C350e ATF change skipped by dealer

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

Demes

New Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2020
Messages
5
Location
Colchester
Car
C350e
Heya,

We've recently bought a 2016 C350e with 79k on the clock. It had a full Mercedes maintenance history, (ex lease like all of them) and the seller claimed the next B service will include the ATF (automatic transmission fluid) change.

As it turns out, the ATF change was supposed to have been done at 62k. Called the dealership where all the maintenance was done - they said they know nothing about an ATF change, and they did everything that was scheduled according to their system.
Verified with Mercedes UK that the transmission in the C350e is code 724.29 and the maintenance schedule is every 62k, like in the service manual. It's the newer 7G-Tronic PLUS.

Now the dealer is claiming that the next service doesn't include the ATF change, because that transmission code isn't on their worksheet. Same thing happened during the previous service too. Not sure what you guys' experience was with the dealers and their Electronic Service Sheets - everything seems to indicate that the the 724 transmission code never comes up on the C350e Service Sheet, so the ATF change will always be skipped.
Surely the maintenance history should mention if something as important as an ATF change was skipped for any reason. But no matter what mileage you claim for this model, the Service Sheet will never show the correct transmission code. So if we leave it to Mercedes dealers, ATF will never be changed apparently?

Anyone else with high mileage C350e have some experience with this? Did their ATF get changed on schedule? Meanwhile I'll try to convince Mercedes to finally include this in their schedule, cause I don't feel like playing for an ATF change out of pocket just because their Service Sheet system is bugged.

Any info is appreciated,
Demes
 
This isn't a new issue.

For an unknown reason, some MB transmissions were designated by the manufacturer as 'sealed for life' and will therefore nevet show on ESS as due.

This obviously becomes an issue on cars covered by an MB Service Care Plan, because it means that the ATF change won't be done unless the owner pays for it separately. Which is what I recommend you should do (though you could choose to get the ATF change done at an independent specialist, and not at the dealer, to reduce the cost).

BTW, 'sealed for life' automatic transmissions are not uncommon, BMW and Renault (among others) have had this for years on some transmission models. But the perplexing thing about MB transmissions is that those designated 'sealed for life' appear to be chosen at random.... because other seemingly-identical transmissions do have an ATF change schedule. So no idea why some MB transmissions are 'sealed for life' while others are not.

At any rate, the recommendation for the 7G+ box fitted to your car is ATF change every 77,500 miles or 5 years.
 
BTW, it's not really the dealer's fault... if the car is covered by an MB Service Care Plan, they will only get paid by MB for what's showing on ESS as due.
 
OP.Just get it done by an independent MB specialist. Anyone with half a brain will tell you there is no such thing as a sealed for life gearbox...unless you are talking about the life of that particular gearbox "Oh look, it's blown up...thats because it came to the end of it's life...not because the ATF fluid was not changed" !:rolleyes:

The internet is full of this issue. I have always asked ' If the gearbox is sealed for life why do Mercedes Benz supply oil,gasket and filter change kits ?'

Oh thats right, just in case the oil has to be drained to replace the leaky TCU plug or the mis behaving conductor plate...that only started mis behaving because the ATF had never been changed because the gearbox is sealed for life. :doh:

Catch 22

P.S Welcome
 
Last edited:
They didn't tell us it's sealed for life, they just admitted it doesn't show up on the ESS. Next service shows for example ATF change due for trans codes 722 and 725, ours is a 724 that'll never pop up in the list. Also, it can be that normally 7G+ is 77.5, but on the hybrids/plugins it's only 62k.
It's silly that we have to pay for it separately, just because their own system is faulty and most likely don't have the 724 trans code for the C class, regardless of model.
Thanks for the info guys. And yeah, will probably take it to a specialist, but then starting to question the point for the Service Care Plan if it doesn't cover...Service.
 
Exactly, their system doesn't account for this model.
I had it confirmed with two dealerships that they generally have no clue what's the maintenance schedule on this transmission. Now trying to fight it out with Mercedes UK that something should be done about it. In any case, other C350 owners be mindful - dealers don't know that you're due an ATF change, so throw the service manual at them. Alternatively, I have email from Merc UK confirming the 62k schedule if that helps anyone.
 
Personally depending on if you purchased the car via a dealer I'd be rejecting the car as not serviced correctly .
Approved Audi even sold the odd car with late LongLife servicing and overdue 38K S tronic ATF voiding warranty .

Another reason would be it's not the newer 7G+ but the old 7G+ that made an appearance in the previous C Class model W204 in 2011 .

