they should still be able to perform the repair.

 

Had the vehicle serviced and the problem was the reservoir. Had it replaced and the noise is gone. Must've been pretty bad in there! The fluid was filthy!
Also, the leak I thought was coming from the p/s system is actually oil leaking from the filter housing seals. Shouldn't be too hard to fix.

thanks for the reply 😄