What causes a steering whine, and trouble steering?
I get a whine when I turn the wheel and sometimes it gets tough steering. There is no
fluid leak, and so I don't have to be putting in fluid. On MBWorld, I found someone
mentioning a speed steering sensor. I am hoping it's as easy and cheap sounding as
that but, I cannot even find this part online. The dealership suggests to replace the
pump and rack but, I think they're trying to get the most $$ out of me.
Any suggestions?
I had a Lincoln Town car, with a similar device, I don't remember what Ford calls it. It is an orifice in the high pressure hose where it connects to the P/S pump to prevent over steering at high speed, I am sure MB has a much more sophisticated way of doing the same thing, on the Town Car is was not a sensor, a simple orifice to restrict hydraulic fluid flow at high speed. That car, heavy as it was, you could turn the wheels at a stop with one finger effortlessly. Making it too easy to over steer in a panic swerve at 75mph. Which all of that doesn't come close to answering your question...90% of the time, that distinctive growl sound is low fluid, and the entire rack replace? Possible but unlikely, even in a 2001 the steering rack should not be warped..unless it's been in a collision...
This picture are some of the components of M/B Electronic Stability Control, which includes ABS brakes and a 'steering speed sensor', among other things... that may be why you found nothing in a search, looking for 'speed steering sensor'
fault code 197002 is what the dealership say's, and they also recommend replacing the ESP/BAS hydraulic pump, relay, & fuse. I cannot even find a price on that pump. I've never even heard of such a pump, and I've been in the automotive business for many years. Is that sensor also called a Lateral Acceleration Sensor/yaw Sensor? Found it new for $120.00 I also was told that the shifter bushings are missing. Another part I've never heard of but, then again, it's the first Benz I am about to work on so, yeah. The torsion bar plates also, which I am guessing is just another fancy word for the sway bar bushing kit. I need pretty much a replacement of all the bushings in the front end, and would like to replace the old ones with polyurethanes.
I don't know I'm not a Mechanic.
From what Ive read about on the ML they all seem to have this issue at some point and time. As said before from what ive seen online the the steering pumps seals start to fail and cause this whine noise.
