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In my case, external noise enters the cabin at all speeds and it seems to be entering from the window or maybe door seal or roof. I’m always driving so I notice it in that position. Don’t yet know if it’s the same situation on the front passenger seat.
If you picture driving along at 50 mph in the right lane and a vehicle passes by you on the left, you hear it’s tire whine, engine / exhaust sounds...to a far greater extent than I ever experienced in my 2015 S550. Like it wasn’t even an issue before. That’s why it’s so annoying. It’s exactly like the window is not fully closed. But then you pull up on the button to find it is closed. So far, the dealer tech staff is reporting the car is within specification. A
PTSS file has been opened and there is dialogue with MB NJ about what to do next. The two other 560 sedans I drove had this issue to a lesser extent but not as quiet as my 3 year old S550.
Have you backed this up using a decimater? Humans are bad at this sort of thing.
Have you backed this up using a decimater? Humans are bad at this sort of thing.
I tried a dB app on my phone - ’too much variability / lack of specificity to be useful. If MB will give me their test standard / model, then we can do meaningful testing. I've lined up the No. 1 acoustical engineering firm in SF to do CAPA Root Cause analysis of my 560 using the Airborne technique of injecting constant 90dB sound source to my car vs other S Class cars. Still trying to work this out w/ MB.
I'll try to put this issue in perspective by offering a different but relatable analogy. imagine laying in your very familiar bed in your very familiar bedroom where you have spent the last 3 years (over 1,000 nights) sleeping in the exact same environment, your brain automatically processing and screening out all the familiar ambient house and other noises that you have grown so accustomed to that you no longer consciously hear them...then one night, you pull the covers up and as you are about to drift off to a restful sleep...your brain goes..."WHAT IS THAT? I've never heard those noise before.." That's what happened immediately when I went from my very familiar, very quiet 2015 S550 to this 560. It's different in a bad, very annoying way. My brain is going "I shouldn't be hearing those sounds". I sure wish it didn't bother me...but it REALLY does.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by HSCLA
I tried a dB app on my phone - ’too much variability / lack of specificity to be useful. If MB will give me their test standard / model, then we can do meaningful testing. I've lined up the No. 1 acoustical engineering firm in SF to do CAPA Root Cause analysis of my 560 using the Airborne technique of injecting constant 90dB sound source to my car vs other S Class cars. Still trying to work this out w/ MB.
I'll try to put this issue in perspective by offering a different but relatable analogy. imagine laying in your very familiar bed in your very familiar bedroom where you have spent the last 3 years (over 1,000 nights) sleeping in the exact same environment, your brain automatically processing and screening out all the familiar ambient house and other noises that you have grown so accustomed to that you no longer consciously hear them...then one night, you pull the covers up and as you are about to drift off to a restful sleep...your brain goes..."WHAT IS THAT? I've never heard those noise before.." That's what happened immediately when I went from my very familiar, very quiet 2015 S550 to this 560. It's different in a bad, very annoying way. My brain is going "I shouldn't be hearing those sounds". I sure wish it didn't bother me...but it REALLY does.
I like your comparison, as it makes sense to me. There have been so many comments here about these cars and others being “silent,” which NONE of them are, not even close. Every car on the planet makes noise and allows noise from other sources to enter the cabin, such as the sound of a noisy vehicle in an adjacent lane or the mere sound of air passing over the car at freeway speeds. I feel that my new S560 is overall more quiet than my 2015 was, but it still emits noise and allows noise from other sources into the cabin. I sure hope you get to do that scientific test, as I would just love to see the results. Good luck.
I like your comparison, as it makes sense to me. There have been so many comments here about these cars and others being “silent,” which NONE of them are, not even close. Every car on the planet makes noise and allows noise from other sources to enter the cabin, such as the sound of a noisy vehicle in an adjacent lane or the mere sound of air passing over the car at freeway speeds. I feel that my new S560 is overall more quiet than my 2015 was, but it still emits noise and allows noise from other sources into the cabin. I sure hope you get to do that scientific test, as I would just love to see the results. Good luck.
