2013 W204 C250CDI 7G Auto transmission overheat?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Max88

New Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2017
Messages
7
Car
C250 AMG Sport Plus
Recently had a scary problem whilst on the Autostrada in Italy, went to overtake a truck at around 70mph when there was a thump from the transmission and it jumped out of gear, it would not re engage and was just like a manual car with a clutch gone, Engine light came on and coasted to a services about 5km further on at 30 mph with a very slushy transmission. This incident was preceded by the box jamming in gear whilst traversing a roundabout, I could only get it to change once I had restarted the engine. Happened twice and now nervous about the car, transported to the dealership but they found nothing wrong with it, the engine light had gone out after a wait of 3 hours so no diagnostics obtained. Has anyone else had this problem and is there a fix? The car has only done 30000 miles so not impressed. It was a hot day and I can only think this was an overheat issue?
 
Well the incident should have been recorded in "stored" in the TCm/PCM memory.
The internal circuit board has two prongs that point down into the fluid and monitor the bulk fluid temp.

Should an overheat condition occur then it will go into limp mode until the box cools.
As a general comment these "7 speeder" boxes are "touchy" on fluid levels so extra care has to be taken when servicing and doing routine PM's. Too low and the fluid will tend to be elevated due to a slip conditions in the torque converter as well as a lack of lock up. That also includes bulk temperature stabilization and cooler interaction!

Too high and heat related churning can occur in spite of the fact that the circuit board acts as a quasi windage tray.

Most of these conditions can be monitored by a suitable factory style scanner where you can observe current ramping of solenoids, speed clutch pack operations & possible overlap; plus torquer converter lock up clutch on /off times by live data plotting and graphing the current ramp operation.
All easy stuff and fairly easy to trace the issue if you are familiar with the product.
Its not a pattern style failure or customer complaint as a rule!
At least from my shop experience!
More prevalent in cargo hauling Sprinters by the way which makes me ask were you towing a "varacan" travel trailer when the incident occurred???
All the best
Tuercas viejas
 
Thanks for the information Tuercas, It sort of figures, no trailer just solo car, we had been travelling South France and Monaco and it is 38+ degrees there at the moment so maybe it just got too hot as you say, I will be taking it to the local Mercedes dealership this week, although the MD in Italy could not find a problem, maybe they will be able to in the UK. Does the box have an oil cooler rad or is it just attached to the water cooling of the engine? All the instrument panel apart from the engine light on registered normal, the water temp was the same as it always is when it happened.
 
Max
My info says its just a rad coil cooler which should be good enough!

At 30K is getting somewhat close to needing a service anyway and maybe a radiator matrix clean at the same time might just put the problem to bed! Then put it down to an alarming experience and nothing more!.

Still you presumably got to try an "Iye tie" auto repair shop? . Did they serve Starbucks?
Parliamo Italiano?
Best of luck & Cheers Tuercas Viejas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koVkkqKH2ZI


p.s Digressing, I have included an award winning British commercial film for your continued Italian memorable experiences 1960's style!.
I love Italians and spent a summer on the Triumph as an 18 year old wandering around the Ravenna/Umbria area in the 1960's!
What do you think of the now vintage MB of the 60's seen in part 3 ?
T/V
 
It was serviced just before we left for the 3600 mile trip, anyway booked into MD here and will advise. Great film, saw one of those in just the same sparkling condition in Monaco. Hi, did Italy on a BSA B33 and a Panther model 100 too, Susten pass is ace on a bike! Love Italy, spent many months working there in the 1980's. Thanks for the help and advise, Cordiali saluti, Max
 
Last edited:
Gearbox oil service is at 36,000 miles on my 2013 E class and is an additional item, so not part of the standard A or B service. So they may not have elected to do it. If it was on around 26,000 when serviced (prior to a 3,600 miles trip if not on 30,000 miles).
 
Max
Yes keep me/us updated on what they find if anything!

Panther 100 eh! A firing stroke every 110 yards!
Yes Italians are very welcoming.
I stayed with a family who had a son the same age as me and a motorcyclist too!

His mother was always curious as to how a yung 'un like me was wandering about in Italy like a waif.
I worked in their family plastering and tile laying business to pay for my keep! .
Masters of the ceramic are Italians and they have what I call natural STYLE!

Have you noticed their female traffic cops ?Phoor!
My eldest son was so smitten with one recently , he even tried to chat her up for a date while directing traffic in Rome!:thumb::D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5au3gK-MWP0
STYLING --its Italian
Cheers Dennis
T/V
 
Car in MD today, they found the autobox oil was dirty but not too bad for a 4 year old car, they also mentioned that it would have been changed next year anyway, however I think it wise to have it changed now in light of the issues, cannot hurt to do it again next year on its service. The car has now developed another fault, irritatingly it has decided to intermittently not start, the lights on the dash come on but when I turn the key the starter does not turn, done this 5 times now in a week. I jiggled the gearshift but no difference, eventually starts, I did remove replace the key one time. sounds expensive to me... ideas?
Max
 
Failure of the EIS is a not uncommon fault on the 204...and yes it can be expensive!

Ernie
 
Last edited:
Well you need to see if its the start inhibit or the EIS system.
That means another scan to locate the problem.

Although this seems a bit ancient nowdays this test formed part of mechanic's full tech certificate back in the late 1960's.

A no key start was the cause of what?
No scanners then of course just down right dirty basic mechanic stuff.
My test was only part of the same on an Austin Westminster 4R with Rolls Royce engine-- whoopty doo!--At a BMC main agent garage on Worcester St in Gloucester. No less!!
A smell of petroil and leather not like my workplace! Diesel fumes, acrid smoke and Shell rats nackers A grease!

Passed with flying colours I did, including the Lucas ignition raster ignition wave form interpretation of misfires and contact breaker bounce using a Sun diagnostic machine!!

An accomplishment for an honest and dyed in the wool snot nosed 18 year old Gardner and Leyland diesel engine mechanic extraordinaire!
Wow things have changed in 60 years.
Me-- like a Gardner 6 or 8 Lxb running well past a million miles on song!
Tuercas Viejas
 
Sorry for the late reply, I lost the link.
Anyway car went into the local MB dealership and they changed the autobox oil, they said it did not look dirty but the results have been excellent, the car is totally different, predictable gearchanges, no hanging in 2nd or 3rd now, smoother changes and overall a very nice driving experience, something I never had before with this car. They checked the X26 connection for the starting and it seems now to have (touch wood) sorted the problem.
So the overheat problem never re-occurred and everything seems fine now although I probably have to wait until next years holiday to see if the overheat re-appears.
For now though... it's looking good.
 
Sounds to me like you had a shift slip excess duration under certain conditions causing heat overload,
The 7 speeder is testy when it comes to fluid level settings.
Its quite conceivable that is was a bit low on fluid causing TC slip and excessive heat generation in converter phase.
Thanks for the feedback always nice to read a resolution.
'Cheers T/V
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom