Jaab

I have met my nemesis, yet again!

I hate rattles, squeaks etc. This is why we buy these, right?

Anyone have any thoughts? I have a noise that is a peculiar one.
It appears to radiate from the passenger tunnel side by the front.
It is a tinny metal scratch type of noise that...ready for it? Only appears at speed and has variances in level depending on the wind!
I have done a ton to try and eliminate of locate at least....

I have pulled center console. I have checked protecting plate on computers in passenger foot well.
I have pulled the cabin filters and probed around looking for loose ??? in the venting system.
I have taken off the intake grill in the engine compartment. I have taped up the air intake grills to see if it was them......

It doesn't change a great deal with speed...no louder or more obvious. It id definitely wind related (when I run down the highway at 60mph, it goes away when I pass groups of trees blocking the wind)

I suspect it is either something radiating up into the tunnel from underneath or my car is possessed and I am going to hell. :P

Thoughts??

2010 S550 Fourmatic, about 48,000 miles.

Cheers!

Jaab

No one experienced them? Crap. That much harder to find then.

cmpcpro

I have creaks and rattles all over. Never heard a car that didnt

marthyh

Have you looked underneath the car?Perhaps a heat-shield or something similar ..

Jaab

Thats what I am thinking....it almost has that same super thin metallic sound....my guess is something has bumped it and it is just touching under certain circumstances. I took a quick look with the car raised on its suspension...couldn't see much. Gonna borrow a local businesses rack and take a better look this week.

Jaab

I have owned 5 Mercedes, still own Three others, including a convertible. None of them squeak OR rattle. Why should I accept it on my S?
I would go batty if all my Mercedes squeaked or rattled...why bother owning one if thats the case???

cmpcpro

Well I have a little rattle from the top of the drivers side door panel, if I push right below the window it goes away.. Also depending on where my pass seat is positioned I'll get a little noise from the head rest, but that is hardly ever.. these are cars, they go over bumps all day long, atleast here.. to me I don't see how they couldn't develop a rattle here or there.. I will get a slight rattle from the cluster sometimes, or the top pass side of dash by windshield, only if cold out, and not often.. but it usually just goes away. They could hardly be noticed, but I am just very sensitive.

Mike5215

Three S Classes, one taken to 100k miles, another to 65k, current one at 70k. The first two never rattled. The current car had subwoofer rattles in both front doors and on the rear shelf but we installed Hushmat everywhere during a speaker upgrade and they resolved.

The serene ride is the S Class's best feature, and I'd have a problem with the car if it had a persistent rattle. The variation with wind speed would seem to rule out anything in the cabin interior. I'd get the car on a lift and examine the tunnel from the underside.

Jaab

I am with you there Mike. I seem to think it is in the tranny tunnel area, under the protective shield. I talked to my Mechanics and they promised me they would find it in the new year and agree it is probably a loose tab or something simple. It seems to be changing too, now not as loud at high speed but more obvious at low. when the wind hits it just right it almost "flutters" so I am going to assume it is a thin light piece of metal (think heat shielding? metal tagging?) that is just touching the tunnel.
Hopefully it will be an easy fix. I was just thinking about Dynamatting the doors. Are they tough to get off? (2010 S550)

Thanks....

Mike5215

I had an audio shop do mine when they replaced the speakers. I did later post a DIY on front door panel removal here: https://mbworld.org/forums/attachmen...49_ace_-_1.pdf

mb1000

Could be outside mirror with wind noise? There was reported issue for wind blowing noise on windy days. Don't know if MY 2010 is part of that. Put a tape to seal the joint gap to see if the noise stopped.

Jaab

mb1000, good idea....I taped everything up, I mean EVERYTHING...looked ridiculous and...in the end....

It was the passenger side rear bolt that holds the plactic undercarriage shield on. Alll silent. So happy!!

Thanks to everyone for their input.