Strange Wirey Noise
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Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Los Angeles
GLKILLA
Strange Wirey Noise
I seem to be having the most problems with my GLK out of everyone, lol. Or, I just complain the most. 
Anyway, these past couple of days, I've been hearing some strange wirrey noise coming from my car. It sounds like a small jet is starting up somewhere inside it. It doesn't follow RPM, but it follows speed, and is audible past like 30MPH...
I first noticed it when I was driving w/ the AC on and radio playing. I turned off both one by one, thinking that it was just a bad electrical connection to the radio or the AC was just making a little noise from the ducts, but nothing changed.
I talked to a buddy of mine, and he said that it might be that I need to change out my front diff fluid, but after 17,xxx miles, I doubt that's the issue. I also thought that the sound can be the result of something caught in the brake shield, or inbetween the caliper and the rotor, so I tried some hard braking a couple of times, but nothing changed.
Anyone experience anything similar to this or have any thought to what it might be?
TYIA
Btw, GLK 350 4matic
Anyway, these past couple of days, I've been hearing some strange wirrey noise coming from my car. It sounds like a small jet is starting up somewhere inside it. It doesn't follow RPM, but it follows speed, and is audible past like 30MPH...
I first noticed it when I was driving w/ the AC on and radio playing. I turned off both one by one, thinking that it was just a bad electrical connection to the radio or the AC was just making a little noise from the ducts, but nothing changed.
I talked to a buddy of mine, and he said that it might be that I need to change out my front diff fluid, but after 17,xxx miles, I doubt that's the issue. I also thought that the sound can be the result of something caught in the brake shield, or inbetween the caliper and the rotor, so I tried some hard braking a couple of times, but nothing changed.
Anyone experience anything similar to this or have any thought to what it might be?
TYIA
Btw, GLK 350 4matic
Last edited by evito; Jun 12, 2010 at 04:13 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Los Angeles
GLKILLA
It's not RPM relative. It's speed relative.
So, I took it to the dealership... Absolutely no change at all.
They replaced the idler pulley because there was a ticking noise at idle, but the winding sound IS STILL THERE and it's driving me crazy.
They keep insisting that it's wind noise, BUT IT'S NOT WIND NOISE.
I spent like 4 hours there and drove 2 different GLK's with the tech, and it was clear that they had WIND NOISE, not MECHANICAL NOISE. It sounded nothing like the noise in my car, and it was far from being as loud as my car.
The tech lowered the bump stops on the hood a little and put lube on the weather stripping under the hood to prevent any "wind leakage". No difference. The noise doesn't sounds like wind at all, it sounds mechanical.
As a little reassurance that I'm not going completely mad, I stopped by the Gintani shop and I have Alex (some of you who also drive BMW's might know how AMAZING his work is) drive my car. After 5 minutes behind the seat of my car, he said the noise is CLEARLY not wind noise, and it's a mechanical problem.
I guess I'm just going to have to keep going back to the dealership service department until they realize that they're going to have to dig deeper than just "wind".
So, I took it to the dealership... Absolutely no change at all.
They replaced the idler pulley because there was a ticking noise at idle, but the winding sound IS STILL THERE and it's driving me crazy.
They keep insisting that it's wind noise, BUT IT'S NOT WIND NOISE.
I spent like 4 hours there and drove 2 different GLK's with the tech, and it was clear that they had WIND NOISE, not MECHANICAL NOISE. It sounded nothing like the noise in my car, and it was far from being as loud as my car.
The tech lowered the bump stops on the hood a little and put lube on the weather stripping under the hood to prevent any "wind leakage". No difference. The noise doesn't sounds like wind at all, it sounds mechanical.
As a little reassurance that I'm not going completely mad, I stopped by the Gintani shop and I have Alex (some of you who also drive BMW's might know how AMAZING his work is) drive my car. After 5 minutes behind the seat of my car, he said the noise is CLEARLY not wind noise, and it's a mechanical problem.
I guess I'm just going to have to keep going back to the dealership service department until they realize that they're going to have to dig deeper than just "wind".
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 835
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From: Bay Area, CA
09' E320
Wiring, winding = Whriling? Or, so I thought.......
Have em check all these seals penetrating the firewall: steering column boot, brake booster, all heater hoses, all electrical harness', cabin fresh air supply, trans shifter boots, etc.
Then have them pull the belly pans and check all the underbody grommets, etc.
You dont have SBC brakes do you?
Have em check all these seals penetrating the firewall: steering column boot, brake booster, all heater hoses, all electrical harness', cabin fresh air supply, trans shifter boots, etc.
Then have them pull the belly pans and check all the underbody grommets, etc.
You dont have SBC brakes do you?
Last edited by TMAllison; Jun 16, 2010 at 09:03 PM.
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From: Los Angeles
GLKILLA
Yeah, it can be described the same way.
I took it back to the mechanic today, and he just doesn't know what's up w/ it. He says it doesn't sound like anything that could be potentially detramental, but he can't figure out what the noise is. We hoisted up the car (lifting the wheels off of the ground) in the service bay, and accelerated up to 30MPH. Of course, the sound of ESP trying to slow down the car was present, but the winding noise wasn't there.
I'm convinced that the noise had something do w/ the road now, but it STILL doesn't sound like wind noise.
I'll stop by another dealership later and I'll ask them to check those things.
I have ABS brakes.
I took it back to the mechanic today, and he just doesn't know what's up w/ it. He says it doesn't sound like anything that could be potentially detramental, but he can't figure out what the noise is. We hoisted up the car (lifting the wheels off of the ground) in the service bay, and accelerated up to 30MPH. Of course, the sound of ESP trying to slow down the car was present, but the winding noise wasn't there.
I'm convinced that the noise had something do w/ the road now, but it STILL doesn't sound like wind noise.
I'll stop by another dealership later and I'll ask them to check those things.
I have ABS brakes.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 835
Likes: 2
From: Bay Area, CA
09' E320
Seems to me your logic is flawed.....car was stationary with engine going 30mph and no sounds...seems to rule out mechanical noises.
Now you need to find some 30mph wind and sit in the car with the engine off.....
If you think it is road noise, the first step is always to rotate tires.
Now you need to find some 30mph wind and sit in the car with the engine off.....
If you think it is road noise, the first step is always to rotate tires.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 52
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From: Los Angeles
GLKILLA
I know, I understand that it shouldn't be mechanical because the noise wasn't there when up on the hoist...
However, The sound is even louder now...
Also, when I started up the car, error code said that my two front SRS airbags were malfunctioning and I needed to go to a mandatory maintenance...
I restarted the car, and the message was gone, and it wasn't even in the maintenance message list.
I guess I have to make another appointment...
Oh, and the sound is still there when the radio is off. I thought the same thing at first.
However, The sound is even louder now...
Also, when I started up the car, error code said that my two front SRS airbags were malfunctioning and I needed to go to a mandatory maintenance...
I restarted the car, and the message was gone, and it wasn't even in the maintenance message list.
I guess I have to make another appointment...
Oh, and the sound is still there when the radio is off. I thought the same thing at first.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 52
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From: Los Angeles
GLKILLA
So I tried to pay no attention to the sound for a little while. It got louder, A LOT louder. I finally took the car in for service just 'cause I couldn't turn the other cheek anymore.
Turns out, it was the transfer case. They're going to replace it under warranty, so I can live in peace.
Wind noise... LOL.
Turns out, it was the transfer case. They're going to replace it under warranty, so I can live in peace.
Wind noise... LOL.
