C220 CDI AUTO Gearbox AGAIN.

[harp1963]

I have a C220CDI Sport. Year 2007. Model 204.
My gearbox seems to vibrate a lot and at low speed (about 40mph)it hums and vibrates like a manual car whick should be in 2nd gear rather than 5th.
The car has been back to the dealer 5 times and has had software upgrades and after arguing torque converter and some sort of valve replaced in the gearbox. Now the car has started doing again. The car is Oct 2007 and has 19000 miles on it. Can I reject it or is it too late? Fed up with this pathetic waste of £35500 car!! I need to get back into a BMW or Alfa 159. 5th new Merc and my last. R.I.P Mercedes. Good riddance!:evil:

 

[television]

why not go to another dealer, nothing to lose

 

[Rory]

Seen at least a couple of reports of W204 C220's doing this - doesn't seem to be any solution.

This kind of thing puts me off changing my W203 C270CDi - I would be beside myself if I'd bought a new car with such an intinsic problem.

 

[markg14]

Had a variety of auto-gearbox problems with my W204 too. Torque converter reqplaced at 20,000 miles (after one hell of a long row with Mercedes, who refused to recognise the problem). New torque converter improved matters, and new software made things even better. BUT......now getting the same symptoms as described here. When cold and decelarating in 1st gear (approaching a junction) a strong vibration can be felt from the rear. Like driving over a long cattle-grid! Problem decreases as the car warms up, but can still feel distinctive vibration at certain revs. This was one of the symptoms Mercedes actually acknowledged as a torque-converter problem last time. The car will be going back in shortly, and no doubt I will have a long battle on my hands to get satisfaction. One tip I can offer though - don't bother with Milton Keynes MB - they are worse than useless.

 

[BABASON]

let us know how you get on

 

[harp1963]

Well, 4 gearbox software downloads and 1 engine download now a new propshaft ordered from Germany. 2 rear 18" alloys replaced under warranty (corrosion), and a comlpete set of new wheel bolts, due to corrosion.
Can somebody tell me if I can demand a replacement. The car has done 19000 miles is a w204 C220CDI Sport Oct2007. From what I have heard is that if the same fault cannot be repaired 3 times this proves to be a case for a amicable reembursment, minus a suitable sum of money for the mileage
No the gearbox STILL vibrates and MB in Germany has fobbed me off by saying there is yet no fix!!!!

 

[Xtractorfan]

Well, 4 gearbox software downloads and 1 engine download now a new propshaft ordered from Germany. 2 rear 18" alloys replaced under warranty (corrosion), and a comlpete set of new wheel bolts, due to corrosion.
Can somebody tell me if I can demand a replacement. The car has done 19000 miles is a w204 C220CDI Sport Oct2007. From what I have heard is that if the same fault cannot be repaired 3 times this proves to be a case for a amicable reembursment, minus a suitable sum of money for the mileage
No the gearbox STILL vibrates and MB in Germany has fobbed me off by saying there is yet no fix!!!!

Not as easy as you think to reject the car, it has done 19k miles and is almost 18months old..you need to write a letter to the dealer rejecting the car... I would have a word with trading standards and citizens advice, Solicitors will only hmmm n haaa and you will only be more confused.. It would appear this is a big problem with the new C class.. You could maybe go public and try BBC Watchdog..if so get me julia Bradbury's number....

 

[Rory]

No the gearbox STILL vibrates and MB in Germany has fobbed me off by saying there is yet no fix!!!!

On the face of it, it would be tough for MB to argue against rejection if they're admitting that the car has a fault which they can't fix.

As there is a significant amount of money at stake here you should probably take proper legal advice. Even if rejection is accepted then you may be expected to contribute towards the use you've had from the car. However you can offset that with the cost of the inconvenience you've suffered in getting it repaired etc.

 

[markg14]

I have experienced EXACTLY the same problems. MB are now proposing to fit a second torque converter on my 60,000 mile September 07 C220 CDI Sport.
Interestingly, the dealer tried to sound surprised when I suggested this was a very common complaint. Think we should all band together and get some legal representation. MB will act then!

 

[harp1963]

How did you get on markg14?

 

[markg14]

Sorry Harpit - I posted update to this on another thread, but here goes:-

Dealer had the car for nearly two weeks, and spent most of their time trying to diagnose the problem, despite the technician pretty much agreeing that the torque-converter needed renewing (again).

First they tried "re-adapting" the torque converter. No difference at all.

Then they changed the ATM fluid completely. Again, no difference.

Again they tried "re-adapting" the torque converter. No difference.

Then, they replace the ATM fluid with "another type" of ATM fluid. This I was not happy with, as the gearbox should work perfectly with the "standard" ATM fluid, and trying "another type" of fluid would only mask the problem. Even changing to this second fluid had no effect.

Next, they informed me that (after discussing the problem with MB technicians in Milton Keynes) they were going to change the propshaft.
This had both the local technician and myself baffled. But again, no difference.

By now I am beginning to lose a bit of faith in MB's diagnostic abilities, as it felt like they were just having wild guesses at the problem.

Finally, they changed the torque-converter and hey-presto! All vibration and noise disappears.

Since having the car returned to me, the performance and responsiveness of the engine (especially below 2,000 revs) is less than it was pre-repair. I suspect they have detuned the engine in some way to prevent a further warranty claim in 20,000 miles. To add weight to my suspicion, the fuel economy on the car has improved remarkably - sometimes averaging over 60mpg on a motorway run.

Not happy at all - this is not the car I bought! But with 60,000 miles plus now, I would have to lose a considerable sum if I rejected the car and forced them to buy it back.

And to think I was considering putting the Brabus Eco chip on it! (at a cost of £1400). Torque converter doesn't seem capable of handling standard engine mapping, let alone one that has been changed for improved performance.

Getting MB to admit they have de-tuned the car is very very difficult.

Anyone have any idea how I could do this? Dyno test is difficult because it will only give me the HP at the wheels, and not tell me what the engine is producing. It should be 170bhp, but suspect it is now considerably less.

One small footnote - they managed to put a 4" scratch in the front bumper in the two weeks they had the car!
At first they denied all liability, but finally (with the threat of legal action) they sent me a cheque for the full estimate cost (minus £100 which I offered to contribute due to minor existing stone-chip damage).

Surprisingly they have not sent me a Customer Satisfaction Survey form