Steering Problem Mercedes GLC
Discussion
Anybody thinking about a new Mercedes GLC ? Think again. We received a full refund after 9 months because of this:
https://youtu.be/VTT0U8fciR0
https://youtu.be/VTT0U8fciR0
Ackerman hop? Looks bad on the GLC but a lot of cars do it to a greater or lesser extent.
Wouldn't be surprised if it only happens in particular conditions on particular surfaces. If not then they've probably specced a bush wrong on the lower arms.
Annoying but I wouldn't send a car back for it. Different tyres would probably get rid of it. Even a tweak to the toe within the specs would likely have an effect
Wouldn't be surprised if it only happens in particular conditions on particular surfaces. If not then they've probably specced a bush wrong on the lower arms.
Annoying but I wouldn't send a car back for it. Different tyres would probably get rid of it. Even a tweak to the toe within the specs would likely have an effect
A great many modern cars (and some older ones) on low-profile tyres seem to do it to some degree on some surfaces in some temperature ranges. I suppose suspension design is fundementally a game of trade-offs, I'm sure they could get rid of that effect but it would almost certainly have a negative knock-on effect on something else. 911s are renowned for doing it. With relatively minor tweeks to the geometry I can get my Elise to do it too.
Edited by kambites on Sunday 22 January 18:29
Saw this on the Honest John Site, any opinions.
9-1-2017: Report of "unusually severe wear on the inner section of the front outside wheel tyre where canvas was exposed" on a 2014 Mercedes Benz E250CDI estate. The rest of the front tyre width had tread depth of around 3mm. It was recommended that the tyre be replaced urgently and also a four-wheel alignment check. This identified an issue with the camber on the O/S front wheel. But the camber was found to be non adjustable because straight bolts had been fitted. Replacement adjustable bolts cost £100 (happily financed by the dealer, Robinsons of Bury St Edmunds). This may help to explain the massive problem that owners are having with AWD C43 AMGs and GLCs.
9-1-2017: Report of "unusually severe wear on the inner section of the front outside wheel tyre where canvas was exposed" on a 2014 Mercedes Benz E250CDI estate. The rest of the front tyre width had tread depth of around 3mm. It was recommended that the tyre be replaced urgently and also a four-wheel alignment check. This identified an issue with the camber on the O/S front wheel. But the camber was found to be non adjustable because straight bolts had been fitted. Replacement adjustable bolts cost £100 (happily financed by the dealer, Robinsons of Bury St Edmunds). This may help to explain the massive problem that owners are having with AWD C43 AMGs and GLCs.
Angus GLC said:
Anybody thinking about a new Mercedes GLC ? Think again. We received a full refund after 9 months because of this:
https://youtu.be/VTT0U8fciR0
You joined just to post this? They've given you a full refund so why do you feel the need to keep on at it? The issue is known and it is hardly massive. https://youtu.be/VTT0U8fciR0
That said, I'd be chuffed to be paid to get out of a GLC!
vrtrooper said:
Saw this on the Honest John Site, any opinions.
9-1-2017: Report of "unusually severe wear on the inner section of the front outside wheel tyre where canvas was exposed" on a 2014 Mercedes Benz E250CDI estate. The rest of the front tyre width had tread depth of around 3mm. It was recommended that the tyre be replaced urgently and also a four-wheel alignment check. This identified an issue with the camber on the O/S front wheel. But the camber was found to be non adjustable because straight bolts had been fitted. Replacement adjustable bolts cost £100 (happily financed by the dealer, Robinsons of Bury St Edmunds). This may help to explain the massive problem that owners are having with AWD C43 AMGs and GLCs.
It refers to a different model?9-1-2017: Report of "unusually severe wear on the inner section of the front outside wheel tyre where canvas was exposed" on a 2014 Mercedes Benz E250CDI estate. The rest of the front tyre width had tread depth of around 3mm. It was recommended that the tyre be replaced urgently and also a four-wheel alignment check. This identified an issue with the camber on the O/S front wheel. But the camber was found to be non adjustable because straight bolts had been fitted. Replacement adjustable bolts cost £100 (happily financed by the dealer, Robinsons of Bury St Edmunds). This may help to explain the massive problem that owners are having with AWD C43 AMGs and GLCs.
I don't think anybody can say it's normal. I wouldn't expect it in a Skoda never mind a Mercedes. The reason for posting is to try to get this into the open and warn potential customers of the issue. If anybody wants to buy the vehicle - you can from Mercedes Liverpool - it comes free with a terrible knocking sound when you turn a corner. Somehow I don't think there will be many takers.
Angus GLC said:
I don't think anybody can say it's normal. I wouldn't expect it in a Skoda never mind a Mercedes. The reason for posting is to try to get this into the open and warn potential customers of the issue. If anybody wants to buy the vehicle - you can from Mercedes Liverpool - it comes free with a terrible knocking sound when you turn a corner. Somehow I don't think there will be many takers.
