Shake/vibration in steering wheel?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: LR, AR
2007 S550
Shake/vibration in steering wheel?
Hey All... I have a quick question about a problem I'm having with my '07 S550.
Mine has 39,306 miles and I'm noticing a very uncharacteristic "shake" in the steering wheel around 55-65 MPH... I took it to my independent & he checked it out but said there wasn't anything mechanical, (struts, ball joints, tie rod, etc.), that he could find wrong with the car. Said he thought it was a 'tire' issue. So I spent $1k on a new set of Michelin MXM4's & I guess there is a "slight" improvement, but the "shaky" vibrating steering issue still remains around 65 mph.
Has anyone else ever experienced this problem with your S550 & if so how did you resolve it? Any suggestions what this might be?
Thanks,
John P.
LR, AR
Mine has 39,306 miles and I'm noticing a very uncharacteristic "shake" in the steering wheel around 55-65 MPH... I took it to my independent & he checked it out but said there wasn't anything mechanical, (struts, ball joints, tie rod, etc.), that he could find wrong with the car. Said he thought it was a 'tire' issue. So I spent $1k on a new set of Michelin MXM4's & I guess there is a "slight" improvement, but the "shaky" vibrating steering issue still remains around 65 mph.
Has anyone else ever experienced this problem with your S550 & if so how did you resolve it? Any suggestions what this might be?
Thanks,
John P.
LR, AR
Super Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 650
Likes: 24
From: Texas
2015 White/brown Nappa S550, '13 S550 4 matic, 11 S550 sold, '10 S550 Sports BLACK 08 S550 P3 sport
Hey All... I have a quick question about a problem I'm having with my '07 S550.
Mine has 39,306 miles and I'm noticing a very uncharacteristic "shake" in the steering wheel around 55-65 MPH... I took it to my independent & he checked it out but said there wasn't anything mechanical, (struts, ball joints, tie rod, etc.), that he could find wrong with the car. Said he thought it was a 'tire' issue. So I spent $1k on a new set of Michelin MXM4's & I guess there is a "slight" improvement, but the "shaky" vibrating steering issue still remains around 65 mph.
Has anyone else ever experienced this problem with your S550 & if so how did you resolve it? Any suggestions what this might be?
Thanks,
John P.
LR, AR
Mine has 39,306 miles and I'm noticing a very uncharacteristic "shake" in the steering wheel around 55-65 MPH... I took it to my independent & he checked it out but said there wasn't anything mechanical, (struts, ball joints, tie rod, etc.), that he could find wrong with the car. Said he thought it was a 'tire' issue. So I spent $1k on a new set of Michelin MXM4's & I guess there is a "slight" improvement, but the "shaky" vibrating steering issue still remains around 65 mph.
Has anyone else ever experienced this problem with your S550 & if so how did you resolve it? Any suggestions what this might be?
Thanks,
John P.
LR, AR
get ur tires road force balanced. maybe your rims may be bent or something. if u have already checked all else. problem has to be tire or rim related.
good luck
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: LR, AR
2007 S550
No, still has "slight" shimmy/shake around 55-65 mph... I now think it may be the rims slightly out of round. Going back to MB dealer next week to see if they'll allow me to swap a set off a demo vehicle to test out!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,747
Likes: 20
From: Central Pennsylvania
2012 S350 Bluetec 4Matic, Diamond White, P2
In my experience, shakes/shimmy in the steering wheel has always been a tire/rim issue. See if you can find a tire shop in your area that has a Hunter Road Force balance machine (preferably the Hunter 9700). This will measure all aspects of your wheels and tires. Also, have your tires rotated and see if the vibration changes with the rears on the front. I think you will find that your wheels are out of spec. Happens with alloy wheels, and, happens more often with heavier vehicles. My S350 weighs about 2.5 tons. That is a heavy car.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: N. Myrtle Beach, SC
2015 GLK350 108k miles2008 clk350 Cab 180k miles. 1998 E300TD 237k miles
Problem fixed!
Selling my 1998 E300TD and needed to fix the 65 mph shimmy.
