Transmission oddities on 2007 CL550

[wrongcoast]

I'm experiencing some odd rattling-like noises while accelerating from what seems like the transmission. When I get to a steady cruising speed it isn't noticeable but when first starting out or upon exertion a metallic rattle that I can only describe as a "loose-sounding" transmission -- like the gears are wiggling around and rattling in the housing. Not a very scientific/helpful description I know but you have to hear it to understand how difficult it is to describe the noise.
Took the dealer MB tech for a ride to hear it and he said it was engine pinging and that's the way these engines sound. For a $100K car that diagnosis is as unacceptable as the source of the sound.
Does this noise sound familiar to anyone?
Thanks

[WSH]

Sounds like a BS explanation from the alleged MB tech...

Have owned several '07-'08 CL's (550/600/63 030)....have never had pinging (despite CA's readily available max oct fuel only being 91 oct) or transmission issues (or any glitches for that matter) in any of them in a cumulative 25K+ mis....

Is your dealer competent and reputed for effective svc for repeat S/CL buyers? Are you being assigned a more competent tech by your dealer? Is this CL a new car...or could it have "mystery" issues of a used car?

Most dealers and techs (of any high-end brand) tend to be inept....but in my expce, better MB dealers/salesmen seem rather adept at assigning their more competent techs to efficiently address issues of buyers of $100K+ MBs.....it's moronic to provide same lvl of svc to a one-off $35K C300 buyer as accorded to a new CL buyer....

[wrongcoast]

The tech was at a dealer. I've bought several cars there over the years for both my wife and me. I pretty pissed off they gave me such a lame explanation and when I get time to jump away from work I'm going to go in there and make sure the situation gets handled. Thanks for the info and support.

[WSH]

Which urban region are you located in?

Others on Board may be able to opine on dealers known for competent svc in your region....

I've had many positive expces at Autobahn on SF Peninsula (seems like every car nut I know in SF uses Autobahn, and we all share the same exemplary salesman, who's our point man if any issues arise....it's a small world); have numerous SF colleagues who have wkend houses (and also have SLs/CLs based there) in BH/Malibu who tell me BH MB seems quite competent and oriented vs time/hassle-focus of high-end custs.....and my NYC colleagues seem quite pleased w/MB Manhattan and Greenwich's dealer....would argue specific dealer makes huge diffce in quality of svc....only 1-2 dealers in each of major mkts are competent/relevant; rest are a vast waste of time and typically are located in awfully irrelevant parts of a region anyway...

[deniska]

I had similar noises as your describing when accelerating at low rpm's. It was a problem with the exhaust. It was fixed under warranty. Car is a cl63 and had around 15k miles at the time.

[wrongcoast]

Thanks for the feedback WSH and Deniska. I"m in LA and go to the BH MB dealership for service. In fact I'm going in Thursday so if the prob gets solved I'll update.

[WSH]

The gent who I keep hearing about from both my SF and BH colleagues as the "go to" guy at BH is Vinnie, one of the sales mgrs, who is their "point guy" for any issues w/their MB's (from what I hear, seems like a guy who both appreciates the tech aspects of $100K++ MBs and understands dynamics of svc vs repeat CL custs)....

[okc329]

try gripping the shifter lever and moving it slightly one way or the other. If that quiets the noise, you may have bad bushings in the shifter mechanism. Car is pretty new for this but the symptoms fit. Don't move to another gear though, just snug it up in its current setting to take up any slack in the mechanism connections.

[okc329]

any resolution to your transmission noise problem?

[wrongcoast]

Took it to the dealer the other day. They accessed some data off the "brain" (for software versions and update info I guess) so they could research possible similar issues and apply what they might learn to my car. They called me in a few days saying they had some possiblities for rectifying the situation. Alas, no luck. The noise still exists and rankles me every time I hear it which basically is every time I accelerate from a stop or under a load. I'm not giving up yet though and will bring it back for another pass hoping they'll be able to identify the problem and fix it.

[Ramsey9000]

I can fix your problem with 50 cents and a match....