Yeah I really dont get this forum sometimes, how the hell can someone say thats normal!!! WTH is wrong with people. No its not normal at all, I have had 20 year old cars that did not do that, I have had cars with 19/20/21 and even 22" alloys not do that!
Take it back and demand they fix it or tell them to keep the thing and buy something else.
Yeah, I agree. This simply isn't good enough for any car, let alone one that is meant to be premium.
If I let the friction modifier get too low in my Jeeps diffs it does something similar when the clutches bind on low speed tight turns.
I would not be at all happy with a new car behaving like this. I think it is a completely valid complaint. Some people on this forum really are a bit odd. I wouldn't be happy with this on a Porsche either, or even a Dacia FWIW.
If I let the friction modifier get too low in my Jeeps diffs it does something similar when the clutches bind on low speed tight turns.
I would not be at all happy with a new car behaving like this. I think it is a completely valid complaint. Some people on this forum really are a bit odd. I wouldn't be happy with this on a Porsche either, or even a Dacia FWIW.
All I'm trying to do is explain what it is and my personal opinion on it. It's just a consequence of the Ackermann geometry, maybe exacerbated by the tyre choice or the bush selection.
You might actually be more inclined to accept it on a sports car like a Porsche as they use a lower Ackermann to give stable handling in high speed corners. Ferrari 550's and 458's do it, Lotus Evoras do it, Peugeot RCZ-R's do it, there's probably a load more too.
It's a suspension NVH issue, not a steering issue. Surprising that Mercedes have let that one through if more than a few people are complaining, but it's only an annoyance.
Try hard enough on most cars and you'll usually find some reproducible annoying noise or vibration from the steering, suspension or brakes. It's only when a customer uses the car in a particular way that provokes it regularly that it becomes annoying and you get a complaint.
For instance in the video the car is manoevring on brick paving, I'm not saying it is confined to that surface but if it were there are people that could drive that car for 10 years and not experience it. Things like this can also be sensitive to tyre pressure, wear and temperature so it becomes even more obscure. Mercedes might have missed it due to a tyre manufacturer or construction change using a more limited approval process than the original vehicle development had. Christ it could even be the wheel weight and tyre construction combination.
My Cayenne has terrible tyre cavity resonance on a particular stretch of the M25, it howls through the car on fresh tyres, it's deafening for minutes at a time. I drive that stretch every couple of weeks and it doesn't bother me. If my commute were on that stretch every day then I might find it more annoying and start trying different tyre options, but i wouldn't be shouting at Porsche to buy it back off me as I like the rest of the car.
If you're not happy with it then fair enough, but like I said personally I'd see if there were other Merc approved tyre options and maybe be tying to push the dealer to throw me a free set.
You might actually be more inclined to accept it on a sports car like a Porsche as they use a lower Ackermann to give stable handling in high speed corners. Ferrari 550's and 458's do it, Lotus Evoras do it, Peugeot RCZ-R's do it, there's probably a load more too.
It's a suspension NVH issue, not a steering issue. Surprising that Mercedes have let that one through if more than a few people are complaining, but it's only an annoyance.
Try hard enough on most cars and you'll usually find some reproducible annoying noise or vibration from the steering, suspension or brakes. It's only when a customer uses the car in a particular way that provokes it regularly that it becomes annoying and you get a complaint.
For instance in the video the car is manoevring on brick paving, I'm not saying it is confined to that surface but if it were there are people that could drive that car for 10 years and not experience it. Things like this can also be sensitive to tyre pressure, wear and temperature so it becomes even more obscure. Mercedes might have missed it due to a tyre manufacturer or construction change using a more limited approval process than the original vehicle development had. Christ it could even be the wheel weight and tyre construction combination.
My Cayenne has terrible tyre cavity resonance on a particular stretch of the M25, it howls through the car on fresh tyres, it's deafening for minutes at a time. I drive that stretch every couple of weeks and it doesn't bother me. If my commute were on that stretch every day then I might find it more annoying and start trying different tyre options, but i wouldn't be shouting at Porsche to buy it back off me as I like the rest of the car.
If you're not happy with it then fair enough, but like I said personally I'd see if there were other Merc approved tyre options and maybe be tying to push the dealer to throw me a free set.
The Wookie said:
All I'm trying to do is explain what it is and my personal opinion on it. It's just a consequence of the Ackermann geometry, maybe exacerbated by the tyre choice or the bush selection.
It's more than that. There's something different in the transmission on RHD cars. LHD GLC's don't do it.MB couldn't do this model in RHD in the past due the sterring column being in the way of the drive to the front wheels. Whatever they've done to work around that has produced this issue.
Sheepshanks said:
It's more than that. There's something different in the transmission on RHD cars. LHD GLC's don't do it.
MB couldn't do this model in RHD in the past due the sterring column being in the way of the drive to the front wheels. Whatever they've done to work around that has produced this issue.
Do RHD 4Matic C classes do it, too?MB couldn't do this model in RHD in the past due the sterring column being in the way of the drive to the front wheels. Whatever they've done to work around that has produced this issue.
Gassing Station | Mercedes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff