2001 E320CDI Gearbox issues - advice needed...

[johnl]

Hi all,

I have a 2001 E320CDI, with 43k miles, full MBSH (2 done, next in 3k miles), and I've hit a major issue with the gearbox. Returning home from 'up north, the gearbox went into "get you home" mode, and seemed to just stick in 3rd. The tiptronic stopped working at the same time. I stopped, and restarted the car, which seemed to get me back to normal, and drove a little further. It then happened again, so I called the AA for relay. They broke down, and I spent all day getting home.

anyway, nightmare story over (ish), I put it into my local service place for them to do diagnostics, who came back with;

Gearbox attempted to select unknown gear, or transmission slipping, and suggested a full "recondition" at £2.5k...

I'm getting it back, to go into MB, to get the real view of my options, but does anyone have experience of Mobilife, etc, or any idea how I can avoid being bankrupted - on a low milage, allways MB serviced car?

help!


john

 

[Mounis]

Are you sure its the gearbox?

I know it'll sound real strange but the error codes popped can be due to a number of reasons. I have an E220cdi 2001 and my CAT decided to breakup. The engine theought "woah" and popped itself into get you home mode. The whole journey was hassle as the car wasnt sure which gear to hold etc etc. In the end it did get stuck in 3rd after over revving in 2nd. but it was all due to the emergency mode that it was running in. I've had the CAT issue sorted and now the car is running fine. I had thought the gearbox was failing but it seems perfect again now... Just a thought...

 

[johnl]

hmmm. Sounds like a very plausible possibility. Half the issue seems to be that the error codes from the ecu are rather limited... It didn't show any issues on the dash display either. I'll ask them to take a look at that too.. Must say though, didn't know that the cdi's have a cat... I'll see what i can find

cheers..

 

[television]

Mounis is right. There are many reasons for your problem. I do not know what data program the garage who did the test used. Have the car data read by MB. the very fact that it was OK after a restart for a while should mean that there is nothing much wrong. Your gearbox is electric pnuematic/controled and the Engine control unit works hand in hand with the gear box.
If the garage got a read out that said, gear attempted to select unknown gear, if the car was in the limp home mode the gearbox does not know what to do as the power output from the engine has been cut to minimum.

Malcolm

 

[dogsbody]

2001 E320CDI gearbox issues -advice needed

All Merc Diesels have a CAT

 

[johnl]

many thanks everyone for the useful input... (particularly the point about it working ok after the restart)... fingers crossed its a cat (or similar) issue..

john

 

[gazzab]

Could be any number of things.
Get it to a good indie! They need the star machine to read the codes.
I had similiar issues with 2001 320CDI T - ended up replacing the exhaust valves or something ie all coaked up - was my fathers car from new but he never put his foot down.
The MAF sensor can also put it into limp.

 

[television]

Just found a link to this, With fault code read out P0725 turbine speed sensor. there is a valve that can stick, cheap and easy to replace, The conductor plate can go faulty also cheap easy Under this condition the car stays in 3rd and the limp home lamp will not come on. I am betting on the valve.

Malcolm

 

[Mounis]

Uncross your fingers!!!!!!!

many thanks everyone for the useful input... (particularly the point about it working ok after the restart)... fingers crossed its a cat (or similar) issue..

john

LOL - don't say that, the CATS on these units are really expensive! Trust me!!! And for some models you can't even get pattern parts....so it's back to main stealers for a £1500 full system (which is what they'll try to sell you....On mine they said that the pre-CAT had broken up and been pushed into the mid-section CAT and blocked that too....not fun!)

hope it's going ok

 

[OlafMaxwell]

105,000 mile service, similar type problem. Clever dealer, MAF showed up faulty but he said that this can happen when the air filter needs changing and this apparently gives a faulty MAF sensor reading!! You can also clean the MAF according to a thread on this site too.

 

[johnl]

Just found a link to this, With fault code read out P0725 turbine speed sensor. there is a valve that can stick, cheap and easy to replace, The conductor plate can go faulty also cheap easy Under this condition the car stays in 3rd and the limp home lamp will not come on. I am betting on the valve.

Malcolm

you're a clever telly,

it was the speed sensor, and it's now replaced and fixed ;-)

It was around £800 inv VAT for merc dealer to do it (inc parts, oil, electrics kit, £570 of labour...)

john

 

[television]

Thank you John. Its a shame they charge so much for labour. There are some very good gearbox centers around but if I do not know them I cant recommend as there are just as many sharks. The Exeter automatic gearbox center is very good,fast and honest, and you would have saved £400. wish that I could solve my own problems.

Regards Malcolm

 

[jberks]

It was around £800 inv VAT for merc dealer to do it (inc parts, oil, electrics kit, £570 of labour...)

Ouch - that's why I never go to the dealer with non warranty issues - When my 240 went into limp mode, I limped past the dealer's front door, and on another 5 miles to the local MB indie.
I imagine a specialist would have saved you around £280 (570/2) for the same work!