Transmission Oil change on C180 Feb 1997

[honey1]

This is my first post, so please be gentle with me - I have read a few posts about this - but want to be sure I have it right

I am trying to stop being a hopeless female and instead gen up on my car after years of feeling in the dark and so at the mercy of garages ......and this site seems to be helping a lot - ITS GREAT... thanks guys.

My P reg 1997 C180 Auto elegance saloon is slow to change up when cold and I have decided from this site that it needs the transmission oil & filter changing.

I want to have my v small local service indie garage do this for me - but they have not done one before on my model.

- It has no transmission dipstick - just a sealed red tag saying MB Dealer only.

Can I get them to take this off and get a replacement cap ? where best from?

Does my car have 2 drain plugs - transmission and torque plug . I think so.

what would be a reasonable charge for this doing? well just a guess then?

 

[Blobcat]

Hello and Welcome,

You will need a replacement cap from MB and the dipstick also from MB. As for fluid pls ensure that the correct MB grade is used.
MB want £100 for an ATF change on mine inc fluid and new dipstick cap.

 

[jberks]

Not sure what by dad paid for his but £60-£100 sounds fair enough. If they haven't done one, as Blocat says, they'll need to buy a dipstick and a replacement cap from the dealer. Seems a shame really as you'll be paying for the dipstick and you won't need it again. May be worth finding a garage that has done one before. You could call MercCare in Leeds for a quote too. Make sure they replace the filters at the same time.

Also, has it suddenly got worse? I mention this as all Merc autos have a higher change up point when cold to speed up the warming of the catalytic converter so it may be normal.

 

[honey1]

I think that the problem has gradually developed over a month or 2, but is getting worse. Switching from E to S mode has helped. Thanks for the info so far - spurred on by your suggestions / info - I have just rung a local Main Dealer and been quoted £67 + vat parts excluding the dipstick - said that they dont do them? And if I want them to do it, another £200 in labour.

then rung a 'not as local ' merc specialist who seemed Very Helpful and said its probably not the transmission oil, but they can check levels and top up if needed - but its more likely one of the Air Mass Sensors which if plan A does not fix it - they can then check on a diagnostic. Especially if other performance is affected - and now I come to think about it - it has been sluggish lately at responding to accelarating / kick down as well! [ I have had the car 5 years - got 90,000 on clock ] Now thinking its gonna be better to take it to a specialist who has a Dipstick and a Diagnostic as its no point paying to replace £60 of oil [ 6 litres ] + parts + labour etc, if it does not fix the problem !
Seems this car mending is not so straightforward..........Any more comments, suggestions or opinions welcome....

 

[Blobcat]

MAS airflow meter is very common, symptoms are sluggish acceleration, inability to kick down gears, no warning lights or error codes logged and an unwillingness to accelerate beyond 3,000 revs. It is only a 5 minute job to change.

 

[jberks]

Have a look at this
http://www.forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=17995

From the prices quoted, they would seem to be a reasonable bet. They appear to be a dealer level service at indie prices and they're local too!
Considering popping up from Leeds, but Merc Care down here are very good anyway.

 

[honey1]

Thanks for the advice - I took it into Merc Care, Pudsey, Leeds who checked oil level which was OK, did a diagnostic which said Air Mass Sensor - they replaced it - and it runs Great now. The Air mass meter was £246 + vat - which looks like a bit of drainpipe with a small plug end in it! - the labour and the vat meant a total bill £355.
I felt pleased with the way Merc Care dealt with my car quickly and with only 1 days notice! and they explained everything to me - and they gave me a lift to and from the train station so I could go to a meeting in Leeds whilst they fixed my car. If my car plays up again - hopefully not - I would certainly make the journey to go to Merc Care rather than to a local non specialist.