A Class 170CDI auto box problems

[chrisnotton]

Hi MBer's

I wonder if you can help me?
I am looking for someone who really knows about A Class auto gearboxes. I have a problem with my 170CDI auto box.
I can't tell what a waste of time MB dealers have been so far.
Like beating your head against a spike (it is nice when you stop)!
Can you recommend somewhere I can go where the problem can be diagnosed with some level of expertise?
I am in Bedfordshire J12 of the M1. Where would you take a car with a dodgy auto-box (thumps in and out of drive when stationary: after catastrophic alternator failure/replacement)
I will even go to a MB dealer again if you know of one that is any good.

Desperate!! :cry:

 

[northwest-tech]

go back to the dealer and get them to check recent sti's

there is a easy cure for that problem
u need a new electrohydrualic control unit

suprissed they havent done that already

lee

 

[chrisnotton]

Aparantly all the fault logs are clear.
This means that there "cannot possibly be anything wrong with the gearbox" according to MB Milton Keynes. (At £75 per hour)
You can then sit the technician in the car move 10 feet, wham!
Oh dear sir it shouldn't do that!!
Probably needs a a replacement.
My confidence in their diagnostic abilities is zero.

Anywhere you recommend?

Thanks :cry:

 

[maybach]

I can highly recommend Hughes of Beaconsfield, they are a highly respected dealer within the M.B dealer network
Maybach

 

[dudleycox]

Gearbox problem

Chris,
Your problem is within the auto tran vavle body as already suggested by northwest tech. I'm also a tech from Northwest (Blackpool) and have replaced many of this electrohydrulic control units. The reason the dealership hasn't relaced it is because Benz are trying to cut down on all wty claims. You will have to make lots of noise to get it fixed. good luck

 

[piestore]

auto box fault

Hi guys



I,m surprised by northwest tec and dudley cox, what makes you think its the valve block? I know of no recent STI's to this effect. I must also point out that i have never ever had a warrenty claim turned down. To suggest that MB are not happy to pay for properly diagnosed warrenty work is unthinkable. Perhaps the many valve blocks replaced by blackpool have actualy had no faults hence the reluctance to replace. I wish I could diag valve block with no fault codes

On a more help full note , bearing in mind the alternator fault gearbox ecu sounds like a possible culprit (GRM) are there any fault codes? is comunication possible with Transmission control? Is gearbox in emergency Mode?

 

[chrisnotton]

The gearbox behaves perfectly normally except when moving off..Wham!
coming to a stop....no drive, no creep. then wham! as it restores drive

This is not an intermittant fault. It has only occured since the alternator failed. as follows:

No electrics, power steering, gear selection, dash, single gear only, etc etc. this situation came and went three times whilst limping to the garage.

All fault codes were cleared by the first MB garage and the second one says that ther are no more showing in the log.
The vehicle is no longer under any warranty, I am paying with my own money (about £800 so far) two franchised MB dealers and two non-franchised to date.

I really like the car but it is going down the auction soon!! :cry:

 

[piestore]

auto box

Hi Chriss



Sounds like your having a rough ride (pardon the pun)

What year is your car and if possible the gearbox No? some 1990/2000 cars had faulty pwm valves one in particular gave trouble but this normally produced a fault code as did problems with the valve body. If you have no fault codes it is probably a mechanical fault. I would persist with the dealer's ask them to submit a ESKU claim and don't accept the car back until it is fixed

 

[chrisnotton]

Hi Guys,

It is a A170DT Vin WDB1680082J207777 1999 With about 36,000 on the clock. I beklieve it was imported privately by the previous owner. I am the second.
MB wouldn't emtertain a claim under these conditions unless it has missed some sort of recall would they?

Thanks for your continued interest!

:?

 

[dudleycox]

Chrisnotton
Any joy with the dealership with your gearbox problem? I have read many sti about vavlebody problems but I'm currently in Australia. It will be interesting to know the outcome of all this. Benz In Australia are cracking down on all claims so I just thought it was the same back home. I don't just fit new parts for the sack of it Piestore. The vavlebody here is about $1850.00 so you would want to be convident it will rectify the problem 8)

 

[chrisnotton]

No nothing yet.
I was waiting to see if I got any more specific information here before trying one of the reccommended MB dealers again!
Someone (helpful) from MB U.K. has also contacted me so the may read this forum!! :?

 

[piestore]

auto box

Hi



the fact you are the second owner makes no difference at all, Imported means it has only a one year warrenty possibly two. But in your favour it is low mileage and you do expect an auto box to last longer than 30k. There is no harm in asking the worst outcome is they say No, they may conribute or they may pay for all of it. The fact it is a 99 car could indicate valve block possibilities but fault codes would be present. I will make some enquiries

 

[chrisnotton]

Any Joy?
:wink: