E350 - Gear Stick Issue & 1L Oil Top Up?

[harj81]

Hi,

This is my first post, so apologies in advance for any errors or lack of information.

I have a 2005 E350 7G Gearbox. Car has done 45k miles serviced etc.

The car has recently stuck in 3rd gear. This was after a period of time, so car had warmed up. Tried to upshift and downshift manually but no change. Reverse gear selected ok however again stuck in 3rd gear. Eventually switched off the car waited 15 seconds and restarted and all is fine.

It has not happened since, but I would like some advice on what I should do or have inspected.

Also periodically once every 4 months, I get a warning light to advise top up of 1 litre of oil at next refuel, which I do. However I check the oil in between but notice no significant drop.

Appreciate any advice on the 2 issues!

Raj

 

[andy@pcd-ltd]

The gearbox issue could well be a oil level problem. Has the oil been changed at all. Would need to go on a star machine to get the fault codes read off of it

The car will use a certain amount of oil and a litre in 4 months is not too bad do you drive the car hard as well

 

[harj81]

Have no idea if the gearbox oil has been changed.

I did speak to the MB specialist and he advise to connect it up to read off the codes, suggested it may be an electrical issue with the car going in to Limp mode.

I don’t drive the car particularly hard maybe once a week for less then 2 mins. More often its steady driving.

I expect some oil consumption, I guess what I want to know is this normal oil consumption for this engine?

 

[andy@pcd-ltd]

If you do get the fault codes read off i would make sure they use a proper merc star machine as other ones sometimes miss off codes.

I wouldnt say 1L in about four months is excessive for this car

 

[television]

Hello and welcome Raj. sometimes the cluster can give an indication that it needs more oil when in fact it may not.

The car will have to go on STAR to have the box codes read as Willow said, but id it was only once that it did that it could have been a low voltage thing, and STAR will say

 

[harj81]

Thanks for the info guys.

I shall take to the garage and hopefully get an answer.

In terms of durability of the engine and gearbox, should I have a cause for concern given these events? As I do not want to sell the car as it's such a pleasure to drive.

 

[andy@pcd-ltd]

Are you going to take it to a main dealer or independant garage.

I think at this point selling the car is a very dramatic action as it could be something as simple as low fluid level

 

[Blobcat]

I would be a little worried that a new valve pack is required, mine stuck in 3rd gear at 50K miles as did Madmooses thread
Did you have the ATF changed at 40K miles? (I did but it still failed at 50!)

 

[harj81]

It's going to an independent specialist.

I have to check the service papers about the change of ATF.

Just read through Madmooses thread, the problem seems similar.

A bit worried now as this could turn in to a large bill.

 

[harj81]

The independent confirmed a new gearbox valve chest is required due to a faulty sensor. Total cost is £1500 including parts and labour.

I'm having the worked carried out by Mercedes Main Dealer who confirmed the same issue. Work is being done under a warranty, thank god!

Apprantly there have been about 400 cases of this so far.

 

[moosehead]

Glad you managed to get this fixed under warranty. This is very worrying that these untis are failing around the 45-50K mark. Let's hope the replacement units are an improved design otherwise 7G owners are going to have some very big bills in the coming years.