Ok.... I'm at my wits end. My '97 C280 has developed a transient shaking in the steering wheel. One day I'll go 60-80 mph, car drives straight and true, but with slight shake in the steering wheel. Then the next day, 60-80 mph the car will randomly pull hard to the right, steering wheel vibrates, then mysteriously vansihes. I can hold the wheel perfectly level, on a level road, and the car will wander off in one direction or the other - sometimes the steering wheel vibrates, sometimes not. So - I took it to my independent mechanic - he's says the lower control arm bushings are cracked. He checked the brakes, shocks, wheel bearings, etc. - all are ok except the bushings. He fixes them, the car drives fine until a few days later. Same problem appears except now it's worse. Sometime's there's slop in the wheel and the car doesn't feel tight at all. Then it's fine. Now, the random pulling and wandering happens at various speeds. My mechanic is at a loss. One other thing - there is a slight "rubbing" sound when I turn the steering wheel either direction - almost like a squeeky door. It's faint, but there.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Mark
Ft. Lauderdale

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Mark E.
Miami, FL
2 X 1997 C280

Rotate your front tires to the back. If the problem disappears - you probably have tread separation in a tire. As the tread shifts - you get these symptoms.

I should think cracked bushings get replaced. What is there to fix? My mechanic cut one of my front bushings out with a torch and hack-saw because it rusted in place from previous owner leaving in too long.

Brian