W213 E63s 4Matic clunking... Anyone else?

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Jim W

Active Member
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Sep 26, 2017
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141
Location
Hampshire
Car
2018 E63s Hyacinth Red, 2018 Mustang GT Convertible, Harley Davidson Super Glide
Am I happy with my new E63s 4Matic? No!

The front end makes a hell of a clunking noise, especially when it’s cold, but not only then. Passengers ask me “what’s that noise?”. It’s not only the noise, I can feel it all the way up through the steering wheel, and it’s not just on full lock, it does it on partial lock too. The dealer tells me it’s tyre skip and fitting a set of winter tyres is the answer. Well I am not convinced of that. I think there is a deeper problem that MB don’t want to admit to.

I understand MB use a different drive and front axle on right hand drive 4Matic cars than that used on left hand drive vehicles due to footwell limitations on RHD cars. So basically, it seems MB have cobbled together an inferior system to enable 4WD on RHD vehicles. Well mine makes a hell of a din, it just isn’t good enough on a car that costs almost £100 Grand!

Is there a fault on my car that should be corrected and I am being fobbed off by the dealer? Or does everyone else’s W213 E63s 4Matic have the same issue?

Are we all being fobbed off? Or is it just me?
 
Does it do it when the car is in 2WD?

I don’t know. 2WD is of little use on this car so I’ve never tried it. For some reason there’s no full automatic in 2WD.. flappy paddles only. Pointless.
 
I don’t know. 2WD is of little use on this car so I’ve never tried it. For some reason there’s no full automatic in 2WD.. flappy paddles only. Pointless.

Probably still worth a test in 2WD mode, if only to see if the removal of drive to the front axle makes any difference. 2WD on these cars is of course designed for a very specific use - it's intended to be a full auto 4Matic, most of the time, hence the limitations you mention.
 
Check out all the C43 and GLC43 (plus others) crabbing threads....Honest John, Auto Express and all the rest! Think it affects all C/E 4-matic cars to a greater or lesser extent, depending on wheel size.

RR
 
This is a well known and heavily documented 'feature' on newer UK 4Matic cars, such as the GLC, E & C classes etc.

Dealer will give you a free set of winter tyres if you ask.
 
Probably still worth a test in 2WD mode, if only to see if the removal of drive to the front axle makes any difference. 2WD on these cars is of course designed for a very specific use - it's intended to be a full auto 4Matic, most of the time, hence the limitations you mention.

Yeah, I was just curious if it was related to the drive train or the tyres.

When I had a Jaguar XFR (RWD only) it was terrible in winter on tight corners.
 
I have seen some of the other threads. I just wonder if other owners have the same issue as bad as it seems to be on my car? I haven't seen any other W213 E63s owners posting about this problem.
When my dealer has another E63 demonstrator I am going to ask to test drive it to compare.
 
I think all E63's have Michelin PS4S tyres. So a demonstrator should be a good comparison, however iirc Auto Express picked up on the crabbing issue on the first E63s they tested a while ago.

RR
 
Mine does it and, as stated, it's a known "characteristic" of the 4Matic system. Apparently, this should appease us though it doesn't really.

Some dealers have been known to fit winter tyres to compensate for the problem though, to be honest, it doesn't bother me that much as I don't use the car too often and when I do it's certainly warmer than this.

As you mention in your first post though, it shouldn't really be happening on what is basically a very expensive car.
 
So not an E63 but a E43. Just changed over from 20” alloys and summer tyres to 19” alloys and winter tyres.

The low speed scrubbing and low speed full lock judder has now almost completely gone. Also just seems to be cornering better in the cold.

It’s just a pity that I had to go to another supplier of OEM wheels since Mercedes have run out. Piss Poor Planning MB!
 
Yep, have the clunking and the skipping. I was told this is a characteristic during the handover, and not to worry. Didn't stop it from scaring the ever loving sh!t out of me the first time it happened. Notice that it only really happens when the drivetrain is cold, though. When it warms up and I've been driving for a bit, the car behaves fairly well and doesn't clunk or skip when on full lock.
 
I didn’t even notice that this was directed at my reply...
 
No worries pretty funny now I see it
 

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