Knew it was not alignment or front end suspension as I have rebuilt the front end several years ago and tires were not appreciably worn.
Read about "road force balancing" and found a local tire store with the proper equipment. At $12.95 a wheel it was worth a try.
They spinn the tires under load and match rim out of balance with tire out of balance. Then adjust the tire mount to minimize vibration. Balance weights wre half the original tire weight. Car now runs smooth as new.
The mechanic said it also could have been that I was only running about 10 psi in each of the tires. lesson learned, check your air and try the road force balance method first.
MB road force balances each of their tires on new cars, but most shops do not have this equipment.
Selling my 1998 E300TD and needed to fix the 65 mph shimmy.
Knew it was not alignment or front end suspension as I have rebuilt the front end several years ago and tires were not appreciably worn.
Read about "road force balancing" and found a local tire store with the proper equipment. At $12.95 a wheel it was worth a try.
They spinn the tires under load and match rim out of balance with tire out of balance. Then adjust the tire mount to minimize vibration. Balance weights wre half the original tire weight. Car now runs smooth as new.
The mechanic said it also could have been that I was only running about 10 psi in each of the tires. lesson learned, check your air and try the road force balance method first.
MB road force balances each of their tires on new cars, but most shops do not have this equipment.
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Newbie
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 9
Likes: 2
ML63 AMG 2010 W221 S350 bluetec 2012
SOLUTION SOLVED
2011 350 bluetec W221. OEM 18" wheels no vibration 80-90km/h. New 20" rims and nankang 235/40-20 ( l have them for free) Vibration in steering wheel 80-90 km/h. I suspect a flat spot, and drive for 20 minutes reach som temp in rubber. I let air out to about 1,2 bar and drove carefully in a industrial area for 10 minutes. After that filled back 2,7 bar. Tested, vibration none. Check this before waisting your Money. Cheers..
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 6
Likes: 3
From: Dubai
Mercedes-Benz S500 AMG
Hey All... I have a quick question about a problem I'm having with my '07 S550.
Mine has 39,306 miles and I'm noticing a very uncharacteristic "shake" in the steering wheel around 55-65 MPH... I took it to my independent & he checked it out but said there wasn't anything mechanical, (struts, ball joints, tie rod, etc.), that he could find wrong with the car. Said he thought it was a 'tire' issue. So I spent $1k on a new set of Michelin MXM4's & I guess there is a "slight" improvement, but the "shaky" vibrating steering issue still remains around 65 mph.
Has anyone else ever experienced this problem with your S550 & if so how did you resolve it? Any suggestions what this might be?
Thanks,
John P.
LR, AR
Mine has 39,306 miles and I'm noticing a very uncharacteristic "shake" in the steering wheel around 55-65 MPH... I took it to my independent & he checked it out but said there wasn't anything mechanical, (struts, ball joints, tie rod, etc.), that he could find wrong with the car. Said he thought it was a 'tire' issue. So I spent $1k on a new set of Michelin MXM4's & I guess there is a "slight" improvement, but the "shaky" vibrating steering issue still remains around 65 mph.
Has anyone else ever experienced this problem with your S550 & if so how did you resolve it? Any suggestions what this might be?
Thanks,
John P.
LR, AR
I had the same exact issue in my 2013 S500, got it checked from a Mercedes-Benz authorized workshop everything was fine. We have kilometers here so the vibration would start at about 100 to 110kms had this issue for months and i almost gave up…. than one day out of curiosity I went to a tire shop Continental is my
OEM so they checked my tires were fine all 4
of them. They than checked the rims 20 inches AMG turned out my front right rim was slightly bent and that was the culprit causing all this time
The Continental guys had a place just for fixing bent rims got it fixed and ever since zero vibration! You can’t imagine what all I got checked from steering rack and pinion assembly to AirMatic struts lower and upper arms.. brakes and brake disks… in the end it was the rim.
Anyone who maintains their cars and still feel vibration please get your rims checked… specially front ones. Hope it helps.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 5,324
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S500
