Mercedes GLC Clonking and juddering on near full steering lock

[design4p]

Don't forget there are Mercedes Spies

I am sure there are Mercedes employees viewing all the social media links to this issue. When it comes to a serious matter of money, effort, profit, re-designing of components. It is amazing how stealthy people can be.

When I first complained about the clonking at my dealership they said they had never come across the issue before. I now know it was very well known within the dealer network at that time.

Shame on you. Why not thing of the problem as if it was your car. How would you feel???

 

[flowrider]

I was looking at the GLC as a potential replacement for my ML but this issue is pushing me towards a VW Tiguan. The other consideration is that the VW has a petrol option within my budget.

 

[Tony Mac]

Guess this is proof positive that they don't All Do It!! Which doesn't make much sense as two identical vehicles should have the same characteristics surely?

It certainly makes a mockery of MB UK's statements claiming the crabbing and juddering is characteristic of the GLC that owners should accept. Then going on to internally tell sales people to make prospective customers aware of the characteristic, and ask new owners to sign a waiver / disclaimer stating they are happy to accept the characteristic.

Even though we now know it doesn't always exist - what a shambles

Tony

 

[DRIVER200]

It certainly makes a mockery of MB UK's statements claiming the crabbing and juddering is characteristic of the GLC that owners should accept. Then going on to internally tell sales people to make prospective customers aware of the characteristic, and ask new owners to sign a waiver / disclaimer stating they are happy to accept the characteristic.

Even though we now know it doesn't always exist - what a shambles

Tony

Yep. But actually it's very good news for owners as this evidence can be used to force MB to sort the problem out properly and stop trying to convince owners' that AW tyres are the 'seasonal' answer.

 

[hallra]

I am sure there are Mercedes employees viewing all the social media links to this issue. When it comes to a serious matter of money, effort, profit, re-designing of components. It is amazing how stealthy people can be.

When I first complained about the clonking at my dealership they said they had never come across the issue before. I now know it was very well known within the dealer network at that time.

Shame on you. Why not thing of the problem as if it was your car. How would you feel???

Yes, the denial that I had for over 9 months and now today I get told oh yes you have the known crabbing issue and this will be fixed by the AW tyres.

Unfortunately, the test today was 'we did a full lock turn in wet weather' and they concluded with a single undefined test that its fixed with AW tyres...

 

[Tony Mac]

Is a 7mm shorter wheelbase dimension significant?

This observation might be completely irrelevant, but thought it was odd and would like your views on it.

MB's comment about the Front Axle and Diff being in a different position on our right hand drive cars, in relation to the 'good' left hand drive cars, got me thinking what does this mean?

So today I got the tape measure out and measured the wheelbase distance on our car. This is harder than it sounds, but I'm fairly sure the distance on our car is 7mm less than the 2,873mm stated in MB's marketing materials and web site.

Is being 7mm shorter a significant difference?

Are there any recognised standards or specifications for this type of measurement?

Would a shorter wheelbase be more or less prone to Ackerman crabbing?

With today's technology, precision engineering and automated manufacturing processes, 7mm seems quite a large difference?

Tony

 

[Tony Mac]

Another unhappy GLC owner complaining in AutoEXPRESS,

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/auto-express/20170316/282106341451821

Tony

 

[Mountkeen]

Apologies if this has been referred to before.

A review of the AMG GLC43 from an Australian review site.......

Into the corners the GLC is plenty of fun, but you really need to have some pace on. In slower turns, the Merc pushes noticeably, to the point where it does it on full lock during a three-point or U-turn, almost like the front diff is skipping. I'm not saying that's what it is, but it feels like you're scrubbing the fronts. And this is despite an out-of-the-box rear bias of 69 percent to the rears.

https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-reviews/mercedes-amg-glc-43-53559

 

[Tony Mac]

Apologies if this has been referred to before.

A review of the AMG GLC43 from an Australian review site.......

Into the corners the GLC is plenty of fun, but you really need to have some pace on. In slower turns, the Merc pushes noticeably, to the point where it does it on full lock during a three-point or U-turn, almost like the front diff is skipping. I'm not saying that's what it is, but it feels like you're scrubbing the fronts. And this is despite an out-of-the-box rear bias of 69 percent to the rears.

https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-reviews/mercedes-amg-glc-43-53559

Guess this car was reviewed on summer tyres - but don't worry MB will be along shortly to fit All Season tyres and if these don't work, they will try Winters

Tony

 

[Mountkeen]

Guess this car was reviewed on summer tyres - MB will be along shortly to fit All Season tyres and if these don't work, they will try Winters

Tony

Indeed, because of course Australia is well known for its bad winter weather............in February [emoji41]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dejongj]

Brief update.

