My 2002 C320 wagon has an extra clatter noise coming from the passenger side. The noise is very easy to hear, but it is not continuous. And it does not need any bumps to start. The car can be totally quiet when driving over speedbumps, but then the clatter starts when driving a virtually perfect road.

When sitting on the driver's seat the sound seems to come from the rear right door. When sitting on the backseat, it seems to come from closer to the front passenger door.

The noise sounds to me like the passenger side door locks would need some adjusting. But pushing/ pulling the door has no effect on the noise, which makes me think if it is the lock and striker after all... I have also checked underneath the car, but did not see any obvious source for the noise there. So: Good fresh ideas are welcome!

I have tried adjusting the door lock strikers, but they do not seem to allow as much moving as in W124 - for example. My plan was to move the striker clearly upwards and see if this eliminates the annoying clatter. But it does not move more than 2 mm or so. How do I adjust the doors in the 203 C-Class?

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eerola
Finland

Does nobody really have experience in adjusting C Class door locks?

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eerola
Finland

I cannot give you a very good answer other than to say that I think you are correct that it is not the lock, latches etc. That doesn't really make sense to me and also if you push/pull on the door and there is no change then that tends to prove it. My 202 has many many rattles all over the place, far too many for me to list here. Some seem temperature dependent, others just come and go. Some, like yours, are maddeningly difficult to locate spatially. Every time I turn my head they seem to be coming from somewhere else. My passengers can't find them either. Since the car is under warranty I would definitly explore that route. There might even be a TSB issued on it. The dealer has special kits to work on rattle complaints. I have identified some of my rattles and not others. Some people will say that their Mercedes never rattles. I have only had this one so I can't say. As far as getting specific advice on your car, you might, but I have found that there is a much larger body of knowledge on this site for the W124's and older cars in general. There are less 202's and 203's around and they are newer. I see questions like this sometimes sit unanswered, and the resident geniuses seem to be scarce lately. Maybe they are on vacation or just tired!

Mike

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

Try lubing the door catches with a stick of dry lube.

Thanks for all replies!

Did the doors. No effect. Checked a lot of things in the interior. No effect. Noticed that one of the plastic panels under the car had a broken "ear". This let the plastic resonate in the wind, and caused the nasty clatter inside the car. Fixed this, and the car is a Mercedes again!

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eerola
Finland