Hot weather and Gearbox

[dvarley]

I have a W210 320cdi 2000 model. I have had problems with gear changes when the outside temperature exceeds 30° plus. Once the temperature returns to more moderate figures, the gearbox behaves as normal with silky smooth changes. When this problem happens, I have no cruise control and cannot select lower gears by pushing the gear change lever sideways.

This is one of these supposedly sealed for life boxes and as the car is now on 416,000kms, I am wondering if the fluid has come to the end of its useful life. Any ideas, please.

 

[M80]

Sealed for life means sealed for its short life.
260k miles, you have done well.
An ATF change would 'hopefully' improve things. Really it depends on the contamination caused by the extended use of the stuff that's in there.

 

[onefortheroad]

I have a W210 320cdi 2000 model. I have had problems with gear changes when the outside temperature exceeds 30° plus. Once the temperature returns to more moderate figures, the gearbox behaves as normal with silky smooth changes. When this problem happens, I have no cruise control and cannot select lower gears by pushing the gear change lever sideways.

This is one of these supposedly sealed for life boxes and as the car is now on 416,000kms, I am wondering if the fluid has come to the end of its useful life. Any ideas, please.

Have a fault code read done , engine faults can put the gearbox into limp mode . If the gearbox has a drain plug the oil can be changed, sealed for life was scrapped after numerous failures.

 

[Larkone]

Sealed for the life of the warranty usually. AT 416K Km the gearbox oil will like water and black and not doing it's job properly

 

[dvarley]

Gearbox fault codes on Star

After clearing faults, everything was good until the temperature outside hit 35° again.

 

[onefortheroad]

N15/3 seems to point to the gearbox ECU and oil contamination.

 

[rf065]

I had a gearbox misbehave only when the temps were 30C+, it seemed to select random gears like pulling away from a standing start in 3rd or even 4th. A wheel speed sensor was replaced and it never did it again.

 

[ajlsl600]

I don't get the benz logic there unless it's 4x4? If one of 4 wps fails why can't clever benz software sum average the rest, notify you that one has failed and just carry on when my second one failed in 3 month I had horrid gear changes no esp, abs and a tyre press warning
How about message wps failure p, s f avaraging other 3. Repair asp.

 

[alexanderfoti]

You need to replace the Electroplate.

The top code, whilst ominous looking, is common whilst causing no faults.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

You need to replace the Electroplate.

The top code, whilst ominous looking, is common whilst causing no faults.

^ +1 Exactly this, it’s the speed sensor on the electric plate with that fault code, as above you’ve done really well the gearbox many didn’t survive 150kms

 

[brandwooddixon]

My W210 gearbox was sealed for life until it failed and had to be rebuilt.
After the W210 MB reintroduced gearbox oil change intervals.

 

[ajlsl600]

Gearboxes with no service requirement how very Chinese!

 

[sonic]

Gearboxes with no service requirement how very Chinese!

BMW bikes did the same with their final drives until they started failing. Now a service item.

 

[ajlsl600]

So reinvention the wheel turned out a bad move. I am not surprised

 

[dvarley]

Thanks for all the good advice. I have everything I need to replace the conductor plate, except a lift to get the car up in the air.