It is never enjoyable to discover a sound on your car that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be thinking what to do when you identify a reversing gear noise that persists on your Mercedes Benz S Class? Any gearbox trouble can be critical, but before making sure, it is better to do a few investigations. Our team has created this document to support you fix it. First, we will see what the origins and the different gearbox noises can be on Mercedes Benz S Class, and second, what are the solutions available to you.
Classical reverse Mercedes Benz S Class noises and some tips to maintain your gearbox
Why does the reversing of my Mercedes Benz S Class make a different noise from my other speeds?
De facto, integrating all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult action. The noise made by the reversing of your Mercedes Benz S Class is logical. It can be explained in a fairly simple way. In fact, the gears used for conventional speeds (1st to 5th or 6th) are so-called “helical” gears (oblique gears) . The use of such a pinion makes the noise caused by the gears much less important than with spur gears employed for the reverse gear.
Tips to limit wear on your clutch and gearbox
- Don’t give a big boost:
In fact, if you kick the throttle hard when you are in reverse or when you put the car in the revs, you risk to burn your clutch or gnawing at the gearbox pinions. - Never reverse while the car is in motion or vice versa:
Reversing the direction of operation of the gearbox during operation is a very bad practice. In fact, the pressure you will apply on the gears will be enormous and you will develop a premature wear and tear of the gears. You can even break the gears of your gearbox at speed by doing so. It will therefore be completely usual if you listen to a reverse noise on your Mercedes Benz S Class if you shift gear under these conditions.
Several Mercedes Benz S Class reversing noises and their triggers
Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most curious about in this article, to find out about the origin of reversing noise on Mercedes Benz S Class. Here are the 3 typical sounds you may be victim of.
I hear a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear
If you discover a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your Mercedes Benz S Class, it may be the engine mounts that are tired. In fact, when the engine is in reverse gear, due to the pinions we saw above the vibrations generated by the gearbox are higher and it is therefore possible that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this case, do not hesitate to consult this content page for more information about strut mount noises on Mercedes Benz S Class.
An increased reverse knocking noise on Mercedes Benz S ClassX
If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your Mercedes Benz S Class and this noise tends to amplify as you gain speed. It is possible that you are going through a serious trouble that needs to be fixed as soon as possible before destroying your entire gearbox. In fact, an intensifying rattling noise means that the gears are damaged. If they are, debris will disperse to the rest of the box and damage other gears quickly. Take your car to your technician quickly or browse this content page about gearbox noise on Mercedes Benz S Class for more information.
I discover a noise when I go in reverse
Hearing a noise when you shift into reverse is normal and connected to the gears and sprockets used in the gearbox. If, on the other hand, you have the feeling that your Mercedes Benz S Class reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is possible that filings have been created and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.
