W124 misc rattles/annoyances
 

Having now spent some serious quality time with the new E420 (and absolutely love it), I wanted to cull some experienced from you all regarding some little things.

First, steering column rattle. Sounds like it's coming from under the wheel on the inside of the car. Can't move the column around by hand, but going over bumps or 'washboarded' sections of interstate produce a noticeable (and annoying) metallic rattle. Any ideas?

Also the exterior door handles. One on the passenger side rear is loose and can be wiggled up and down. Where are the screw/bolts to tighten up this guy?

Lastly, I'm guessing from lack of use (previous ower put a whole 8k on car in three years), all doors except the driver's door open and shut with a metallic 'clank' instead of the well-dampened 'thud' we're all so fond of. Do they just need some lubricant? What kind? Lithium grease, graphite? Where to apply?

Thank you all in advance, couldn't find much in the archives....

Regards,
- Ryan

lots of looks, no replys - is everyone as clueless as me? :D

thanks again,
- Ryan

dieseldude-


I had to tighten the rear outside door handle on my '91 300E. Actually not too hard: You have to remove the inside door panel with remembering that after all the handles and hardware is removed to lift the panel up. Undeneath is the moisture barrier plastic. Peel gently as it will rip easily. Best to only move the section by the door handle. If I recall correctly, you should be able to see the forward bolt head and almost see the rear one. (it has been sometime since I did this). I want to say the bolts are 10mm and might require both an extension and maybe a swivel to reach them. Make sure the handle is centered in the door before tightening. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN. Firm and snug should do it.

I have had door closing issues as well. I have checked the striker plate to make sure it is closely aligned with the door latch. I have then used silicone paste that comes in a tube. Just a little on the stiker mounted on the car body. It has worked well.

Now ... the steeing column. I haven't a clue. I would start by lowering the under dash panel and seeing if there isn't anything loose. Also have you checked to make sure your under engine belly pan is attached firmly?

Hope these help.

Jeff

Steering Rattle
 

Did you figure out the steering rattle ? I think I have the same annoying problem. I bought the car at 40,000 miles and it had this problem then. I have driven it to 120,000 miles, but no one has seemed to know what it is, and I have asked at various repair shops over the years. I have had the bushing replaced and MB has attempted to correct, but it has never been fixed, and it really hasn't gotten any worse. The last time, they mentioned some major components inside the steering column that would bring the repair over $1,000. I'm not sure if this is correct.

As you described, it sounds like its close to the steering wheel, and although the steering column does not move around, the steering wheel will feel sloppy when moving it back and forth.

YOUR POSSIBLE STEERING RATTLE COULD BE LOOSE SCREWS BEHIND THE AIR BAG.

check the check straps, sometimes the balls get stuck. They are cheap enough where you should just replace them. i think that there is a thing in DIY on those.

What happens is they usually break the pin that goes into the body then it makes a loud pop which is really annoying.

Try this and other recomendations

Austin

Addicted -

I have not yet diagnosed the steering column rattle. I was beginning to think it was just a quirk of recirc. ball steering, but if I hit a speedbump/low curb at an angle (like on my driveway), it definitely rattles too much.

The rattle is also coming from further down the column for me to think it's the airbag screws. I've wanted to take the cowling off from under the steering wheel to see if anything was visible, but the beast is due for a couple other things at my mechanics, so I'll see what they can find and report back.

I'll run that check strap issue by my mech and see what he says - thanks for the suggestion omegabenz!

Regards,
- Ryan

Dieseldude,

Did you ever get the rattle fixed? I am seriously considering a '94 E420 with 55,000 miles for sale at an MB dealership right now. See the ever-growing thread in "Featured Cars" called "E420 Horror Stories".

This car has that same rattle, or tapping sound over bumps. Also, with the car moving or sitting still, you can slighly move the steering wheel back and forth and generate the same sound. It's kind of like turning a flat head screw driver in a slot that's too wide. It taps the sides as you rotate back and forth. Any ideas?

The sales guy said he rode with a technician to listen to the noise. Technician said, "It's probably nothing to worry about, but we'll look at it if you want us to." Darn right I want you to!