Hello SL. Glad the comparison makes sense to you. I've found it challenging to communicate this "subjective reality" to the dealer folks. Fortunately, the svc manager, for one apparently understands and believes me (or he should be Sales Manager!...) Need hard data for comps - need MB to provide their test specs in order to do this correctly. we'll see. I'm still hopeful but growing frustrated. Enjoying my SL more while the new 560 sits collecting dust in my parking structure.
You are going to have to find a lot of other owners with the same problem and file a class action law suit to get any movement out of MB. There is no clause in your contract that says they gaurantee a certain noise level in their cars and I doubt seriously they care if they lose a customer over this issue. I have two acquaintences that for years have been hopping back and forth between MB and BMW over issues not attended too and they always come back to MB trying a different dealership hoping that the current time will be different. I am at the age that no automobile is worth the aggravation you feel. I personally would sell it and buy another I had test driven first. Most of the complaints on this site are from folks that ordered in sight unseen and were blindsided by what they received. No one at MB is losing sleep over the problem.
You are going to have to find a lot of other owners with the same problem and file a class action law suit to get any movement out of MB. There is no clause in your contract that says they gaurantee a certain noise level in their cars and I doubt seriously they care if they lose a customer over this issue. I have two acquaintences that for years have been hopping back and forth between MB and BMW over issues not attended too and they always come back to MB trying a different dealership hoping that the current time will be different. I am at the age that no automobile is worth the aggravation you feel. I personally would sell it and buy another I had test driven first. Most of the complaints on this site are from folks that ordered in sight unseen and were blindsided by what they received. No one at MB is losing sleep over the problem.
It is unfortunate. I fully appreciate that losing one customer is a nanoissue to MB and frankly all major auto makers. I would be sad to cut ties after 30 years and about 20 vehicle purchases. I really like MB vehicles and prior to this odd situation, the cars have been perfect. I'm waiting a reasonable time to see how they handle this.
I see this as a bigger issue for MB. Clearly there is something wrong with this car; I know it even if they don't yet know it. I would think they would want to perform a CAPA and get to the underlying defect here so if its a design fault, it can be inline corrected and eliminated as a potential problem source in the future. This is completely in their best interest. If it turns out to be a defect only with my 560, there are many minimal impact ways to cure it. I've already advised I'm willing to lease a Maybach if they'll take it back...Maybe the next buyer of this beautiful $136k 560 won't have just stepped out of a terrifically quiet S550 and will be delighted with the car. We shall see.
I tried a dB app on my phone - ’too much variability / lack of specificity to be useful. If MB will give me their test standard / model, then we can do meaningful testing. I've lined up the No. 1 acoustical engineering firm in SF to do CAPA Root Cause analysis of my 560 using the Airborne technique of injecting constant 90dB sound source to my car vs other S Class cars. Still trying to work this out w/ MB.
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I understand, but some quantitative data is better than qualitative data by one individual.
I'm wondering if your window(s) needs to be re-sync'd? I had to do this once for a 1998 E320 I once owned. I would touch the express up switch but the window would not go up all the way. Re-sync'ing the windows was easy and fixed the issue. Not sure if newer cars need it or if it can be done, but it is easy to do if need be. There are numerous websites and YouTube videos on the subject. Just remember that all the doors have to be closed and the key in "accessory mode".
I really hope this can help since noise is a peeve of mine!
I understand, but some quantitative data is better than qualitative data by one individual.
I hear you but frankly, it would be meaningless without using the exact test methodology employed by the factory. The dealer techs recorded 62 - 65 dB at 55 mph by decibel meter claiming that was also what the comp 560 recorded. Don't have the VIN of the comp - if its the one I drove recently, I found it noticeably quieter that my 560, but still louder than my old 550. I'm growing weary of all this - I don't need an new hobby...just want a quiet sedan like I had prior to January 16th.
I'm wondering if your window(s) needs to be re-sync'd? I had to do this once for a 1998 E320 I once owned. I would touch the express up switch but the window would not go up all the way. Re-sync'ing the windows was easy and fixed the issue. Not sure if newer cars need it or if it can be done, but it is easy to do if need be. There are numerous websites and YouTube videos on the subject. Just remember that all the doors have to be closed and the key in "accessory mode".
