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Rumbling, vibration, alignment goes in and out?

Tiny
GENESIS88
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E320
  • 3.2L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 139,000 MILES
Hello, my car listed above airmatic started acting up at mostly at highway speeds. My alignment was done a week ago and had all wheel rebalanced. When driving my alignment does in and out. The steering also feels a little loose when it happens, and the car starts going all over the road. The car has a rough ride and is noisy along with a vibration, rumbling and shaking. That's the best I can describe it. You can feel in through the seat, feet and steering wheel. The wheel barely moves or shakes but can be felt. It almost feels like you're driving on a cobblestone road with completely blown lower strut bushings. It's almost similar to how a tire sounds and feels with a really bad flat spot. I checked everything out and cannot find anything wrong. I looked over my tires and couldn't find anything wrong at all. My car does have air ride and my air compressor is loose so it does vibrate like crazy when running. It can easily be felt and heard. I did have a code for a ride height sensor but haven't seen it come back in a while. I'm not sure if my compressor is running at highway speeds causing it. So far, I replaced my breaks and rotors, inner outer control arms, hubs and bearings both sides for everything. My left upper outer control arm bushing. I know some parts are a little worn, but nothing is making noises at all. I ordered new wheel bearings just in case. I also ordered a suspension kit which includes upper control arms (with outer ball joint) both lower control arms. The lower inner and lower outer for both sides and lower ball joints both sides. Everything will have to be replaced in time might as well be now. I just don't know what is causing the current problem. Oh, I almost forgot it can be felt at lower speeds but you really don't feel it till you hit 55 to 65. Also, when coming to a stop or slowing down it feels like the tires are uneven and feel it in the brake pedal. Everything points to bad tires or bent rim but that wouldn't cause my steering to wonder and alignment to change frequently.
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Sunday, April 30th, 2023 AT 8:52 AM

8 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,912 POSTS
It does sound like a tire problem I would raise the car in the front and then the rear after spinning the tires to look for broken belts inside the tire, if you spin the tires, you should see an anomaly in the tire treads, I have seen bad tires cause this problem. It's possible that one or more of your tires are out of balance, or that you have a bent wheel. Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem so we can see what's going on.
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Sunday, April 30th, 2023 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
GENESIS88
  • MEMBER
  • 140 POSTS
The car started shaking last year and I moved my front tires to rear and vice versa and it fixed it. When this started the first thing, I did was get them balanced and it didn't help much if any. I also rotated the wheels again and there wasn't any change. Would bad tires cause steering to wonder and alignment to go in and out. My tires only have 8500 miles on them and were only install 18 months ago. But they were made in the 2010s early 2011 so that might be part of the problem.
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Sunday, April 30th, 2023 AT 11:46 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,912 POSTS
Yes, bad tires can cause all kinds of strange problems. Did you raise the car up and spin the tires?
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Monday, May 1st, 2023 AT 10:12 AM
Tiny
GENESIS88
  • MEMBER
  • 140 POSTS
Not yet it's been raining heavily. It's nice out today so I'm going to do in a little. I'll report my findings once I do. I'm going to record it just in case the video catches something my eye is can see or missed.
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Monday, May 1st, 2023 AT 10:26 AM
Tiny
GENESIS88
  • MEMBER
  • 140 POSTS
The first video is passenger front second video is driver front. Both tires either have a small flat spot or damaged/broken belts causing tire to deforme. My rear tires are probably the same since I swapped my tires and there was no change. The tires while new where made in in 2010 so they probably have structure issue. I also noticed my front lower outer control arm bushings are bad along with my inner and outer upper control arm. I'm just going to go ahead and replace everything. Upper control arms, lower ball joint, lower front and lower inner control arm, sway bar links and wheel bearings and seals both sides. I plan on keeping car for another couple years so I think it's wise to do. I'm definitely replacing all my tires as well.
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Monday, May 1st, 2023 AT 11:04 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,912 POSTS
Thanks for the videos, it looks like the ties are okay. I think you were more on point with the front suspension issues. I would check the tie rod ends as well.

Here is a guide to help with that:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/tie-rod-end-replacement

Also, I have left instructions on how to replace the parts mentioned. Check out the images (below). Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem so we can see what's going on.
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Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023 AT 12:17 PM
Tiny
GENESIS88
  • MEMBER
  • 140 POSTS
Thank you for the information, it's greatly appreciated. But I already know how to do everything short of rebuilding a CVT transmission I can do everything. I just have trouble with diagnosing, I think losing part of my hearing and vision is what makes it hard for me. With those videos of you look at the ground and the tread of the tire while spinning you can see a wobble. I'm thinking my new wheel bearings are failing as well. The ones I installed were the cheapest things as they came with the hub. It only cost 50 dollars for the hub assembly. Today When I was driving going between mostly between 25 and 60 next to a divider, I heard what sounded like a growing and roaring noise. It also had a sound similar to when a cage in a ball bearing breaks and you have the rattle metallic sound. While it wasn't really that audible, you can hear it in that case. Also, when slowing down or giving gas it sometimes feels like something is binding or dragging. Since a lot of parts are original or have been replaced with cheapest budget part coupled with driving 10,000 miles all highway past 2 months. I think everything just started giving out Before that I would only drive 2,000 miles a year and it was mostly city and country style roads. I would almost never go above 45 mph. I think it's best I replace everything. It doesn't cost that much to get a full replacement kit for both sides with from a good brand. Also, even if the tires may be good, I want to replace them. They aren't a good tire at all and have a lot of road noise and aren't comfortable. They seem like a very hard compounded tire.
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Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023 AT 2:03 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,912 POSTS
I did see the flat spots but I am not sure they would cause the problem, but when it comes to tires sometimes the problem are internal and can't be seen so to be on the safe side let's replace the tires.
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Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023 AT 11:36 AM

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