SL/R129: "Chirp" From Frame Not Tires?
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2002 SL500
"Chirp" From Frame Not Tires?
While driving my SL500 with the top off, I've noticed a "chirp" or "squeak" sound when traveling at low speed over uneven roads. I was sure this was coming from the Michelin Pilot Sports I have on the car, but on our Highway 1 vacation, we passed through some narrow canyons and the sound changed enough to convince me the noise was coming from the chassis. Last weekend, I put my pano top back on just for fun, and surprise - no more chirps or squeaks at all. The pano top is fairly heavy, so perhaps it is keeping the frame from flexing and causing the chirp/squeak.
Does anyone else have this chirp/squeak? Can it be eliminated?
Does anyone else have this chirp/squeak? Can it be eliminated?
#2
Originally Posted by hotel_calif
While driving my SL500 with the top off, I've noticed a "chirp" or "squeak" sound when traveling at low speed over uneven roads. I was sure this was coming from the Michelin Pilot Sports I have on the car, but on our Highway 1 vacation, we passed through some narrow canyons and the sound changed enough to convince me the noise was coming from the chassis. Last weekend, I put my pano top back on just for fun, and surprise - no more chirps or squeaks at all. The pano top is fairly heavy, so perhaps it is keeping the frame from flexing and causing the chirp/squeak.
Does anyone else have this chirp/squeak? Can it be eliminated?
Does anyone else have this chirp/squeak? Can it be eliminated?
go to the back of your car and kick yopur exghaust pipe. see if it moves a lot. happend to me, rubbed on the rear sway bar thing.
Mark
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2002 SL500
Exhaust Pipe/Muffler Looks OK
Originally Posted by RedMongoosE
go to the back of your car and kick yopur exghaust pipe. see if it moves a lot. happend to me, rubbed on the rear sway bar thing.
Mark
Mark
Will
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1996 SL600 - 100% Stock
Please keep us informed
Hotel,
I also have a chirp when I'm going over rough spots. It has been driving me nuts, as I want to preserve the car. I asked a local MB tech to look into greasing the chassis, but he told me there were not grease points on this car?! He suggested it wasn't a big deal. If you learn anything, I'd be thankful for your pointer(s). I also have ALOT of break squeal when I'm breaking in reverse. I've been told that it's because of the "high performance breaks" used in the SL600 when subjected to salty air. I don't know if that's bull either, but I've been told that by two techs from two different shops. I guess the breaks are off topic, but both noises are driving me nuts and very embarrassing.
Tip DS
I also have a chirp when I'm going over rough spots. It has been driving me nuts, as I want to preserve the car. I asked a local MB tech to look into greasing the chassis, but he told me there were not grease points on this car?! He suggested it wasn't a big deal. If you learn anything, I'd be thankful for your pointer(s). I also have ALOT of break squeal when I'm breaking in reverse. I've been told that it's because of the "high performance breaks" used in the SL600 when subjected to salty air. I don't know if that's bull either, but I've been told that by two techs from two different shops. I guess the breaks are off topic, but both noises are driving me nuts and very embarrassing.
Tip DS
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2002 SL500
Cross Braces
The dealer (who has treated me fairly in the past) wrote the following about the chirp:
They put my pano top back on, so I haven't been able to confirm that the chirp is gone - I could hear the squeak only when the hard top was off. I'll take a few photos to remind me how beautiful the pano top is, take it off and confirm the chirp is gone.
Hope this helps some of the other folks plagued by strange noises.
Will
Tested car on rough roads, found that noise was coming from front and rear underbody cross braces. All braces mounting points were dry and dirty, R&R all four braces, cleaned and lubricated all mounting areas, drove car again, found noise to be gone.
Hope this helps some of the other folks plagued by strange noises.
Will
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Originally Posted by tipds
Hotel,
I also have a chirp when I'm going over rough spots. It has been driving me nuts, as I want to preserve the car. I asked a local MB tech to look into greasing the chassis, but he told me there were not grease points on this car?! He suggested it wasn't a big deal. If you learn anything, I'd be thankful for your pointer(s). I also have ALOT of break squeal when I'm breaking in reverse. I've been told that it's because of the "high performance breaks" used in the SL600 when subjected to salty air. I don't know if that's bull either, but I've been told that by two techs from two different shops. I guess the breaks are off topic, but both noises are driving me nuts and very embarrassing.
Tip DS
I also have a chirp when I'm going over rough spots. It has been driving me nuts, as I want to preserve the car. I asked a local MB tech to look into greasing the chassis, but he told me there were not grease points on this car?! He suggested it wasn't a big deal. If you learn anything, I'd be thankful for your pointer(s). I also have ALOT of break squeal when I'm breaking in reverse. I've been told that it's because of the "high performance breaks" used in the SL600 when subjected to salty air. I don't know if that's bull either, but I've been told that by two techs from two different shops. I guess the breaks are off topic, but both noises are driving me nuts and very embarrassing.
Tip DS
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2002 SL500
Chirp Is Gone
Pano top is off and the chirp/squeak is gone. The dealership (Escondido Mercedes) did a great job diagnosing and fixing this problem for me.
