Auto transmission problems

slchesterfield

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Hi All, hope someone can give me advice here. I have a Mercedes E class 2008 Auto CDI I bought this reasonably cheap from a dealer as it has nearly 190k on the clock and paid under 2k for the car with afull MOT etc. However, the dealer told me of several things that would need attention so............yeah I know I may live to regret it.
Anyway, I have noticed recently that the car vibrates when accelerating from say 3rd gear then dissapears after the car reaches speed. It doesn't do this from a start. Now, this symptom suddenly stopped, the vibration went but, the car seems to go into 4th and 5th gear to early causing the car to labour especially when cold.

My local garage suggested coolant in the gearbox oil would cause that OR tragically could be a transmission problem.

Would I be wise just to get the oil and filter changed first as this may be a cheap option OR just take it to my local garage and get a full report on it and suffer the consequences

TIA
Steve

P.S. I do have some other niggles but nothing that's serious which I will ask in other forums later
 

Wighty

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Hi All, hope someone can give me advice here. I have a Mercedes E class 2008 Auto CDI I bought this reasonably cheap from a dealer as it has nearly 190k on the clock and paid under 2k for the car with afull MOT etc. However, the dealer told me of several things that would need attention so............yeah I know I may live to regret it.
Anyway, I have noticed recently that the car vibrates when accelerating from say 3rd gear then dissapears after the car reaches speed. It doesn't do this from a start. Now, this symptom suddenly stopped, the vibration went but, the car seems to go into 4th and 5th gear to early causing the car to labour especially when cold.

My local garage suggested coolant in the gearbox oil would cause that OR tragically could be a transmission problem.

Would I be wise just to get the oil and filter changed first as this may be a cheap option OR just take it to my local garage and get a full report on it and suffer the consequences

TIA
Steve

P.S. I do have some other niggles but nothing that's serious which I will ask in other forums later
I would guess that getting the car on MB Star diagnostic machine at a decent Indy will be able to interrogate the gearbox to pin down the fault .
Definitely not your local garage .
Maybe the gearbox oil , but if you are paying someone that will cost twice what a Star session will .
 

LostKiwi

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There are several things it could be not all of which are expensive.
Antifreeze in the oil, failing conductor plate, failing torque converter, failing box, bad propshaft couplings, bad engine mounts can all cause strange vibrations and/or oddball behaviours.
 

Jim2

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A quick dip to see how much oil is actually in the box, and what colour it is, may give some indication of what the problem is.....and it costs nothing or very little if you have to get some one to do it for you....just to remember that the temp of the oil must be 80c when dipped for accurate measurement
 

Jim2

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My experience is only with the 722.6 5 speed automatics....so sorry, that's not much help to you. But there are very knowledgeable people here on the Forum, and I'm sure that they will be able to help you.
 

John Laidlaw

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ATF and filter is the cheapest first fix, only risk is if the transmission has other issues that will be lost in a repair /overhaul
 

range rover

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Check your drains under the bonnet, if they are blocked or partly blocked like mine were, water will get into the electrics and cause all sorts of mayhem, it's a simple check but neglect it at your peril!
 

davemercedes

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As per post #3 a prime candidate for missed service tasks is the transmission fluid and filter. Not sure on an E but on a C Class it's supposed to be changed at 45K - and that's a job you should definitely entrust to a MB independent (and as Wighty says above - not your local garage)! A good indie will be able to interrogate it for error messages etc. with Star.

Many of us use independents ("indies") for service issues and we have a number of them on here as members. They generally live and breathe Mercedes and have years of knowledge!

OP gives location as Chesterfield, Derbyshire - can anyone please advise the name/location of an indie nearby?
 
