Your Mercedes is a luxurious car with excellent handling, but if you feel like your steering is not as responsive as usual or you feel an unusual rumbling through the steering wheel you may be experiencing front end steering issues. Steering problems can cause issues with the handling, safety and comfort of a vehicle, making it difficult to maneuver the car, especially when driving at high speeds or on bumpy terrains. If the steering failure signs are not addressed, it will culminate in highly costly damages later on. Here are the common signs that indicate that your front-end steering has problems and how to solve them before they worsen.

Common Signs of Front-End Steering Problems in a Mercedes

  • Strange Noises While Turning: Experiencing a knocking or squealing sound when turning the steering wheel? This could be attributed to worn out ball joints, bushings or tie rods. These parts are designed to act as shock absorbers and ensure the vehicle remains stable but when they wear out, you can easily tell by the noises they make.
  • Steering Wheel Hard to Turn: If the steering wheel is hard to turn, it may be caused by worn out tie rods, ball joints or a bad steering rack. These linkages are used to join the front steering system to the wheels, and when they become worn, your Mercedes will not respond well to the steering commands.
  • Steering Wheel Vibrates or Shakes: A shaking or vibrating steering wheel could be as a result of warped brake rotors, misaligned wheels or worn out suspension. It can also be due to a damaged steering rack or unequal tire distribution which makes the car unstable.
  • Hard Steering or Stiff Wheel: Another way to know that your front end steering is faulty is if the wheel is not very easy to turn and needs a lot of force. A low power steering fluid, a faulty power steering pump, or a damaged steering rack can all make the front steering more difficult to control, particularly at slow speeds.
  • Uneven Tire Wear: Before you take your Mercedes out for a test drive, examine the front tires again, if the treads are wearing unevenly your steering or suspension components might be misaligned. This can lead to poor handling and reduces the lifespan of the tires which in the long run will be very expensive to replace.

How To Deal With Front-end Steering Problems In Your Mercedes

  • Get a Professional Steering Inspection: If you have any of these symptoms in your Mercedes, then it is high time that you take your car for a professional steering and suspension check. A mechanic is able to identify the root cause and advise on the most appropriate solution before the condition deteriorates.
  • Replace Worn Out Steering Parts: Any part of the steering mechanism including the tie rods, ball joints or the steering rack should be replaced if they are worn out to ensure that the handling of the car is smooth.
  • Get a Wheel Alignment: A wheel alignment will help to eliminate pulling, uneven wearing of tires and improve your car’s steering. This is one of the easiest and most useful techniques that can be used to correct small steering problems.
  • Check and Replace the Power Steering Fluid: If the power steering fluid is low, or contaminated, then it can lead to stiffness in the steering wheel. Make sure that the fluid level is sufficient and if not add some more or replace the entire fluid. If there is a problem such as a leakage, then that has to be fixed right away.
  • Replace or Rotate Tires: If there is a problem of uneven or imbalance of tires, then changing the tires or rotating them will do the trick.

Mercedes Power Steering Fluid Check

Contact Howland Autohaus For Mercedes Steering Repairs

At Howland Autohaus, we deal with Mercedes-Benz service and repair to ensure your car is always in its best state. Our expert technicians in Heath, OH also assist drivers from New Albany, Newark, Granville, Hebron, Pataskala, Buckeye Lake, Johnstown, Lancaster, Zanesville, and Pickerington, OH. We have all the equipment and the experience required to diagnose and sort out any steering, suspension, or alignment problem that your Mercedes might be experiencing. Come to us for an appointment today and we will assist you in getting your Mercedes’ handling back to its smooth and precise state.