Cyber GS

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced a squeaking/creaking noise coming from the right thigh bolster on their driver’s seat.

It’s literally coming from the cushion/bolster where your right thigh would rest while sitting in the driver’s seat. I pushed down on the left bolster and it seems fine, no noise. Even the passenger seat seems fine as do the rear seats

The good thing is that it is easy to replicate the sound by pushing down on the right bolster so MB will be able to hear it.

C-rod

I too, have experienced the same noise you indicate, but I thought it was coming from the center console area....around the grab handles.....Please let us know, what the fix is ............

Cyber GS

Originally I thought it was coming from the console too. But one day my my wife leaned into the ML to get something out of the console and when she leaned on the seat she heard the noise.

So this is definitely from the seat and any movement your body makes while you drive you hear the squeak.

When you have a chance you should push down on your seat bolsters just for the heck of it and see if they make any noise.

Cyber GS

So we bring the ML for service today to address the squeaking/creaking seat noises and while it’s there I’m having the routine service done and the tires rotated.

I was happy because the service advisor was able to duplicate the seat noises so I feel vindicated once again. We’re finishing up when my service advisor asks us if there is anything else, I say no that’s it.

Well my wife proceeds to tell him that over the last 6 weeks she has experienced the radio shut down while driving and then turn back on by itself.

She has also lost all dash board read-outs in the middle of the gauge cluster on occasion for about 15 seconds as well as the radio volume automatically adjusting while driving at a consistent spend, not when slowing down..

In addition, she said that there have been times when she starts the ML it will take over a minute (she has timed it) for the Nav/Audio display to come on. My son occasionally drives the ML and I find out this has happened to him as well.

I was in shock because she hasn’t said a word to me about it, she said that she just figured that if she ran into a problem she would push the mbrace button.

Here is where it gets good.. The service advisor say’s “Yeah we’ve had a lot of people complain about that happening and a software update seems to fix the issue. So I’m thinking great at least this will get fixed.I should have known better, nothing is that easy with MB.

The service advisor then goes onto say ”Sorry, but unless we can duplicate the problem, which is almost impossible unless we drive the ML all the time MB will not allow us to update the software”.

I asked him what he considered “ a lot of people complaining”. He said at least 5 out of every 10 ML’s that come in the owners have experienced what my wife explained, as well as a couple of other models also have the problem.

He said they have updated the software on three ML’s (one was a loaner) that MB gave them the approval for and it seems to have solved the problem. My wife turns and says to me, “See, this is why I didn’t say anything, I figured the only way MB would fix it is if it had to be towed in”.

MB Corp is a “piece of work”. They have a fair amount of customers complaining about the same issue, there seems to be a relatively easy fix that has worked, and yet they would rather let their customer deal with the issue..

Great Customer Service Mercedes…

Cyber GS

The software update was installed but it wasn’t easy..

My service advisor told me that even though they were able to pull a code showing the problem MB still wouldn’t give them authorization to update the software unless they duplicated the problem themselves.

So my service advisor decided to keep the ML overnight and asked my permission to drive the ML home (he lives 15 minutes away) .. I told him sure keep it as long as you need it.. BTW, at the time he didn’t tell me that MB refused the software update.

So the next morning he’s driving the ML to work and the audio went out while he was driving it. Can you imagine how happy I was to hear this! But really, how much proof does Mercedes need, their own dealer pulls a code and this isn’t good enough!

As far as the squeaking / clanging seat.. They lubricated the seat track and while the clanging is better it’s still not 100%, but I’ll live with it. The squeaking bolster on the other hand that was duplicated is still squeaking/creaking..

They took the seat apart and couldn't find anything wrong. Then I suggested that they check the fiber cloth that is installed between the seat bottom cushion foam and the bottom cushion frame.

Apparently if this cloth is not spread out evenly it will cause part of the foam to rub against the frame to create squeaking noise. They said the fiber cloth was installed correctly. BTW, thanks to a forum member on Benzworld.org for this tip.. He had this problem on his ML and this fix worked for him.

I was told the shop foreman drove the ML afterwards and said the creaking noise is normal and not to worry about it.. Really, well if it’s normal then why did the noise only begin two weeks ago, and why did they try to fix it, if the noise is in fact NORMAL! …

I will say this. Out of all of the auto companies I have dealt with over the years (Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, GM) MB is the best!!............


At wearing its customers down.

jrgator

My wife's ML had a similar problem with the radio command system. Sometimes it would take minutes for the radio to come on or the camera to work. Eventually it froze. M-B replaced the entire command unit under warranty. ($6k?)

dgiturbo

Squeaking seat in not normal. There is a TSB on this. (S-B-91.00/37 with a noise kit) Mine was done after about a year or two into ownership.

As for the COMMAND issue, mine did the same a few times, once even the rear camera stayed on while in drive. What was most annoying is when it lost all the NAV memory. MB didn't warranty it, so I paid $250 or so to have the update done. Since then, it has only froze once. I held down the power button and it "seemed" to reset. Knock burl walnut wood it has been OK for a while now.

Cyber GS

Thanks for the TSB info, I will look into it....