Strange intermittent vibration / buzzing from front when in drive
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20
Likes: 9
From: Calgary
2008 S550
Strange intermittent vibration / buzzing from front when in drive
Hello all,
Haven't been able to find a match for my particular situation in the forums. I have an '08 S550 4MATIC, 180,000kms.
There's a strange vibration / buzzing noise coming from the front of the car that's especially noticeable when I drive slow, seems to be from the left side. Vibration can be felt in the steering wheel.
Doesn't matter the position of the steering wheel and it only happens when the car is moving (forward or reverse). As soon as I stop, it stops. Car can be cold or warm.
It's there when braking, or if the car is coasting in neutral. Sometimes there's a weird click and then it stops for a few seconds.
I've taken off both front wheels to see if there's something dragging on the wheels & brakes but everything looks fine. Pads were replaced in the last year. CV boots are all in good shape.
I thought maybe steering related, but there's no noise when rotating the steering wheel when stopped (I topped up power steering fluid anyway, no dice). Steering wheel feels normal, doesn't pull.
Wheel bearings? But then why would it sound fine 20% of the time?
Scratching my head. Any thoughts?
Haven't been able to find a match for my particular situation in the forums. I have an '08 S550 4MATIC, 180,000kms.
There's a strange vibration / buzzing noise coming from the front of the car that's especially noticeable when I drive slow, seems to be from the left side. Vibration can be felt in the steering wheel.
Doesn't matter the position of the steering wheel and it only happens when the car is moving (forward or reverse). As soon as I stop, it stops. Car can be cold or warm.
It's there when braking, or if the car is coasting in neutral. Sometimes there's a weird click and then it stops for a few seconds.
I've taken off both front wheels to see if there's something dragging on the wheels & brakes but everything looks fine. Pads were replaced in the last year. CV boots are all in good shape.
I thought maybe steering related, but there's no noise when rotating the steering wheel when stopped (I topped up power steering fluid anyway, no dice). Steering wheel feels normal, doesn't pull.
Wheel bearings? But then why would it sound fine 20% of the time?
Scratching my head. Any thoughts?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20
Likes: 9
From: Calgary
2008 S550
As you said, more sleuthing...
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 857
Likes: 501
From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
How many miles on the car and have the engine mounts ever been changed. Engine mounts on a Mercedes are considered maintenance items.
You can test by putting the car in drive with the hood open, holding the brakes hard, and accelerating. If the engine lifts while doing this, you know it is an engine mount. There is oil inside the engine mount and as the oil leaks down, the engine touches the frame and makes a vibration. Fix the engine mounts and your vibration will disappear. Ask me how I know.
Good luck.
You can test by putting the car in drive with the hood open, holding the brakes hard, and accelerating. If the engine lifts while doing this, you know it is an engine mount. There is oil inside the engine mount and as the oil leaks down, the engine touches the frame and makes a vibration. Fix the engine mounts and your vibration will disappear. Ask me how I know.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20
Likes: 9
From: Calgary
2008 S550
How many miles on the car and have the engine mounts ever been changed. Engine mounts on a Mercedes are considered maintenance items.
You can test by putting the car in drive with the hood open, holding the brakes hard, and accelerating. If the engine lifts while doing this, you know it is an engine mount. There is oil inside the engine mount and as the oil leaks down, the engine touches the frame and makes a vibration. Fix the engine mounts and your vibration will disappear. Ask me how I know.
Good luck.
You can test by putting the car in drive with the hood open, holding the brakes hard, and accelerating. If the engine lifts while doing this, you know it is an engine mount. There is oil inside the engine mount and as the oil leaks down, the engine touches the frame and makes a vibration. Fix the engine mounts and your vibration will disappear. Ask me how I know.
Good luck.
If it were the engine mounts, it would be a constant noise, no?
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Super Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 857
Likes: 501
From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
Typically as you accelerate with a bad engine mount, the engine touches the frame and you get the noise/vibration. Do the test I quoted and report back. You will know right away. Not hard to do.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20
Likes: 9
From: Calgary
2008 S550
Update:
The second time I tried to take it to the mechanic, it again stopped making the noise, and I haven't been able to get it to make the noise since.
They figured it could be a vacuum pump, but if so, it should get worse, not go away.
All I can do is guess what it was, my money is on something with the ABS making it rapid fire engage / disengage.
