Mercedes is one of the better-known car manufacturers in the business. Their generally appealing and high-tech cars are represented across all branches of the industry. However, even these great vehicles can experience hiccups in their function over time. Among some of the more concerning ones, we have the power steering malfunction Mercedes has.
Power steering
Power steering is a feature of the vehicle that aids our car to better handle any sort of environment. It’s a frequently implemented one too, present in most brands across the automotive industry.
The benefits of power steering are pretty straightforward. You will end up with a much snappier response from the steering system. Allowing for far better handling that will perform decently even in troublesome conditions.
The power steering in Mercedes cars can be found below the airbags in the steering wheel itself. This location was chosen in order to maintain the proper functionality of the airbag. Reducing the chances of it malfunctioning and endangering the lives of passengers.
Other features enhance steering that Mercedes vehicles can offer. However, power steering is the most impactful one. That’s exactly why it’s the worst one to have malfunction within the car.
We’ll go through some of the common issues with the vehicle below, elaborating on the symptoms of its issues.
Common power steering malfunction Mercedes
Among all the problems that can be encountered with power steering, some are particularly common. These problems result in bad steering and can occasionally spiral into worse ones.
Addressing power steering malfunctions on your Mercedes as they crop up is important so let’s go over potential symptoms.
- Software issues
The most mundane issue with power steering in Mercedes cars comes from software problems. These may be simple problems but nonetheless, they affect the car badly.
A poorly configured software or one lacking updates can make the entire system far less efficient.
Additionally, the early malfunction can escalate, frequently leading to considerable problems later down the line. Of course, the symptoms will be quickly noticeable on the dashboard itself, often signified with a warning light. [1]
- Low battery voltage
You don’t have to have anything particularly wrong with the car for the power steering to work worse. Even something as simple as low battery voltage can result in the power steering not working at top capacity.
Low voltage can happen if the battery is partially discharged. Alternatively, the issue can stem from the voltage regulator malfunctioning.
Either way, we should get a warning on our dashboard if the battery itself is an issue. Which makes detecting the issue itself much easier. [2]
- Turning causes grinding and high-pitched noises
More of a symptom than an outright issue, weird noises inside our car are great warning signs of something bad going on. Mercedes owners have reported grinding and high-pitched noises when turning.
Considering that the issue is generally linked to turning a steering wheel, there are a few potential causes. The first one is wear and tear on the pump bearing, which is the most likely cause.
However, it could be the impeller vane that’s been worn out too. Lastly, our belt may be damaged, which is generally a cause to replace it. [3]
- The steering wheel is hard to turn
A similar issue comes up with a steering wheel that is difficult to turn. This particular problem has been encountered on a variety of Mercedes models and has affected plentiful owners.
The difficulty of the steering wheel turning can affect the general handling of the car as well as impact the safety of the driver.
This problem is also associated with power steering, specifically with its pump. The power steering pump’s output pressure can degrade over time.
This changed output pressure harshly impacts the maneuverability of the car. It’s often caused by inconsistent fluid flow through the car itself, which is a considerable issue.
The problems can get so bad that the replacement of your power steering pump is the only solution.
- Blow Fuse
The power steering coil also ties back to a blown fuse. Something which we may notice earlier, due to the other problems a blown fuse can cause.
Part of the issue was that a pre-fuse feeds the power steering motor in the first place. If the fuse blows, it will lessen or fully turn off the function of the power steering. [4]
As to the reason why the fuse ends up blowing, it’s usually attributed to a poorly performing steering motor.
Thankfully, both of these problems can be solved at home. Especially with the general ease of accessing those components.
- Steering Recall
The problems with power steering do get worse for certain Mercedes cars. This was most apparent in the 2015 models of the Mercedes-Benz C 300.
The car was recalled due to a glitch in the software that made the power steering malfunction.
This malfunction caused the power steering to shut down, which made it troublesome for the drivers of those cars.
This recall affected over 28,000 vehicles and despite the malfunction increasing chances of a crash, no crashes were attributed to it.
Thankfully, the owners were also granted free updates of the software for the electric power steering and made the system work well again. [5]
Related: ESP Inoperative Mercedes
Solutions to a power steering malfunction
As with all problems, there are certain solutions to be had with the issues Mercedes power steering comes into. We will list out some of the generally applicable ones though, as per usual, a malfunction in a car can have a variety of solutions.
Starting off with the software issues, the most apparent solution is to get the car checked for updates. Recalls generally stay in effect permanently so potential issues with software that stem from factory error could be resolved this way.
Alternatively, check if some automatic installation is available on the software but hasn’t been applied yet.
Low battery voltage can be addressed along with the poor steering motor. These two components usually need a full replacement but are also easily reached.
The steering motor is placed on the steering track while the fuse is found in the pre-fuse box in the engine bay.
We can resolve our steering wheel difficulties by adding more steering fluid.
At times, the issue occurs due to the lack of it, which will end up slowing down the entire mechanism. Of course, as noted before, the harsher malfunctions may require a full replacement of the steering pump.
Power Steering Malfunction Mercedes
The numerous issues present here won’t necessarily crop up with your Mercedes. However, knowing about potential problems with the power steering is much better than being blindsided by them. The given solutions are also generally applicable but could be wary.
Some symptoms are more generic, meaning they can be generated by another malfunction rather than exclusively power steering.
Related: Run Flat Indicator Inoperative Mercedes
Conclusion
Mercedes is a great car brand but some malfunction is to be expected in complex machinery such as the ones they produce. The power steering malfunction in Mercedes cars is one of the commonly troublesome features.
The said malfunctions can stem from steering fluid issues, blown fuses, low voltage in the battery, or lousy steering motors. These problems can be addressed, even if you don’t visit a mechanic’s shop.
Applying a DIY solution is generally cheap and easy, though it’s not always guaranteed to work.
Though if possible, you can use diagnostics tools to help you discern the specific problem.
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