[mjhawkins2346]

Having put only a thousand miles or so on my (new to me) 2010 GLK 4Matic I'm surprised by the feel of "toe in" or "negative caster" that seems to make the car not want to easily center when driving. It almost feels twitchy and too eager to turn - like the power steering is too sensitive at speed. Mind you it doesn't feel like the alignment is off as I seem to suggest, only that the planted on the road feel I've gotten from my last 7 Mercedes seems to be lacking in this little ute.
I'm wondering if I'm feeling the 20" tires or the electric rack and pinion?
Anyone else had this experience? Is there a reasonable suggestion? Thanks.

 

[pgeller]

Mine feels the same way, even with the stock 19" wheels/tires. The on-center feel is vague, the car not wanting to self-center. Turn-in is quite frisky, really too fast for the type of vehicle. On the freeway, it seems to easily wander around the lane, so much so that my wife (bless her heart...) is always reminding me to get back in the center. Alignment was checked by the MB dealer as being in-spec. The tires now have 30k on them so may be contributing as well.

Any ideas?

pg
Beaverton, OR

 

[mjhawkins2346]

Make it Want to Track Straight!

Mine feels the same way, even with the stock 19" wheels/tires. The on-center feel is vague, the car not wanting to self-center. Turn-in is quite frisky, really too fast for the type of vehicle. On the freeway, it seems to easily wander around the lane, so much so that my wife (bless her heart...) is always reminding me to get back in the center. Alignment was checked by the MB dealer as being in-spec. The tires now have 30k on them so may be contributing as well.

Any ideas?

pg
Beaverton, OR

I read in another forum that Mercedes designed this feel into the electric rack steering on the GLK. If this is true, and I suspect it is, I'm trying to imagine why this was considered optimal. They also offered that there is no way to engineer it out. The next time (if) I'm at an alignment shop I'm going to ask if it's possible to add a little positive caster (or even camber). I'm not sure if that will have the desired effect - if it can be done. If so it would enhance centering. Anyone know more about GLK alignment?

 

[Wheatridger]

Make it Want to Track Straight!



I read in another forum that Mercedes designed this feel into the electric rack steering on the GLK. If this is true, and I suspect it is, I'm trying to imagine why this was considered optimal. They also offered that there is no way to engineer it out. The next time (if) I'm at an alignment shop I'm going to ask if it's possible to add a little positive caster (or even camber). I'm not sure if that will have the desired effect - if it can be done. If so it would enhance centering. Anyone know more about GLK alignment?

 

[Wheatridger]

Let me just bump this back to the top. Here in the future (2022), I was close to buying a used GLK. I love most everything about the car, but a long test drive of a Turo car showed me this slack, indifferent steering feel unlike any other german car I've owned. The steering feedback was "Like, whatever." Keeping the car centered in curving lanes was a purely visual exercise, not tactile, and that took extra effort.

Has anybody else been able to improve this? Are they all the same? Other alignment settings?

 

[John350]

All I can say is "mine is not like that."

 

[Wheatridger]

Thanks, I'll try to test another. I might not have noticed this car's issue on a short drive or with straight roads, but Nashville's hilly suburbs really put it in the spotlight. When I can get some resistance from the wheel off-center, my hands can help my eyes steer, without constant visual corrections. Call it, if you will, "Mechanical Lane Centering."

 

[Vailcoyote]

The steering is numb, but I don't have any trouble placing it on the road. Maybe your rental needed an alignment?

 

[ianrandom]

I find Tesla a bit like this. Completely devoid of any feeling at all, or any centering.

 

[Vailcoyote]

We have had 2 Model 3's and have found the steering to be excellent. It has a very quick ratio and is a lot of fun to drive. The GLK is fine, but I would not call it fun to drive.

 

[John350]

Mine's a '14. I wonder if they changed something between 2010 and 2014?

I would not call it fun to drive.

For what it is, it's funner than the competition!

 

[ianrandom]

Model 3 is what I'm in. It does have a quick ratio, but very little enjoyable driving dynamics for me. Very fast, twin motor etc.
I assumed it was just the electric everything I wasn't enjoying. No idea at all.

I haven't driven a GLK though. Spent a lot of time in a new high spec XC90. Didn't like that either, but it was quite nippy on corners for what it was.

 

[Wheatridger]

Previously I complained about the GLK's too-light tiller, but I've changed my mind. I'm used to it, now that I've owned mine for ten days, and I like it. Even with the stock 19"wheels, my 2014 GLK 4matic has pleasing weight and good centering. Much better than the Volvos I drove, in fact. Maybe the difference is my car's splendid condition, with just 12,400 miles of use.

One steering oddity remains. At low-speed driveway exits and other90 degree turns, the car wants to hold a turn and keep on turning. So I have to deliberately turn the wheel back to straight ahead or it will hit the curb on the inside of the turn. Taking advantage of the tight turning radius, it feels like it would happily orbit until the gas tank was empty if I removed my hands from the wheel. (I haven't confirmed this yet...) Maybe this is a standard Mercedes trait; I'm new in this neighborhood. The Silverado pickup I rented was like that, but much worse. But none of my previous VWs, SAABs and Fords were like that. With my Ford C-Max, I just let go of the wheel and the car snaps back to dead ahead by itself. I can get used to this unique Mercedes steering feeling, but I don't know why it's that way. Do you?

 

[John350]

Sounds like you need to have it aligned.

 

[Wheatridger]

After 12K miles of on-road use? The OEM tires seem evenly worn. I believe it's inherent in the suspension geometry. Before this GLK, I drove two others, one for a week. They were all like that. I'll get used to it.

 

[John350]

I've never noticed it in mine. I'll try to be more observant tomorrow.

I had the first SAAB 99 Turbo that entered the US. It was the factory demonstrator from Orange, CT. I mostly recall the torque steer. It was running 18 psi of boost. The engine sequence number was 120.

 

[John350]

Taking advantage of the tight turning radius, it feels like it would happily orbit until the gas tank was empty if I removed my hands from the wheel.

Sounds like you need to have it aligned.

I believe it's inherent in the suspension geometry.

I've never noticed it in mine. I'll try to be more observant tomorrow.

So, I checked it out yesterday in a parking situation. If you let go of the wheel it tends to straighten out immediately. While I wouldn't describe it as "snaps back", there was no indication it was going to stay on the lock, either.

This happens when the turning angle of one wheel is too sharp compared to other one and indicates an alignment issue, or perhaps a bent suspension component.

Even little old ladies can hit curbs...

 

[Wheatridger]

Hmmm.... I doubt there's anything seriously bent. I did pay for a full dealer inspection. The OEM tires show no unusual wear pattern. And I've noticed this with two other GLKs I've driven. (Also, with the Silverado I rented from U-Haul last summer.) I am finding that accelerating out of a slow intersection turn helps bring the wheel back straight, so I'll just have to do that more. I'll get it aligned when I need new tires.

 

[John350]

I'll get it aligned when I need new tires.

You may not need new tires as soon if you get it aligned first!

Is the steering wheel centered when you drive in a straight line? Does the car pull even slightly to one side or the other?

Here's a trick you can try. Get two metal plates about 16" square. Put grease on one and make a grease sandwich. Place on your flat driveway about 3 feet in front of one of the front wheels. center the steering wheel, hold it straight and roll the car forward over the plates. If the top plate moves sideways you need an alignment. (I've heard you can do the same thing with a heavy plastic garbage bag on a smooth surface, but never tried.)

If you're desperate, you can tweak the toe adjustment until the top plate doesn't move.