I really hope this can help since noise is a peeve of mine!
Thanks. We've tried doing the window re-sets - that was my initial hope - something simple...no such luck.
I hear you but frankly, it would be meaningless without using the exact test methodology employed by the factory. The dealer techs recorded 62 - 65 dB at 55 mph by decibel meter claiming that was also what the comp 560 recorded. Don't have the VIN of the comp - if its the one I drove recently, I found it noticeably quieter that my 560, but still louder than my old 550. I'm growing weary of all this - I don't need an new hobby...just want a quiet sedan like I had prior to January 16th.
Seems like you have 3 choices here. 1. Make it your new hobby and spend all your time obsessing over it and spending time, energy and money to fix it. 2. Sell the car and get another vehicle that is quieter or 3. Live with it.
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In roof photo, the piece on the left side between the body and sunroof is pretty loose and the right side is tight. I’m hoping this is the cause for the win noise. For some reason the door also looks alittle bit misaligned to me.
Last edited by Delta5275; Mar 11, 2018 at 08:22 AM.
I tried a dB app on my phone - ’too much variability / lack of specificity to be useful. If MB will give me their test standard / model, then we can do meaningful testing. I've lined up the No. 1 acoustical engineering firm in SF to do CAPA Root Cause analysis of my 560 using the Airborne technique of injecting constant 90dB sound source to my car vs other S Class cars. Still trying to work this out w/ MB.
I'll try to put this issue in perspective by offering a different but relatable analogy. imagine laying in your very familiar bed in your very familiar bedroom where you have spent the last 3 years (over 1,000 nights) sleeping in the exact same environment, your brain automatically processing and screening out all the familiar ambient house and other noises that you have grown so accustomed to that you no longer consciously hear them...then one night, you pull the covers up and as you are about to drift off to a restful sleep...your brain goes..."WHAT IS THAT? I've never heard those noise before.." That's what happened immediately when I went from my very familiar, very quiet 2015 S550 to this 560. It's different in a bad, very annoying way. My brain is going "I shouldn't be hearing those sounds". I sure wish it didn't bother me...but it REALLY does.
It is a 100% fair test if you're using the same phone, same app, and measuring at the same point/location b/w the old S and the new S. If they are both giving you the same DB level, either change the location to where you're measuring (say closer to the window) or accept the fact that it may be just you. Data doesn't lie here...
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In roof photo, the piece on the left side between the body and sunroof is pretty loose and the right side is tight. I’m hoping this is the cause for the win noise. For some reason the door also looks alittle bit misaligned to me.
There's an easy way to test if this is the culprit. Take a roll of duct tape, tape up all of those gaps, then go for a drive. If the issue goes away or is mitigated, then that's the problem.
I’m gojng to try that and I’ll reply back if it helped at all. Hoping it does. I absolutely love the car and I can tel it’s very quite but wind and loud outside tire noise drives me crazy with a car this price. Also when these tires run out, im gojng switch is to the Michelin 4s. They currently gave me the Michelin 3s.
I’m gojng to try that and I’ll reply back if it helped at all. Hoping it does. I absolutely love the car and I can tel it’s very quite but wind and loud outside tire noise drives me crazy with a car this price. Also when these tires run out, im gojng switch is to the Michelin 4s. They currently gave me the Michelin 3s.
I've done a lot of testing on my car (it's on this forum in the W204 section). It's worth noting that a lot of people, (I'm guilty of this initially too) think that wind noise = from the wind, when in fact several tires generate tire noise that is misconstrued as wind noise). Now, this may or may not be the case for you, but it's worth noting that if noise is such a big issue to you and others (as it truly is for me), it might make sense to switch to a grand touring tire.
I finally discovered what was causing all the rattles , squeaks, and buzzing sounds in my Benz. I sat in the back seat while my wife drove the car and it was the panel at the back of the headliner where the parktronic light is mounted near the rear window. Pushing up on it in that area stops the noise. I added some sponge and foam to the area and it is now gone. I love simple solutions!!!