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2002 SL500
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1996 SL600 - 100% Stock
Darn Dealership
OK, guys. I couldn't take it anymore. I finally gave in and took mine to the dealership. A mere $2,000.00 US and it's firm again. They took care of all of it. Something to do with a bar and a bolt somewhere under the car. Anyhow, it was attributed to my wife's fast ride over a dip into the mall. I won't tell her that the real cost of that repair was the $2,000, as she would feel like crap over it all, and it really doesn't matter. Anyhow, it's back to the way it should be, and I love driving the car again, even over rough-ish roading. I love that car.
Tip DS
Tip DS
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2002 SL500
Ouch!
Sorry to hear it cost so much to fix the noise. I imagine the squeak can be caused by a number of different issues. The four new under body cross braces cost me $168. But when the noise returns, I'll try lynns' suggestion and lube the hood latches first.
Will
Will
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1) For several years there has been a medium pitched, medium duration , groan / squeak that comes from somewhere under the car behind the driver's seat when twisting the car over a steep sidewalk crossing. It only happens when the leading front tire in the turning motion is carrying say 40% of the cars weight (not the normal 25%). This noise is not that frequent and I accept it as a sign of the strength of the car in torsion. Is this the sound you guys are fixing with sway brace connection reworking?
2) We went on a long road trip a couple of months ago which involved driving on about 100 miles of gravel roads with lots of curves, washboards and pot holes. Note I can confirm that ESP works on loose gravel as well as wet and icy roads! Ever since there has been a second high pitch, short duration, squeak / knock that seems to come from the drivers side door near the lock plunger or window track. This happens when driving over wash board / pot hole roads. This one is annoying in that it means there is something loose in there! At least it does not happen very often. Has any one fixed that noise?
3) I am very sensitive to noises in a car. A loose plastic bag fluttering in the wind will drive me crazy and must be adjusted right away!
2) We went on a long road trip a couple of months ago which involved driving on about 100 miles of gravel roads with lots of curves, washboards and pot holes. Note I can confirm that ESP works on loose gravel as well as wet and icy roads! Ever since there has been a second high pitch, short duration, squeak / knock that seems to come from the drivers side door near the lock plunger or window track. This happens when driving over wash board / pot hole roads. This one is annoying in that it means there is something loose in there! At least it does not happen very often. Has any one fixed that noise?
3) I am very sensitive to noises in a car. A loose plastic bag fluttering in the wind will drive me crazy and must be adjusted right away!
#16
the "chirp" is most likely the control arm struts. There are like 4 of them on each side of the rear wheels. They are like 30 bucks a piece from Mercedes, problem is that it's a ***** to get to if the proper tools aren't available. Or a particular attachment. The 2grand was a total rip off. Let's say 250 in parts for both sides plus about 3ish hours of labor (75 an hour) yielding a estimated total of 500-600 dollars.
I wish I woulda been able to get to this thread before you took it to the dealership to save you some money.
If you replace one strut, I recommend replacing all of them, it's not that much more anyways. That way the new one doesn't get an uneven wear and cause the sqeeking to come back (me = had one replaced and it went away for a few months but came back, so gotta do it all over again).
I wish I woulda been able to get to this thread before you took it to the dealership to save you some money.
If you replace one strut, I recommend replacing all of them, it's not that much more anyways. That way the new one doesn't get an uneven wear and cause the sqeeking to come back (me = had one replaced and it went away for a few months but came back, so gotta do it all over again).
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2014 C250 sport
1) For several years there has been a medium pitched, medium duration , groan / squeak that comes from somewhere under the car behind the driver's seat when twisting the car over a steep sidewalk crossing. It only happens when the leading front tire in the turning motion is carrying say 40% of the cars weight (not the normal 25%). This noise is not that frequent and I accept it as a sign of the strength of the car in torsion. Is this the sound you guys are fixing with sway brace connection reworking?
2) We went on a long road trip a couple of months ago which involved driving on about 100 miles of gravel roads with lots of curves, washboards and pot holes. Note I can confirm that ESP works on loose gravel as well as wet and icy roads! Ever since there has been a second high pitch, short duration, squeak / knock that seems to come from the drivers side door near the lock plunger or window track. This happens when driving over wash board / pot hole roads. This one is annoying in that it means there is something loose in there! At least it does not happen very often. Has any one fixed that noise?
3) I am very sensitive to noises in a car. A loose plastic bag fluttering in the wind will drive me crazy and must be adjusted right away!
2) We went on a long road trip a couple of months ago which involved driving on about 100 miles of gravel roads with lots of curves, washboards and pot holes. Note I can confirm that ESP works on loose gravel as well as wet and icy roads! Ever since there has been a second high pitch, short duration, squeak / knock that seems to come from the drivers side door near the lock plunger or window track. This happens when driving over wash board / pot hole roads. This one is annoying in that it means there is something loose in there! At least it does not happen very often. Has any one fixed that noise?
3) I am very sensitive to noises in a car. A loose plastic bag fluttering in the wind will drive me crazy and must be adjusted right away!
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2000 SL500
This is one of the easiest of fixes but no one seems to want to listen.
lube the hood latches and if necessary replace the door check straps. Do not try to lube it will not fix a check strap.
Then let me know if I'm right or wrong.
Last edited by lynns; 11-03-2006 at 12:40 AM.