Completely baffled - help!

[rosscls55]

I have a CLS55 AMG. On the way home, something odd suddenly happened. Only when the car hits 40mph, a catching sort of noise coming from the drivers side front wheel starts to happen. Below 40mph, nothing! The frequency and volume of the "catching sound" increased with speed. Above 50mph, the catching sounds becomes a banging sound. Again, this increases in frequency with speed. I pulled over, checked under the arches, I cant see anything catching or dragging. There is no vibration through the steering wheel. The cars onboard computer has not brought up a message. It does not make any difference if Im in a straight line or going round a corner. I am completely flummoxed. Any thoughts???

 

[A.J.]

You havn't got a bulge on the inside of your off side front tyre have you ?

 

[rosscls55]

You havn't got a bulge on the inside of your off side front tyre have you ?

It was dark when it happened. I had a look around at a petrol station, turned the wheels over both ways, but I didnt see a bulge. But to be honest, I wasnt specifically looking for a bulge. I was looking for something dragging/catching on the tyre, which as far as I could tell, wasnt happening

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

First of all I’d be checking that any plastic covers on the underside of the car are fully secured.

 

[Chugg]

I have a CLS55 AMG. On the way home, something odd suddenly happened. Only when the car hits 40mph, a catching sort of noise coming from the drivers side front wheel starts to happen. Below 40mph, nothing! The frequency and volume of the "catching sound" increased with speed. Above 50mph, the catching sounds becomes a banging sound. Again, this increases in frequency with speed. I pulled over, checked under the arches, I cant see anything catching or dragging. There is no vibration through the steering wheel. The cars onboard computer has not brought up a message. It does not make any difference if Im in a straight line or going round a corner. I am completely flummoxed. Any thoughts???

I had exactly that on my s212 2 or 3 years back, a rotational rubbing sort of noise, only at speeds above about 30mph, didn’t notice and steering wobble, nothing obvious to see catching, no codes on icarsoft or on dash. I had the mot and service a couple of weeks later and asked them to check it out, and it was exactly as @A.J. has suggested, a bulge in the offside front tyre (Pirelli). Had all 4 changed to Goodyear asymmetrics and have had a lovely, quiet, smooth ride ever since. Worth a tyre check

 

[rosscls55]

First of all I’d be checking that any plastic covers on the underside of the car are fully secured.

And thats exactly what the problem was!! Managed to get it up on a ramp today and yep, a loose plastic cover on the underside had come loose and at certain wind speeds/car speeds, was enough to bend it against the road surface. 3-minute fix!!!!

Does everyone else who owns an old AMG car panic as soon as something goes wrong or is it just me?!?!

 

[W1ghty]

And thats exactly what the problem was!! Managed to get it up on a ramp today and yep, a loose plastic cover on the underside had come loose and at certain wind speeds/car speeds, was enough to bend it against the road surface. 3-minute fix!!!!

Does everyone else who owns an old AMG car panic as soon as something goes wrong or is it just me?!?!

Everyone with an older MB panics all the time whenever anything happens buddy

 

[mioba]

Does everyone else who owns a mercedes car panic as soon as something goes wrong or is it just me?!?!

Corrected that.
Its a MB owner thing, OCD!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

And thats exactly what the problem was!! Managed to get it up on a ramp today and yep, a loose plastic cover on the underside had come loose and at certain wind speeds/car speeds, was enough to bend it against the road surface. 3-minute fix!!!!

Does everyone else who owns an old AMG car panic as soon as something goes wrong or is it just me?!?!

Glad it was a quick and easy fix