C280 Pops and Cracks
 

Anyone - any ideas why I hear popping and cracking sounds when I go around corners at slow speeds in my C280? I recently had the lower control arm bushings replaced.... could it be something to do with the steering? Also, when I turn the the wheel either direction I there is an audible squeal - kind of like a rubbery sound. I can feel some resistance in the steering wheel. And no, it's not the tires scrubbing the pavement. This is actually in the steering column. Thanks in advance! This site has saved me a lot of $$$ in unecessary repairs!

Mark

Ft. Lauderdale

Mark:
I'd tend to think along the lines of the ball joints. The rubber boots can make noises like you described with the rubber-squeaking kinda noise. Worn out joints can make clunking noises on bumps. I'd get them looked at fairly soon. If left unattended, they can in extreme cases pull apart.
Gilly (PP SEL)

Sounds like the symptoms David F had with his C280, and he replaced the lower front ball joints, and that cured it.

I have the same noise with the steering wheel column. There should be a piece of rubber around the column that is causing the rubbery sounding squeek, as it sounds like the sound is coming from the column itself. Follow the previous advice for the popping and cracking sounds.

-Good luck

Yup, I had the same problem... but I had the dealer replace the lower control arm bushings, which did clear the problem up. Also, the car's handled had degraded prior to the replacement.

Thanks guys! Yeah, I had the bushings replaced a few months ago to help resolve a "shaking" problem - thought it was a bad alignment/balancing but it was the control arm bushings. On that note - I was told by my new mechanic that the bushings were installed wrong. Are the directional or do you just slap them in and go. He said they were rotated about 90 degrees off of where they should be. Could that cause the popping? I will have the ball joints checked out. Thanks for your help guys!

Mark

Ft. Lauderdale

Oh yeah - it's a '97 C280

Mark