Slight squeak right side driving over potholes
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2004 S500 4Matic
Slight squeak right side driving over potholes
I know it could be the ball joints, but when I hit the button to stiffen the suspension, the squeak goes away. Does it matter that increasing the pressure on the struts makes the problem go away?
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2014
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From: CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
2003 S430, 2014 E350
Your control arm ball joints are going. When you raise the car, the ball joint moves to a different location where it doesn't squeak. The joint should be replaced or else it will break other parts around it.
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2004 S500 4Matic
Thanks, but I didn't raise it, I just adjusted the airmatic struts with the damper switch to stiffen the ride. It doesn't matter which setting I choose with the damping switch, the squeak goes away. I would think that a stiffer suspension would cause the squeak to increase in intensity?
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 448
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From: CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
2003 S430, 2014 E350
sport and airmatic raise both moves the ball joint to a different location, maybe with less wear or has some lubrication. if you drive hard enough in sport, you can still get a squeak.
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From: Ball Ground, GA (N of Atlanta)
2003 S500 2007 GL450
Sometimes, using a grease gun with a snap-in needle fitting to inject grease thru the boot into the joint will stop the squeaking in a day or two of driving.
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2005 S500 4Matic Sport
lower ball joints...maybe. How many miles? I just replaced my lower control arm assemblies on an 05 with 4matic at 117K miles and the ball joints where like new, but control arm bushings trashed. Before I spent any money I would check the sway bar links and more importantly the two bushings that the sway bar rides within that attaches it to the frame. One reason the squeak may be going away with airmatic on stiff is that this reduces the amount of movement of the sway bar within the bushings, thereby reducing or eliminating the noise. The position of the ball joints does not change between comfort or sport 1 or sport 2. Remove the sway bar and you will know for sure.
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2004 S500 4Matic
Excellent advise. I've been thinking that I'd just do the control arms because the right front ball joint does show wear, but they're so expensive for the 4Matic? Can I ask what you paid for the control arm assemblies and from where? The car has 109k miles and I swear the squeak happens before I hit the pothole, but that might be in my mind. I spent some time in the local baptist church parking lot narrowing it down to the right front.
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I have the same squeak that comes and goes Olmeda. So far have done, both lower control arms, both upper control arms, the sway bar itself with the bushings attached, sway bar links. All it's left to do is inner/outer tire rods but do not know if those would cause a squeak. All parts are OEM straight from the dealer. So before throwing money like me lol make sure you locate it where it's coming from...
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Newbie
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2005 S500 4Matic Sport
2005 s500 4matic control arms not cheap, I got brand new MB pair from ECStuning for ~$1200. Before you replace these you should put car front up on stands under jack points (I also put a second smaller "2nd chance" pair somewhere else just in case) and see if you can pry the lower control arms around the bushings....my back bushings were tight, but my front ones could be deflected at least .2" with 117K of pounding around Chicago pot holes, so I chose to replace entire assemblies vs farting around lipsticking a pig. You have 107k miles, might be worn too. Ball joints don't to my knowledge squeak, I have had numerous cars with front end knocks and squeaks, almost always related to sway bar...just my two cents.
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2002 s430, 2011 Genesis 4.6
Rack & pinion!
I have the same squeak that comes and goes Olmeda. So far have done, both lower control arms, both upper control arms, the sway bar itself with the bushings attached, sway bar links. All it's left to do is inner/outer tire rods but do not know if those would cause a squeak. All parts are OEM straight from the dealer. So before throwing money like me lol make sure you locate it where it's coming from...
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 14
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2005 S500 4Matic Sport
i love this site because there are so many younger guys trying to figure this **** out who love cool rides...ok, I might run a software company, but I was a professional mechanic before becoming a mechanical engineer and I have screwed around with a lot, and I mean a lot, of cars....the most annoying noise, in fact almost the only noise that I have ever heard come from a suspension besides a CLUNK from a CLUNKER is from sway bar bushing when going over anything ranging from tar strips to expansion joints....ball joints have over a 1000 lbs each bearing down on them, so unless your getting "air" its not them.....if your S was driven in a coal mine and/or has lots of miles it could be the sway bar links...or if it is a POS the lower control arm bushings are so ****ty they are clunking....I would disconnect the sway bar and then send me a thank you note!
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From: Welwyn, Herts, UK
2006 S600
W220 suspension has lots of ball joints, and some of them always squeak eventually. The first to go are usually the ones that bear the weight of the car - so the ones at the bottom of the struts, or at the end of the lower transverse arms.
Ball joint rubbers are fiddly, but a little bit of grease in the right place does wonders (as long as water can't get in afterwards).
Nick
Ball joint rubbers are fiddly, but a little bit of grease in the right place does wonders (as long as water can't get in afterwards).
Nick
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Mercedes
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Mercedes
Ok thanks . But On a w220- the squeaks don't come from the sway bar and they arent clunks. They are squeaks , the car literally sounds like a 1800s horse drawn cart going over certain bumps at slow parking lot speeds. It's a very common problem on these specific cars as there have been multiple threads and it's quite an uncommon problem when compared to other cars
Last edited by tusabes; Jun 23, 2015 at 04:33 PM.