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slchesterfield

slchesterfield

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Thanks for all the help and replies to my original posting.
The garage eventually changed the ATF, filter and gasket + labour etc. and the bill was £200 all in. Not sure if that was cheap or not! but I wanted to try rather than go down the transmission replacement route. The next day after collecting the fault was still there from cold but improves when warmed up. The garage told me he had done the diagnostic and NO fault was found withe the transmission, the old oil was actually fine and not contaminated with coolant. So......I'm stuck. The car does run fine otherwise. I can't afford a replacement transmission + labour so. If anyone has any other suggestions I would be very grateful. Another owner suggested a 'additive' as he suspects clutch judder. Not sure what to do now. May be just run it until it goes altogether and then suffer the loss..............any help is appreciated
 

alexanderfoti

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Thanks for all the help and replies to my original posting.
The garage eventually changed the ATF, filter and gasket + labour etc. and the bill was £200 all in. Not sure if that was cheap or not! but I wanted to try rather than go down the transmission replacement route. The next day after collecting the fault was still there from cold but improves when warmed up. The garage told me he had done the diagnostic and NO fault was found withe the transmission, the old oil was actually fine and not contaminated with coolant. So......I'm stuck. The car does run fine otherwise. I can't afford a replacement transmission + labour so. If anyone has any other suggestions I would be very grateful. Another owner suggested a 'additive' as he suspects clutch judder. Not sure what to do now. May be just run it until it goes altogether and then suffer the loss..............any help is appreciated

You could try judder fix, not much to loose.

You would have to drop the oil and refill again to get it in there on a 7 speed.

200 is cheap, may I suggest they have only changed the oil in the sump and not drained the torque converter? If thats the case, and the symptoms have Improved with a half change, maybe a full change will sort it completely?
 

mercmancdi

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As above.
It’s a pity it didn’t get a proper flush
As torque converter can be related to a shudder and be known to improve when oil is warmer.
 

RhodieBill

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I'm not saying that this is the case in this instance, but garages tend to just drain what is in the Transmission Sump, which equates to about 30% of the actual contents, remove the Sump Pan, replace the Filter inside the Sump and put the Pan back with a new gasket and say they have changed your ATF. And charge you for the pleasure! It takes me about an hour to do this - and this is with the car up on Stands not on a Lift which would make it easier and quicker!

Doing it this way, (on the 5 speed at least) you would have to carry this out 3 to 4 times and change the Filter on the last one to more or less change most of the Fluid. Let's just say it's better than doing nothing!! It's how I do it anyway.....
 

mercmancdi

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I'm not saying that this is the case in this instance, but garages tend to just drain what is in the Transmission Sump, which equates to about 30% of the actual contents, remove the Sump Pan, replace the Filter inside the Sump and put the Pan back with a new gasket and say they have changed your ATF. And charge you for the pleasure! It takes me about an hour to do this - and this is with the car up on Stands not on a Lift which would make it easier and quicker!

Doing it this way, (on the 5 speed at least) you would have to carry this out 3 to 4 times and change the Filter on the last one to more or less change most of the Fluid. Let's just say it's better than doing nothing!! It's how I do it anyway.....

I think on my last flush my indi charged about £15-20 on its own for the clean fluid he flushed through before renewing the oil.
 
OP
slchesterfield

slchesterfield

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You could try judder fix, not much to loose.

You would have to drop the oil and refill again to get it in there on a 7 speed.

200 is cheap, may I suggest they have only changed the oil in the sump and not drained the torque converter? If thats the case, and the symptoms have Improved with a half change, maybe a full change will sort it completely?

Thanks, the garage told me they changed all so i have to trust them somewhat. I have purchased a tube of Mr tranny anto judder and will apply at the weekend
 
OP
slchesterfield

slchesterfield

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Update today 22nd Jan 2020. Antil judder has arrived through the post and will be putting in at the weekend, However, going to work in the car yesterday the judder and vibration is somewhat more intense, even when the transmission is 'engine braking' and coming to a halt. I feel something is seriously wrong so hoping the fluid additive might do the trick. If not it could mean scrapping the car if the transmission is shot............:(
 

McDonald

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it could mean scrapping the car if the transmission is shot............:(

It seems like you're jumping to conclusions. Get the car to a trusted indy and put on Star. That should be a first step. You've already spent £200 and got no advantage. Find out definitively what's wrong, cost it, then decide if you can afford the remedy.
 


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