I picked up my car today. The mechanical investigation didn't show anything. The other GLC43 was doing it as well now. However ....

Mine is now on star rated contiseal SportContact tyres and for the first time I've owned this car I can't get it to crab. It is totally smooth.

Whilst mine used to do it at these temperatures as well I can no longer replicate it. It is too early to cheer; I will take it out later tonight and first thing in the morning. But for the first time ever I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

[BlackC55]

Brief update.

I picked up my car today. The mechanical investigation didn't show anything. The other GLC43 was doing it as well now. However ....

Mine is now on star rated contiseal SportContact tyres and for the first time I've owned this car I can't get it to crab. It is totally smooth.

Whilst mine used to do it at these temperatures as well I can no longer replicate it. It is too early to cheer; I will take it out later tonight and first thing in the morning. But for the first time ever I'm cautiously optimistic.

Was it crabbing too? Thats more like a chassis issue.

 

[dejongj]

Was it crabbing too? Thats more like a chassis issue.

Well it had the same original wheels and tyres I had. They swapped my different tyres and same wheels to that one and it also stopped.

We will see over the next few days what will happen. One thing I know is that my car now drives as I expect a Mercedes to drive. It never done that since I've had it.

 

[hallra]

Well it had the same original wheels and tyres I had. They swapped my different tyres and same wheels to that one and it also stopped.

We will see over the next few days what will happen. One thing I know is that my car now drives as I expect a Mercedes to drive. It never done that since I've had it.

I expect you've tested it in the same spots?

Will be interesting to see what happens when it rains / when the tyres wear a bit

 

[dejongj]

I expect you've tested it in the same spots?

Will be interesting to see what happens when it rains / when the tyres wear a bit

Yes in the same spots.

When I had my new fronts installed a few weeks back it did it instantly. And my car did it from new. But yes, I will monitor closely.

 

[DRIVER200]

Brief update.

I picked up my car today. The mechanical investigation didn't show anything. The other GLC43 was doing it as well now. However ....

Mine is now on star rated contiseal SportContact tyres and for the first time I've owned this car I can't get it to crab. It is totally smooth.

Whilst mine used to do it at these temperatures as well I can no longer replicate it. It is too early to cheer; I will take it out later tonight and first thing in the morning. But for the first time ever I'm cautiously optimistic.

Assume these are Summer and not All Weather tyres? My guess is that the right tyres will ease the problem down to an acceptable level but it will never completely disappear also what happens come next winter what will you do then fit AW's?

 

[dejongj]

Yes they are summer tyres. Yes who knows, it may mask it. All that I know is that my car in the standard MO rated tyres did it always and now it doesn't.

But I'll monitor closely. I'll also redo my video under the same/similar conditions and see if it still moved about. It truly doesn't feel like it is. It truly feels like the car I've never had.

 

[DRIVER200]

Yes they are summer tyres. Yes who knows, it may mask it. All that I know is that my car in the standard MO rated tyres did it always and now it doesn't.

But I'll monitor closely. I'll also redo my video under the same/similar conditions and see if it still moved about. It truly doesn't feel like it is. It truly feels like the car I've never had.

So after all your effort trying to get MB to sort it out they have come up with Conti tyres. Wonder whether they will be fitting these to all new 4Matic models and whether they will stick with their AW solution for the colder months. Time will tell. Glad you are happy at the moment.

 

[dejongj]

So after all your effort trying to get MB to sort it out they have come up with Conti tyres. Wonder whether they will be fitting these to all new 4Matic models and whether they will stick with their AW solution for the colder months. Time will tell. Glad you are happy at the moment.

The smile on my wife's face when she drove it was priceless. It is hard for people to imagine how remarkable the transformation is of this car.

But I'm not lighting that cigar just yet, I'll monitor it closely....

 

[dejongj]

Well well well I'm glad I didn't light that cigar....

I just took it out for a spin. It is 7.5 degrees celcius, and I'm please to say the embarrassment factor is eliminated. The car is quite going around a corner....

However, it has turned into a mute crab....Yes, you can feel it moving sideways on my own local familiar streets, but it does it silently. It is a rather weird experience now, and much more difficult to illustrate to anyone that anything is wrong.

I'll definitely rig up my GoPro camera first thing in the morning and try and get some silent film and see what is going on with that wheel.

So sounds has been eliminated but it still crabs....