Thanks,

dieseldude

I noticed similar sound with doors on my 95 E420....I describe it as in between the "thud" and "clank" but it still is definitely the Mercedes bank vault sound. It does sound a little different from what I would hear on a 79 300SD I used to have but still the good solid sound....could be the later cars will sound a liitle different due to materials used, thicknesses, etc vs the older "tanks"

Actually no guys, I hadn't run the 'clanky' sound past my indie yet. The sound I'm hearing is coming more form the handle/strike plate area than from the check strap area (although I do have a small squeak coming from the check strap, which graphite powder didn't fix).

With car's increased useage (i.e. opening and closing doors more frequently) in my hands, as opposed to the PO (8k mi in 3 years of ownership), the 'clanking' seems to be getting less noticable - or I'm more used to it :). My assumption was that grease/lube had hardened/settled with such light use, but is now getting re-worked into the crevices as the mechanism is being used more.

I'd still like to get the nice dampened 'thunk' that I know they can have (my driver's side door is this way). I may just run it by the dealer for the 'lube and inspection of doors/trunk/hood' since it's probably only a drop or two of grease in the right spots and 60 seconds of time to make them all like new.

I will say rmesteller, these cars are awesome. With very few niggling exceptions regarding dated ergonimics, I can't see being dissapointed with this car for a very long time. I opted for the V8 because of the lack of major issues being common. Heat is it's biggest enemy and you'll do very well by using synthetic oil and keeping the cooling system well maintained. The most respected techs here have commented frequently that the m119 is one of the best, most durable V8's ever made. Plus, how can you resist the sound when firing up that baby and stepping on it! :D

regards,
- Ryan

For what it's worth..

My doors -drivers door especially, also had that 'clanking' sound and feel to them.
I replaced the door strap on the drivers door yesterday and it's like new! The feel when opening and closing is great. And it's got the good old expensive-sounding 'thunk' back.

The part is only around $16 (in Europe) and it's a real easy 30 min DIY job. Description in DIY section here

Freestyler

dieseldude,

I guess I didn't state my question quite right. I was referring to your steering wheel/column noise. Did that get fixed?

Thanks,

For a couple of reasons, I was talking with an experienced salesman at the MB dealer where this car had been serviced. I brought up the tapping/rattling in the steering column and by my brief description, his first thought would be a steering assembly rack. If so, it would be about a $3,000 repair. Of course, that was an experienced salesman talking, not an experienced service technician.

My Dad took the car home with him to another city where he has a good mechanic. Apparently, the mechanic found the steering to be done up too tight. By loosening the steering, the rattle at the top of the steering column is now gone. I just heard from my Dad, and I will let you know when he returns in about a week if I am satisfied with the repair.

The clunk in the rear end upon acceleration turned out to be bolts holding the transmission, which had managed to loosen slightly.

Dieseldude,

I have a 92 400E and experience similar problems. The steering column rattle, I hear it now and then. Sometimes under full acceleration, I can hear it like its coming from the instrument cluster. Also worth checking out, the plastic trim on TOP of the steering column, right below the instrument cluster. Mine had worked itself loose and was rattling on occasion. Also, try vary'n the telescopic adjustment, and see if the same noise persists.

When u have a squeek in the door, you will have to replace the door check straps. You really cant greese them without taking the door panel off, and your better off replacing them ($12 item).

For all you W124 400E/E420 owners. Do yourself a favor and get a 2.82 rear end. You will thank me.

Best of luck,

Andy

amg280 & dieseldude,

The sound I heard in the steering column was metallic, not plastic.

Our E320 wagon suffers from a REALLY annoying clicking/creaking noise in the rear passenger side door, I'm pretty sure around the latch mechanism.

I have lubed, loosened, tightened and re-tighten just about every single nut, bolt and screw on and around the door area, and drove around without the check strap.

I have spent about half a can of white lithium grease on every moving device and mechanism in and around the door.

I sprayed WD40 under the plastic strip running along the seam on the roof, under the roof rack.

I've had the the inner panel off about 15 times now. Replaced the striker plates. Removed, poked and prodded the latch, forcing some slight re-alignment of various bits inside it with a screw driver.

Nothing. Noise persists, most noticable over small but sudden, sharp road irregularities. It's about to make me completely nuts.

Last resort is a replacement latch which I will try this week. If this is a body flex problem, I will be really depressed.

