All vehicles can run into issues with their differentials, including Mercedes-Benz models. When the differentials fail, your ride will not feel as smooth or comfortable anymore. Thankfully, this is something that you will probably notice right away, and you will be able to take it into your vehicle repair shop for diagnosis.
Although many people do not know what a differential is, it is essential for your vehicle’s performance and safety. The differentials are a component in your car that allows your tires to turn at different speeds. This is necessary because when turning corners, the outside wheel has to turn faster and go farther than your inside wheel to make turns properly. The outer wheel has more ground to cover, so if it can not turn at a different rate of speed, your turns will feel stiff and uncomfortable. Besides the comfort level, this can also become dangerous.
4 Symptoms of Problems With The Differentials in Your Mercedes
Since this is a significant system in your Mercedes, you will want to be on the lookout for any signs and symptoms that it is beginning to fail. Below are the top four symptoms you may notice:
- Difficulty steering: The first thing you may notice is that your car now feels different while you are driving. These differences will be felt during steering, but especially during any turns that you make. There is a good chance that the problem is with the differentials in your Mercedes. However, it would be best to have your car diagnosed by a professional. The good news is that you may have caught this early enough that no further damage will be done.
- Additional or uneven wear and tear on your tires: All tires will show signs of wear and tear based upon the age of the vehicle, but when your differentials are malfunctioning, the wear and tear could be excessive. You may also notice an uneven pattern of wear on your tires. This could be a sign that the differentials on your Mercedes are starting to fail.
- Feeling a vibration sensation during acceleration: Finally, you might notice that your vehicle seems to vibrate whenever you are accelerating. The good news on this symptom is that this is one of the earlier signs, which means if you seek out diagnosis and repair right away, you will be able to save some money by avoiding additional damage to your Mercedes.
- Unusual noises, including grinding coming from your gears: Another common symptom is unusual noises being heard while driving. This could be during general driving, but most likely, the noises will be heard during turns. One of the more specific sounds you might hear is your gears grinding. This sign is a later symptom, so once you hear it, we recommend taking your vehicle to a Mercedes technician right away.
Causes of Differentials Failure
Typically, the gears inside the differential are to blame for the failure of this part. This could be due to the age of the car. After years of driving your Mercedes, your gears may have become misaligned or broken. This is what will cause the unusual or grinding noises you might have already experienced. When you hear these types of noises, you should take your car in right away. If they get worse or completely break, you could either run into a dangerous driving situation when your vehicle does not respond to the steering wheels instructions correctly, or your vehicle just might not work at all.
Sometimes the problem is within the bearings instead of the gears. If the bearings become too worn, you may notice rumbling or whirring noises. Instead of having issues turning, your Mercedes may come to a complete stop.
Finally, the issue could be because of a lack of oil or not being changed enough. Many Mercedes are rear-wheel drive. The differentials are in the back of the vehicle and they require their own oil to function correctly. Without good, clean oil, the gears could rub together, causing damage that results in a repair or replacement bill.
Momentum Motorworks Will Help
Momentum Motorworks of Burmingham services 
Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, and BMW Vehicles. We are committed to servicing and repairing these luxury vehicles for all of our customers in Alabaster, Homewood, Helena, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Vestavia, and Birmingham, AL.
If you think that your differential in your Mercedes is failing or you are concerned that your vehicle is not acting like it usually does, stop in or call us for an appointment. Our technicians will be more than happy to diagnose your vehicle and develop a service and repair plan that works for you.