Whining noise in '04 ML500

[Mad Steve]

I have developed a whining noise in my ML500. I have the car a year now and have put 39,000 miles on in a year (ODO Reading 71,890) and so far have been delighted with the car. This will be the first hard to find fault. The noise developed last week. So I quickly booked her in to the local Mercedes specialist who carries out all the work on the vehicle and provides a first rate service. He says he checked all the wheel bearings, transmission bearings and drive shaft carrier bearings and can find nothing wrong!

The specialist also stated that it was to do with the tyres. The car originally came on Continental 285/50 R18 and I changed them before Christmas to Hankook, same size, but totally different tread pattern. If tyre noise is the problem, why didn't I notice it straight away and how come it's taken 4,500 miles for the noise to appear?

Has anybody else had a similar problem and if so what was the remedy? This noise is driving me nuts!!!

[hornetrider]

Mrs in the passenger seat complaining about the repair bills?

[s3th]

My dads one (ML500) always gets the whining noise every so often, it turnt on to be the power steering punp which is a common fault and always fails it wont effect the feel of the steering not for a while its slowly dripping the fluid have him check that out for you

[s3th]

my mechanic replaced the pump but even that after doing about 10k failed he than realized that its a pipe or so coming loose and with a simple jubilee clip it can be tightens it may sometimes slip of buy a easy push back into place does the job

[Mad Steve]

Thanks for the advice guys, but having just completed another 230 miles today in her, it is more of a 'whirring' sound than a whining sound. The pitch doesen't change when you turn the steering wheel, which would make me believe it might not be the steering, but I will get the mechanic to have a look at this as well. The noise is very audible from 15mph through to about 50mph then tails off again! Any other suggestions? Anything appreciated!!

[Monkeylegend]

My E Class is very susceptible to tyre noise. Seems to occur after a few thousand miles on a set and sounds like a wheel bearing on the way out.If your tyres are non-directional try switching them over so they run in the reverse direction. That normally quietens them down again for a while. I have been running Dunlop conti sports. Have just changed to Continental and its like a brand new car again.

[R60EST]

I had the same problem with the tyres on the front of my Audi A6 . Fine at first but as they became worn they made the car sound like a wheel bearing was on the way out ( I thought it was ) I put some new tyres on the front and the noise went. The offending tyres were continental sport contact

[Mad Steve]

Many thanks guys. It looks like it is the tyres then, I'm going to have to endure this for a while longer!!!

[Monkeylegend]

Mad Steve said:

Many thanks guys. It looks like it is the tyres then, I'm going to have to endure this for a while longer!!!

Try switching front to rear, it usually helps to quieten mine down for a while.