And this is why people end up running down endless rabbit holes over something so simple. They're trusting the "experts" to do their job competently. Unfortunately, the experts have long retired.
Mercedes vibration nightmare again
- Thread starter M104
- Start date
And this is why people end up running down endless rabbit holes over something so simple. They're trusting the "experts" to do their job competently. Unfortunately, the experts have long retired.
Gues what? It's coming back again in a different form!
Today i had a quite significant steering wheel shake somewhere between 80 and 90kmh (about 55mph) on a few sections of road. Feels exactly like the classic out of balance steering wheel shake at highway speed, just slower.
What leaves me puzzled is that it was horrible going one direction and just fine the other way on the same road 20 minutes later. After that i drove the car a bit and had the shake happen again on the highway at the same speed but absolutely no shake at all on the very bad country roads we have here!
This is beyond comprehension.
Today i had a quite significant steering wheel shake somewhere between 80 and 90kmh (about 55mph) on a few sections of road. Feels exactly like the classic out of balance steering wheel shake at highway speed, just slower.
What leaves me puzzled is that it was horrible going one direction and just fine the other way on the same road 20 minutes later. After that i drove the car a bit and had the shake happen again on the highway at the same speed but absolutely no shake at all on the very bad country roads we have here!
This is beyond comprehension.
I think it's save to say after everything that you can't put all the blame on your tires. There's something else going on.
Difference in road surface?
Absolutely looks like it. Nothing at all on rough patched country roads but driving on some "smooth" surface makes the sun visors shake! I could hear and see my watch shake.
force routière équilibrée
A quick google search gives nothing related to the topic of tires, sadly.
I'm planning on rebuilding most of the front end anyway. I'll get the wheels balanced and finger crossed, it will kill the vibration for good.
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- Mar 20, 2025
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Please take this with a grain of salt, but I am saying it is tires. I have a 2016 c300 and put on Pirelli somethings a few years ago and got terrible vibration, they rebalanced and it helped, but didn't fix it. I used the satisfaction program and threw on some new Michelins and there was zero vibration anywhere at any speed on any road. 20k miles and still working great!
M104, Did you replace that front wheel bearing which had noticeable play after tightening? I would suspect that bearing with the steering wheel shake you described.
Also, you could try a new set of Michelins and keep your current tires. If the vibration remains you now have two sets of tires for the car. If it’s solved, get rid of the old tires.
I wouldn’t rebuild the whole front end, could be many $ spent without solving the issue. Just replace parts which have excessive play and worn bushings.
Also, you could try a new set of Michelins and keep your current tires. If the vibration remains you now have two sets of tires for the car. If it’s solved, get rid of the old tires.
I wouldn’t rebuild the whole front end, could be many $ spent without solving the issue. Just replace parts which have excessive play and worn bushings.
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I remember never having any vibration issues with Michelin tires a while back, even on cars with shot suspensions. I have read somewhere that Michelin are the tires that are the most "round" with the least defects usually.
The play it has is within tolerance, i've checked it since. I already have everything to rebuild the front end. I think my LCA bushings are shot (harsh ride, light knocking, slow steering response when cornering hard). The folks over at Benzworld say that the "classic 55 mph vibration" is a sign of worn LCA bushings on the 210 chassis.
Back to what i've said before, i had many other old Mercedes with absolutely shot front ends with zero vibe with michelin. Maybe these cars are picky on tires.
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Replaced inner and outer tie rods on both sides because that's where the play was coming from and got the car aligned. LCA bushing are fine according to mechanics. I can't get anything to move now. Got the front wheels perfectly balanced as well and it still shakes. I am a bit lost.
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- Mar 8, 2022
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I just went through a similar situation with a Ford Escape. Howling noise from the right rear mainly. Replaced right rear bearing, noise reduced but still there. Replaced left rear bearing, reduced a bit more. Saw the right rear tire was cupped toward the outside. Replaced tires and aligned. No more noise. Right rear was way off. It was aligned and no more noise.
These issues are so hard to diagnose... At this point i am tempted to get the part canon out.
This is how bad my lower control arm bushings are! I can wiggle the metal part of the bushing with my thumb. New control arms are on the way.
Your tires may be the culprit.
I've just finished replacing both control arms and after a quick test drive, it seems that the shimmy is gone. I have a long drive ahead tomorrow and will report.
The 90-100 kmh shimmy is gone but now there's a new vibration around 130 kmh that wasn't there before. It gets smoother again at higher speeds.
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- Mar 8, 2022
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If it smooths out above or below a certain speed, it probably is tire balance.
