Mercedes-Benz is known for their sleek designs and high performance, making it the vehicle of choice for many. German cars have a certain level of quality that make them hard to beat in quality build and longevity. But regardless of how wonderful a brand can be, that doesn’t make your vehicle immune to breaking down.
An issue directly impacting the stability of your Mercedes is the failure of the sway bar link. This directly affects your vehicle’s suspension, and while it is not extremely likely the sway bar itself will break down, the links connecting the sway bar and your suspension can ultimately wear over time. The sway bar protects your car from rolling during a sharp turn. Any disruption in the components of your sway bar can be dangerous. Let’s take a closer look at the sway bar link and where to go if you need service.
Because the sway bar links have direct contact with your vehicle’s suspension, you’ll notice symptoms pretty quickly if the links begin to fail. It is one of those issues that once it begins to fail, you have very little time before things really begin to malfunction. The most prominent symptom is dangerous if left unattended:
Loss of control is cause for immediate concern, as the stability of your vehicle is the most important aspect for not only your safety, but the safety of other drivers on the road. You will notice when the sway bar links have worn and affected the suspension of your vehicle, as it will negatively affect the steering and handling of your vehicle.
The steering wheel may feel loose and your car will sway from side to side. This is especially dangerous as you make the attempt to turn, as your handling may cause your car to swing into other lanes of traffic, which can result in a dangerous collision. Your sway bar is your car’s defense against its body rolling with the motion of driving. Without the stabilizer being secure, your car will have no defense against the motions and turns as you try to navigate the road.
Because the sway bar links hold suspension in place, if they begin to wear out and loosen their grip on the sway bar and the suspension, you’ll begin to hear all sorts of rattling sounds. The links are supposed to stay tight and secure at all times in order to stabilize your car’s suspension, but if they have begun to wear down, they will loosen up considerably. If you begin to hear rattling near your tires, it is a wise decision to seek the advice of a professional mechanic immediately. You do not want to endanger yourself or anyone else on the road. Be prudent and responsible. Seek inspection and diagnostic testing before you find yourself in a bad situation.
The most proactive move in order to ensure the stability of your vehicle, is to have your suspension checked when you go in for routine maintenance. Your trusted mechanic can check the health of the links and make sure they are tight enough. They can advise you if there are signs of wear and tear. Most people don’t think about their suspension or sway bar links when they go for routine service, but it is one of the most important components to keeping your car safe on the road. Checking them during tire replacement, alignment checks, brake pad checks, or tire rotation is a wise move.
At St. Matthews Imports, we pride ourselves on being the #1 rated German auto repair shop in Louisville, KY. Our dedication to upkeeping the performance on your German import vehicle shows in our quality service and customer satisfaction rates.
We’ve been taking care of the citizens of the Louisville area for over 45 years and have expanded to another shop in addition to our Hubbards Lane location. We specialize in Mercedes, BMW, VW, Audi, and MINI service and repair, and our ASE certified technicians are sure to know your vehicle inside and out. So if you feel like your Mercedes is suffering from a lack of control, call us to help get your car stable and back on the road.