Mercedes GLC Clonking and juddering on near full steering lock

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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....

Will be interesting to see if you suffer from the same uneven tyre wear as you did with your original tyres.
 
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.
I got all excited when I read this but then went and checked to see what tyres I have on my C43.....yep Sportcontacts, so I guess I'll keep waiting for the all-weather tyres they promised me 4 weeks ago!
 
I got all excited when I read this but then went and checked to see what tyres I have on my C43.....yep Sportcontacts, so I guess I'll keep waiting for the all-weather tyres they promised me 4 weeks ago!

Did your dealer take your word that your car crabs or did you have to leave it with them for a while and let them check it out to ensure it wasn't something else?
 
I got all excited when I read this but then went and checked to see what tyres I have on my C43.....yep Sportcontacts, so I guess I'll keep waiting for the all-weather tyres they promised me 4 weeks ago!

No all sport contacts are the same if you paid attention :p

I used to have SportContact MO rated, now I have SportContact Star rated with contiseal. They are different tyres ;)
 
What might be interesting to look at between the two different tyre types is the UTQG rating on the sidewall of both tyres. This should give the tread wear rating for both tyres. While inter tyre manufacturer comparisons are not always reliable due to differences on how this is measured- tyres from the same manufacturer should be comparable. A lower wear rating might be an indication of a softer tread compound? :dk:
1920px-UTQG_ratings_on_tire.jpg
 
One has to consider that as MB are classifying this as a comfort issue, the only thing they may be trying to address is the sound. They may not be admitting that the car does not corner true at very low / tight / cold weather speeds.

Getting them to admit that, might be a bigger struggle. Whereas the sound you can easily quantify/experience/prove, the untrue nature of some manoveurs will clearly be more difficult to experience/prove.
 
One has to consider that as MB are classifying this as a comfort issue, the only thing they may be trying to address is the sound. They may not be admitting that the car does not corner true at very low / tight / cold weather speeds.

Getting them to admit that, might be a bigger struggle. Whereas the sound you can easily quantify/experience/prove, the untrue nature of some manoveurs will clearly be more difficult to experience/prove.

I've got it on video :thumb:
 
The dust is starting to settle on this issue as the change of tyre solution from MB appears to be hitting the target and the only hope on the horizon is that the DVSA come up with a significant Safety issue but that is a long shot; or have I missed something along the way?
 
I Emailed Listers for an update on my AW tyres yesterday to be informed they are in. I'm waiting for confirmation of make, model and marking MO etc.
 
Any news from anyone or are you all crabbed out??
 
I'm in a loan GLC 220d Coupe on 20" Michelin's while my E63 is in for work today.

I've really tried to provoke crabbing but it doesn't. But then it was about 12c this morning.


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I'm in a loan GLC 220d Coupe on 20" Michelin's while my E63 is in for work today.

I've really tried to provoke crabbing but it doesn't. But then it was about 12c this morning.


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And the million dollar question is, what tyres does it have? Without that information something is missing really as it can make a huge difference....

Woz 'appening anyone......
Besides the initial hiccup on Saturday evening a week ago it has been smooth driving. Tuesday was an interesting test as temperatures dropped to 5 degrees and I did have to get into a multi-storey carpark as well. Then temperatures went up to 18 degrees. I've had very heavy rain as well. And took it off-road in the forest, and on the road. Short and long journeys, motorway and not. Cold or warm.....Nothing...

On my 21" the change from Continental SportContact 5 MO to Continental SportContact 5 Start with Contiseal has been truly remarkable.

It is too early to say whether tyre wear is being affected, but generally driving is pretty damn good, and no longer embarrassing.

I'll keep monitoring the wear on a weekly basis.
 
And the million dollar question is, what tyres does it have? Without that information something is missing really as it can make a huge difference....
I thought someone would ask ;)

Michelin Latitude Sport 3. Must admit that I only checked the size on the rears which was 285/40 ZR 20 and they were MO fitment.
 
Mine's in Friday to have Vredestein Quatrac 5 all seasons fitted and I'm keeping the run flats so that I have the option to have them refitted if there's no improvement in the crabbing. If I see an improvement I'll sell the run flats they only have 800 miles on them.
 
Woz 'appening anyone......
Mine is still with the garage that sold me the car, I got an email to say they found serious crabbing but no loss of traction, they assured me that the crabbing would go away when they fit the replacement tyres.

When I questioned them on the testing performed, I got told they tested it on a lorry turning circle in torrential rain (has there been?). I also got the told that Mercedes and DEKRA had declared it a comfort issue.

When I questioned their testing and asked why they hadn't considered testing further to check on low grip road surfaces with gradient/undulating, wet, at low temperature, etc - they went silent.

I've also been told, all the other issues I reported are normal operation for the car, nothing wrong, including the boot that opens by itself... Oh and they had their sales staff test the car which I found rather shocking.

So looks like I will get car back with new tyres (who knows what with), nothing else touched.... So all in all looks like an exercise for the garage to cover themselves, rather than fix anything.
 
Hi all
I'm expecting my new GLC in May... I wonder whether different tires will already have been fitted? What should I look out for? Should I contact my dealer now already?

I'm struggling to understand the real cause of issue. Are changing the tires not just treating the symptoms instead of the cause? Stupid question, but does the GLC have a front differential? Is this limiting the slip too much? (please excuse my ack of technical knowledge)

thanks
 
Mine is still with the garage that sold me the car, I got an email to say they found serious crabbing but no loss of traction, they assured me that the crabbing would go away when they fit the replacement tyres.

When I questioned them on the testing performed, I got told they tested it on a lorry turning circle in torrential rain (has there been?). I also got the told that Mercedes and DEKRA had declared it a comfort issue.

When I questioned their testing and asked why they hadn't considered testing further to check on low grip road surfaces with gradient/undulating, wet, at low temperature, etc - they went silent.

I've also been told, all the other issues I reported are normal operation for the car, nothing wrong, including the boot that opens by itself... Oh and they had their sales staff test the car which I found rather shocking.

So looks like I will get car back with new tyres (who knows what with), nothing else touched.... So all in all looks like an exercise for the garage to cover themselves, rather than fix anything.

Other owners seem happy with the tyre replacement.

Maybe you're expectations need managing by the dealer?
 
Mine is still with the garage that sold me the car, I got an email to say they found serious crabbing but no loss of traction, they assured me that the crabbing would go away when they fit the replacement tyres.

When I questioned them on the testing performed, I got told they tested it on a lorry turning circle in torrential rain (has there been?). I also got the told that Mercedes and DEKRA had declared it a comfort issue.

When I questioned their testing and asked why they hadn't considered testing further to check on low grip road surfaces with gradient/undulating, wet, at low temperature, etc - they went silent.

I've also been told, all the other issues I reported are normal operation for the car, nothing wrong, including the boot that opens by itself... Oh and they had their sales staff test the car which I found rather shocking.

So looks like I will get car back with new tyres (who knows what with), nothing else touched.... So all in all looks like an exercise for the garage to cover themselves, rather than fix anything.
Car returned with Goodyear Eagle Sport All Season MO Extended fitted.


The original fronts have 6mm centre and <2-3mm on the outside tread, I'm I right in believing that is uneven and excessive wear on a car with 6k.
 
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