I have a video of it making the noise, but can't find a way to upload it.
Anyway, thank you everyone for your suggestions and help.
The second time I tried to take it to the mechanic, it again stopped making the noise, and I haven't been able to get it to make the noise since.
They figured it could be a vacuum pump, but if so, it should get worse, not go away.
All I can do is guess what it was, my money is on something with the ABS making it rapid fire engage / disengage.
I have a video of it making the noise, but can't find a way to upload it.
Anyway, thank you everyone for your suggestions and help.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 857
Likes: 501
From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
Ask your technician to check your engine mounts. Mercedes uses an oil filled mount and over time they leak down reducing the clearances between the engine and the frame. Mercedes considers it a maintenance item. An American car can go 25 years with no motor mount issues but a Mercedes will go through three sets of engine mounts in that time.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 803
Likes: 74
From: Staten Island, NY
2010 MB S550, 2017 MB SLC 300
Ask your technician to check your engine mounts. Mercedes uses an oil filled mount and over time they leak down reducing the clearances between the engine and the frame. Mercedes considers it a maintenance item. An American car can go 25 years with no motor mount issues but a Mercedes will go through three sets of engine mounts in that time.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2011
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W212 FL
Ask your technician to check your engine mounts. Mercedes uses an oil filled mount and over time they leak down reducing the clearances between the engine and the frame. Mercedes considers it a maintenance item. An American car can go 25 years with no motor mount issues but a Mercedes will go through three sets of engine mounts in that time.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2011
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W212 FL
He's 75 years old and he always praises how solidly built those 50's -60's Americans namely GM cars were .
Even a 4 banger Mercedes-Benz engines require those replacements after a while but I don't take it as a negative point to the Mercedes-Benz brand
Even a 4 banger Mercedes-Benz engines require those replacements after a while but I don't take it as a negative point to the Mercedes-Benz brand
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 857
Likes: 501
From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
Your Dad sounds like a great man!! I agree with him. 50s/60s GM, Mopar were all such solidly made cars. I still love my Mercedes S600 but often wonder about the over-engineering and massive maintenance requirements. I don't ever recall a GM spark plug costing $10 each! My S600 eats 24 of them at each tune-up! Thank heavens I can afford it.
Please give your Dad my best regards.
Please give your Dad my best regards.
Super Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 532
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From: Atlanta GA
2012 E350 Cabriolet now SOLD to my son
Your Dad sounds like a great man!! I agree with him. 50s/60s GM, Mopar were all such solidly made cars. I still love my Mercedes S600 but often wonder about the over-engineering and massive maintenance requirements. I don't ever recall a GM spark plug costing $10 each! My S600 eats 24 of them at each tune-up! Thank heavens I can afford it.
Please give your Dad my best regards.
Please give your Dad my best regards.
plus labour.... What is the going MB rate for the plugs? RockAuto has the iridium Bosch plugs with preset gap (,028 ) for $6.88 each for your 2007 S600 TT.. Most likely the OEM are Bosch too...Iridium last longer too
Last edited by WRC-LVR; Oct 26, 2023 at 09:14 AM.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 857
Likes: 501
From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 857
Likes: 501
From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,372
Likes: 945
W212 FL
Your Dad sounds like a great man!! I agree with him. 50s/60s GM, Mopar were all such solidly made cars. I still love my Mercedes S600 but often wonder about the over-engineering and massive maintenance requirements. I don't ever recall a GM spark plug costing $10 each! My S600 eats 24 of them at each tune-up! Thank heavens I can afford it.
Please give your Dad my best regards.
Please give your Dad my best regards.
I'm glad you can afford the maintenance cost of your car . Especially S65 AMG requires even more
.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 857
Likes: 501
From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
I really do love my S600. When my V12 is under full boost and accelerating like a jet, I lose track of the cost of those spark plugs.
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Joined: Feb 2012
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From: Phoenix
222 S-65
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 857
Likes: 501
From: Washington, DC
2007 S600, 2007 Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2000 C5 Corvette, 2017 Mustang GT, 2023 300C, and a 2019 Lincoln
Absolutely true. I am actually old enough to remember buying a spark plug for 59 cents at Pep Boys. It wasn't iridium but it certainly fired my Mopar. Does Pep Boys even exist anymore?