Our wagon had a squeak from the r. rear .... I finally figured out that it was the right rear seat back latch, which holds the seatback upright. I put a light coat of silicone where they come in contact.

So far, so quiet. Maybe this will help ....

Haasman

Thanks, Haasman
I'll check it out. I gave it a brief look over before, but maybe its time for a revisit... as I'm not suffering alone, it seems.

miktvk,

I believe the left rear also squeaked originally when we got it. If I recall correctly, I remove the piece on the seat and used light steel wool and polished it a bit. That's what I would have done to the r. rear next if the squeak didn't stop.

Haasman

Is the steering wheel "rattle" more common when making left hand turns over uneven road surfaces? And is there no actual movement of the steering wheel - just a transfer of "clunkiness" from deeper down the steering column? As if a little gremlin is down there smacking the steering linkage with a wrench? That's what my 260e does.

There seems to be a lot of 124 body "steering wheel rattle" reports. Both the '91 300E and '95 Wagon seem to be fine in this regard.

Anybody solve this?

I had some nasty door panel rattles on my W124 before. Problem was, that the plastic door panel and armrest clips were bumping onto the metal of the door panel. Glued a bunch of carpet padding on the inside of the door panel. Fits tighter, and no rattles. Make sure the door handle linkage rod is snapped securely into the plastic support clip (on the metal part of the door).

I put the sound-deadening lining on the inside of the wagon's doors and they close with a more familiar MBZ thud.

I like the idea of carpet padding between the panels and the doors. Which kind was it? Waffled or made up of misc fibers?

At Home Depot (or similar) it's pretty cheap. I got the type that is grey colored with miscellaneous fibers scattered throughout. Looks like it's made out of recycled clothes. It works great for vibration damping, which I needed a bunch of when I was working on the stereo in my old W123.

One quick thought on ccarpet padding behind the door - moisture. If you opt to do this, I suggest sandwich'ing the padding between the existing moistore barrier and another one top. The second could be the home grown version with some clear heavy duty plastic with trusty duct tape would do the job.

The sound deadening material is expensive, but that would be my suggestion. Getting the door panels back on is hard enough, the thickness from the carpet padding would be make it impossible on my '95 E420 - the clearance on my panels is zippo!

haasman,
No, it has not been solved as far as I know.

hieber,
The steering wheel "rattle" is not more common in any circumstance. It simply happens over rough pavement and I do not feel any vibration. I can also make it happen with the car sitting still by simply wiggling the steering wheel back and forth. What's the option code for little gremlins?

Thanks,

Fuel Pump
 

Here's a new one. On my list of issues for the E420 I'm seriously considering is the electric fuel pump back by the fuel tank. It is quite loud when the car is running. The car is insulated enough that you don't really hear it in the car, unless you know what you are listening for. But, from outside the car, it's quite noticable. I would even say it sounds "wrong". I would think at a traffic light, people in a car next to me might even tell me I have something wrong. Is this normal? This car has 55,000 miles and will have a Starmark warranty.

By the way, they ordered a part for the clunky steering column. We'll see if it fixes it.

Thanks!

Rodd,

I do hope you post what stops your steering wheel clunking noise because my 95 E320 has done this ever since I bought it (it had 87k miles on it then) it now has 157k miles. I've never been able to figure out where that noise is coming from, even had the left front strut replaced under the starmark warranty to try to solve it. No help. My symptoms are exactly as you describe with yours.

I would love to be able to solve this one with my car........

Thanks,

Dale

rmasteller-

Yes, the fuel pumps are loud; my '95 E420 is very noticeable - especially when in the garage and the sound reverberates off the walls. I've asked two different dealers and a couple indy's if that is normal - they've all given me that "get over it look". You can hear it from the cabin too, but just more of the high pitched generator-like sound. As you said, you really have to listen for it. I think the pumps are around $200 each & you need two, so I wouldn't worry about it until there is a mechanical breakdown.

Our E320 rattles, too. My wife says its a loose screw between the seat and steering wheel.;)

I suggest you have your tie-rod end and mid rod sections checked for excessive free play. I have similar experience with my 190E. Doesn't cost a great deal. With the engine off, try and turn the steering left and right back and forth. do you encounter looseness and metallic feel at the ends when the wheel is harder to turn more? If so, that would most likely be it.

alex