Rattle, Rattle, Thump
11-11-2009, 11:08 PM
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2000 S500
Rattle, Rattle, Thump
I have a '00 S500 with Lorinser exhaust. I hear a rattle/thumping at low speeds (stops around the time the automatic door locks engage so about 15mph), seems to be when turning or when the car is swaying from side to side over say a speed bump. After checking the boards for possible causes and eliminating every possible loose item, I narrowed it down to the exhaust.
Today I went to an exhaust shop and had the car put on the lift (after leaving another shop before almost beating down some guys for almost ripping off the body kit while trying to get under the car but that's a different story). We found a screw in one of the mufflers (?) and while shaking the exhaust all the way at the front of the car got a sound in the rear that seemed liked my mystery sound. Adjustments were made, bolts tightened and a clamp placed behind one on the mufflers. Upon pulling away (and only $50 out of pocket) I was happy that my headache of a sound was probably gone then....THERE it was!
So I beg you my fellow lovers of the W220 and MB World contributors...what are some ideas? Rear suspension and not exhaust at all? Need more tightening and adjusting? Throw away the Lorinser garbage and just put on a nice QUIET stock exhaust? Ride around in the trunk while family and friends drive my car until I nail the source?
I'm sure someone has felt my pain of a sound that a passenger may not even notice but that echos in your head every time it's made.
Today I went to an exhaust shop and had the car put on the lift (after leaving another shop before almost beating down some guys for almost ripping off the body kit while trying to get under the car but that's a different story). We found a screw in one of the mufflers (?) and while shaking the exhaust all the way at the front of the car got a sound in the rear that seemed liked my mystery sound. Adjustments were made, bolts tightened and a clamp placed behind one on the mufflers. Upon pulling away (and only $50 out of pocket) I was happy that my headache of a sound was probably gone then....THERE it was!
So I beg you my fellow lovers of the W220 and MB World contributors...what are some ideas? Rear suspension and not exhaust at all? Need more tightening and adjusting? Throw away the Lorinser garbage and just put on a nice QUIET stock exhaust? Ride around in the trunk while family and friends drive my car until I nail the source?
I'm sure someone has felt my pain of a sound that a passenger may not even notice but that echos in your head every time it's made.
11-12-2009, 09:26 AM
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2000 Mercedes Benz S500 Designo
Speaking of trunk, do you have anything in your trunk? Is there vibration? Can you replicate it at different speeds? If worst comes to worst, make a youtube video where we can hear the sound! Best of luck!
11-15-2009, 11:09 AM
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2000 S500
Pic from inside the trunk here 
I know it's difficult to describe noises but was hoping maybe someone had something that seemed the same. I've concluded it's not exhaust or any loose items (that would be far too easy and it sounds far more "expensive").
The sound is at low speeds and just when the car is rolling...I'm thinking bearing, joint of some kind, wheel. When backing out of a parking spot slowly I can hear the thumping with the turning of the rear end/drive shaft/wheels so it's obviously the moving parts in the rear of the car however narrowing it down is hard.
It's getting louder and obviously has to be addressed. I just got the car and dropped immediate cash on a complete fluid flush and change so was hoping to avoid the shop for a couple months at least.
I know it's difficult to describe noises but was hoping maybe someone had something that seemed the same. I've concluded it's not exhaust or any loose items (that would be far too easy and it sounds far more "expensive").
The sound is at low speeds and just when the car is rolling...I'm thinking bearing, joint of some kind, wheel. When backing out of a parking spot slowly I can hear the thumping with the turning of the rear end/drive shaft/wheels so it's obviously the moving parts in the rear of the car however narrowing it down is hard.
It's getting louder and obviously has to be addressed. I just got the car and dropped immediate cash on a complete fluid flush and change so was hoping to avoid the shop for a couple months at least.
11-28-2009, 11:49 PM
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2000 S500
Update on my noise...
I've been to the exhaust shop and spent some cash for my independent to go through every possible scenario, keep the car a couple days to drive it and have his shop assistant ride around in the trunk for real and no solution. I was set to drop it off at the dealership Monday but upon further searching I find this post
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-my-trunk.html
and this is my issue to the tee. It looks like Benz-O-Rama went through more drama (funny) than I have and ultimately accepted that this is NORMAL for Airmatic. Can anyone confirm that their S has this thumping of the suspension at low speeds over bumps and turns?? I've concluded my noise is clearly suspension and my shop got the "car too low" message on the diagnostic (although I've never had it on the dash) and claims I have a leak in the front struts...although it passes the soapy water test and I haven't been to my guy enough yet to know he isn't just going for the classic repair for this car for big dollars.
Is it possible a leak in the overal system is making one of the rear struts bottom out or is it isolated to each corner? Can this sound really be normal and, if so, do I need darker tint to hide from the embarassment of driving through parking lots sounding like a heap?
I've been to the exhaust shop and spent some cash for my independent to go through every possible scenario, keep the car a couple days to drive it and have his shop assistant ride around in the trunk for real and no solution. I was set to drop it off at the dealership Monday but upon further searching I find this post
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-my-trunk.html
and this is my issue to the tee. It looks like Benz-O-Rama went through more drama (funny) than I have and ultimately accepted that this is NORMAL for Airmatic. Can anyone confirm that their S has this thumping of the suspension at low speeds over bumps and turns?? I've concluded my noise is clearly suspension and my shop got the "car too low" message on the diagnostic (although I've never had it on the dash) and claims I have a leak in the front struts...although it passes the soapy water test and I haven't been to my guy enough yet to know he isn't just going for the classic repair for this car for big dollars.
Is it possible a leak in the overal system is making one of the rear struts bottom out or is it isolated to each corner? Can this sound really be normal and, if so, do I need darker tint to hide from the embarassment of driving through parking lots sounding like a heap?
12-27-2012, 11:46 PM
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mercedes S500
thump in trunk
i have the same noise in my car. it just started about a year ago. i cannot figure out what the problem is. Your post was back in 2009. did you ever figure the problem out.
01-06-2013, 12:43 PM
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Turned out to be exhaust hangers. After market too heavy for the stock hangers, replaced with heavier and the noise went away...until recent oxygen sensor replacement and it came back so definitely the hangers.
