Greetings. Some time ago my '97 E230 Touring started making an annoying grinding sound. i couldn't pin point the exact location. i visited a mechanic where i was told that the sound was made by worn out front brakes pads and discs, since the front and rear disc change was approaching i went ahead with the change.... made no diffrence. The sound still bothers the hell out of me although only every third person can hear it. It doesn't matter what gear the car is in, weather it's in neutral or drive or even rolling backwards. It defintly sounds like metal "gently" rubbing against metal. The pitch doesn't change, no diffrence if i'm driving fast or slow. Just today i discovered that it sounds as if the noise is coming from underneath the gearbox shifter. Is it possible that there is a part which needs attention in this part of the car or maybe the sound carries from another place. Any ideas what this could be? Thank you.
Greetings. Some time ago my '97 E230 Touring started making an annoying grinding sound. i couldn't pin point the exact location. i visited a mechanic where i was told that the sound was made by worn out front brakes pads and discs, since the front and rear disc change was approaching i went ahead with the change.... made no diffrence. The sound still bothers the hell out of me although only every third person can hear it. It doesn't matter what gear the car is in, weather it's in neutral or drive or even rolling backwards. It defintly sounds like metal "gently" rubbing against metal. The pitch doesn't change, no diffrence if i'm driving fast or slow. Just today i discovered that it sounds as if the noise is coming from underneath the gearbox shifter. Is it possible that there is a part which needs attention in this part of the car or maybe the sound carries from another place. Any ideas what this could be? Thank you.
Hi, Tommy.
If you have a shop with a lift that's the best way to trace it. It very well could be a u-joint or rear transmission*bearing, I've also heard bearings make noise because the rear transmission*mount is broken. In any event getting it up on a lift and in neutral (so you can spin the wheels* and thus the back half of the drivetrain) will help to isolate it, if that doesn't work you can pull the driveshaft and drop it in "gear" and then you'll have isolated the engine and transmission*. If it's there ALL the time (even when the car isn't moving) and it's kind of a rattly metallic sound (not so much grind-grind) then it may just be a loose or bent heat*shield.
No matter what the easiest thing to do is get it on a lift, because you've got to get under there to figure it out and that's the safest way to do it.
Thank you very much Greg. Off to the printer I go and to a lift first thing in the morning. What could the worst case scenario be? and how often does the automatic transmision fluid need to be changed in my car..... I've heard many opinions>
Thank you very much Greg. Off to the printer I go and to a lift first thing in the morning. What could the worst case scenario be? and how often does the automatic transmision fluid need to be changed in my car..... I've heard many opinions>
Hi, Tommy.
I've heard recommendations of fluid change intervals from 25,000 miles to never. From what I've seen, heard and read, however, the majority of folks seem to come down in the 50,000 to 75,000 mile range, although if you do mostly short-trip driving I'd probably knock another 10,000 off of that. Your car is comparatively easy to do it on because it has the drain plug in the torque*converter so you can change virtually all of the fluid, unlike the newer ones (like mine!!!!GRRR!) that allow you only to change a few liters.
There's not much cause to think of worst-case, since that's really unlikely and the car is running fine other than this little noise. It's likely to be something minor, which of course doesn't mean it will be cheap...after all, it's a Benz. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a heat-shield, since that would be the simplest, cheapest and quickest repair.
Had this noise on my '97 E320 - just ate its second autobox - 151k miles with full MB history!It's currently awaiting another auto 5 speed second hand box in the drive!Just for the record with the noise it will only drive for 300 yards then all drive goes - £2000+ for a rebuild here in the UK!
A sigh of relief....my reaction to the mechanic's definite "It's a bearing thing...." I'm dropping the car off first thing in the morning..... the whole thing will run me the equivalent of about 40 USD, so little to pay in return for that quiet, grindless benz feeling. Greg you are a smart man, Thank you.
Strange sound.... need advice. 
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