Do you notice any abnormal sounds when driving? Your Mercedes is one car that gives a smooth ride, but what do you do when you begin to hear strange noises or feel that your car is not responding well? If your car produces whining, clunking or grinding sound, this is an indication that your differential is failing. The differential is an important part of your car’s drivetrain and helps to make sure that the power is split evenly to the wheels. But when it starts to fail, you are going to see several signs that you should not overlook.
What Does the Differential Do?
The differential is what enables your wheels to rotate at different speeds when turning, and is important because while driving around a turn, the inside wheel must rotate slower than the outside wheel.
If your car’s differential isn’t working correctly, your car cannot turn as smoothly as needed, which leads to handling issues and your tires wearing out faster. It is common for Mercedes vehicles to have state of the art differential systems, but these like any other can degrade with time due to factors such as fluid breakdown, overworking, or worn out gears.
Symptoms of Mercedes Differential Failure
- Whining or Howling Noises: The most obvious indication that you have a differential issue is if your car produces whining or howling sounds from the rear. This is usually as a result of low differential fluid or worn out gears. If the fluid is not changed over time metal components begin to rub against each other, producing such sounds.
- Shaking or Vibrations: If your differential is failing, your Mercedes will vibrate, especially when you are accelerating with it. This occurs as the various clusters that make up the drivetrain lose their correct positioning and; therefore, the power transfer becomes unstable.
- Difficulty Turning: Since the differential assists the car to make smooth turns, you may observe that turning is rigid or uneven when there is a problem. If your car has a hard time turning or seems to have something pulling it in the opposite direction, then it may be time to have your differential checked.
- Clunking or Grinding Sounds: Any metallic sound when you accelerate or change gears may be an indication that internal components of the differential have degraded. These sounds indicate that your differential is having trouble with the distribution of power and can be caused by broken or damaged gears.
- Uneven Tire Wear: If your differential is not functioning properly, then one side of the tires will wear out faster than the other. Since the wheels are not rotating like they are supposed to, the tires end up having an unequal pressure on them and wear out much faster than would be expected.
- Leaking Differential Fluid: Differential oil is used to cool and reduce friction to gears found in the differential. If there is any sign of leakage beneath your car around the rear axle, then this may well indicate that your differential has been running low on oil. Low fluid levels mean that the engine can heat up very fast and cause significant internal damage when you are driving.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Differential Issues
A bad differential will not only make driving an unpleasant experience, but it is also dangerous for the driver. If the gears inside the differential either wear out or freeze while you are driving, it is possible for your rear wheels to lock up, and you will lose control. This is why you should take your Mercedes to be serviced as soon as you realize there is an issue.
Come To Autohaus Sales and Service Now For Mercedes Differential Repairs
Any of these signs should be taken to 
an expert for examination if noticed in your Mercedes. Autohaus Sales and Service has been in business for many years with experience in identifying and fixing issues with luxury European cars and Mercedes models are one of our specialties. Our team of certified technicians knows how your differential system works and can conduct proper checkups, changes of differential fluid and necessary repairs for your car.
We are located in Royal Oak, MI and provide our services to drivers from Huntington Woods, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Pleasant Ridge, Troy, and many other surrounding areas. Our experts have been doing this since 1970 when our shop was opened so we have seen everything. Whether you need a simple differential service or a full differential rebuild, we are here to serve you. Call us today to book an appointment and ensure that your Mercedes runs like it should.