Any updates on the outside noises? I still keep getting it but I’m bringing it in shortly. Wondering if anyone else found a cure
MB “solution “ was to issue me a $10,000 discount certificate against the purchase of my next new MB car while stating that the noise intrusion in my noisy 560 is “within specifications “. I have not received the factory test methodology and complete details of the testing I have requested and the case in now determined Final, meaning they are not willing to do anything further. When I said, “the 10k gift certificate is very much appreciated - now what about taking back this problem car so I can use the certificate”, I was told “that’s an issue with MBFS, and the customer care group couldn’t help with that”.... I now know what being a Diamond rated, tier, level (whatever they call it..) customer means. The dealer GM, who is a good guy, said he could give me $100k for the 2 month old leased car (lease payoff from MBFS is 126k). So for having endured 2 months of aggravation I would have paid $13k / month for that experience. I believe I could have rented a Veyron for $13k / month.
Now moving on on to other options. How very disappointing.
MB “solution “ was to issue me a $10,000 discount certificate against the purchase of my next new MB car while stating that the noise intrusion in my noisy 560 is “within specifications “. I have not received the factory test methodology and complete details of the testing I have requested and the case in now determined Final, meaning they are not willing to do anything further. When I said, “the 10k gift certificate is very much appreciated - now what about taking back this problem car so I can use the certificate”, I was told “that’s an issue with MBFS, and the customer care group couldn’t help with that”.... I now know what being a Diamond rated, tier, level (whatever they call it..) customer means. The dealer GM, who is a good guy, said he could give me $100k for the 2 month old leased car (lease payoff from MBFS is 126k). So for having endured 2 months of aggravation I would have paid $13k / month for that experience. I believe I could have rented a Veyron for $13k / month.
Now moving on on to other options. How very disappointing.
Don't give up yet. No doesn't mean no. Now... If you are happy with a $10k bonus for another car in the future and you can LIVE with the noise, all good. IF you can't, keep on pressing. In the end, if you do, I bet you get a new car, even swap, but no 10k bonus. So, ask yourself, would you want $10 in future, or no $10k, and a new car??
Don't give up yet. No doesn't mean no. Now... If you are happy with a $10k bonus for another car in the future and you can LIVE with the noise, all good. IF you can't, keep on pressing. In the end, if you do, I bet you get a new car, even swap, but no 10k bonus. So, ask yourself, would you want $10 in future, or no $10k, and a new car??
Right now, ordering any further MB products is Impossible to contemplate. I’m considering duct taping the driver side window and door seams. Maybe I’ll do the pano roof while I’m at it. I can enter the car from the passenger side and crawl over. The dull gray of the duct tape should look interesting contrasted against the Magnetite paint. I can also have it Wrapped with....”Your Toyota Camry is quieter than this car”. Also considering a GOFUNDME project to barbeque the car live on YouTube.
This is is one very unhappy Diamond rated customer.
Wow. This is very disappointing. Sorry to hear this. If the GM is truly a good guy he will get you into another equivalent car (that is quiet) with no cost to you. On the science experiment side it would be interesting to have somebody put painters tape around the seams as you suggest to identify where the noise intrusion is. It may be worth trying to fix it yourself ie with the help of an indy body shop.
Unfortunately not surprised. I had one of the first CLK-320 back in 98. The car was a disaster. Vents wouldn't open al the way creating whistling noises the sunroof randomly opened once in the rain. The service department even verified it. MB offered to buy the car back. At the time I had paid about 44K tax included. They offered me 37500 plus 3000 in "MB money" after 6 months. I wound up taking it because what were my choices. But I asked and got the GM and he agreed to add the 3000 to the value of the trade, since technically the deal was structured as a trade in. In NY i got credit for taxes on the 3K. Don't expect much else, at the end of the day they don't care. And it was my first MB no diamond club. In 2006 i bought an E350. The tranny went after 5000 miles, multiple speed sensor issues, and other annoying problems. I asked for the buyback. They responded we already bought a vehicle back from you we can't do it again. I traded it in and lost a lot of money. Really sucks to be in that position.
Good luck
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