I'd be hunting for a 2017 model that got the newer superior 9 speed gearbox .
 
Unfortunately it's not from a dealer, but we'll see. It's a particular spec that, other than this potential grenade, is worth keeping for now.
 
Unfortunately it's not from a dealer, but we'll see. It's a particular spec that, other than this potential grenade, is worth keeping for now.


Is your issue that you have an active MB Service Care Plan, but the dealer won't include ATF change for free with the next service due because it's not on ESS?

Or are you complaining about the dealer who serviced the car while it was under the care of the previous owner and who never carried-out the ATF change?

Or both?

In short, who are you seeking redress from?
 
Is your issue that you have an active MB Service Care Plan, but the dealer won't include ATF change for free with the next service due because it's not on ESS?

Or are you complaining about the dealer who serviced the car while it was under the care of the previous owner and who never carried-out the ATF change?

Or both?

In short, who are you seeking redress from?

Both. And because it seems like if we don't do something about it, the ESS will never show an ATF change. I understand that it's very unlikely anything will happen because of the sloppiness of the previous services, but it'd be nice if they fix the system so this doesn't happen to others. And that at 124k it'll be taken care of without any hassle, and I won't have to fight Mercedes dealers just so they perform what's due according to schedule.
 
Heya,

We've recently bought a 2016 C350e with 79k on the clock. It had a full Mercedes maintenance history, (ex lease like all of them) and the seller claimed the next B service will include the ATF (automatic transmission fluid) change.

As it turns out, the ATF change was supposed to have been done at 62k. Called the dealership where all the maintenance was done - they said they know nothing about an ATF change, and they did everything that was scheduled according to their system.
Verified with Mercedes UK that the transmission in the C350e is code 724.29 and the maintenance schedule is every 62k, like in the service manual. It's the newer 7G-Tronic PLUS.

Now the dealer is claiming that the next service doesn't include the ATF change, because that transmission code isn't on their worksheet. Same thing happened during the previous service too. Not sure what you guys' experience was with the dealers and their Electronic Service Sheets - everything seems to indicate that the the 724 transmission code never comes up on the C350e Service Sheet, so the ATF change will always be skipped.
Surely the maintenance history should mention if something as important as an ATF change was skipped for any reason. But no matter what mileage you claim for this model, the Service Sheet will never show the correct transmission code. So if we leave it to Mercedes dealers, ATF will never be changed apparently?

Anyone else with high mileage C350e have some experience with this? Did their ATF get changed on schedule? Meanwhile I'll try to convince Mercedes to finally include this in their schedule, cause I don't feel like playing for an ATF change out of pocket just because their Service Sheet system is bugged.

Any info is appreciated,
Demes
My W204 350 Cdi showed up as an ATF change at around 40k and was duly done at my expense, 7g's are absolutely NOT sealed for life despite MB claiming that they are! Tell them that you want it done whatever the cost (Which is around £300), I have had two 7g's fail over the years at great cost, the mileage on the vehicles were 108k(Electroplate Only) & 225k (Converter, Electro, Pump, and valve body), had the later been serviced more regularly it may have outlasted the car itself.

Changing the ATF is an insurance policy.
 
If you know it’s due, why don’t you just get it done? It’s sub £200 at an independent.
 
But the perplexing thing about MB transmissions is that those designated 'sealed for life' appear to be chosen at random.... because other seemingly-identical transmissions do have an ATF change schedule. So no idea why some MB transmissions are 'sealed for life' while others are not.
I suspect this is A/B testing by MB. Setting some identical gearbox as sealed for life vs other identical as non-sealed for life will allow MB to observe the effects of transmission oil changes with a large population in a real-life condition akin to the vaccine testing using two separate populations using the real vaccine vs using a placebo.
 
The op mentioned it 13 months ago , I’m guessing it’s sorted by now
 
My W204 350 Cdi showed up as an ATF change at around 40k and was duly done at my expense, 7g's are absolutely NOT sealed for life despite MB claiming that they are! Tell them that you want it done whatever the cost (Which is around £300), I have had two 7g's fail over the years at great cost, the mileage on the vehicles were 108k(Electroplate Only) & 225k (Converter, Electro, Pump, and valve body), had the later been serviced more regularly it may have outlasted the car itself.

Changing the ATF is an insurance policy.
MB have never claimed the 7g's are sealed for life, only the 5g's and only for a 4 ish year period. They changed their stance (silently) to one change at 42k on the 5g's
 
Hi , Although my car has a Mercedes Benz service plan my service dealer did not change the brake fluid after two years as required because Me cedes Benz would not authorise the work.

I told the dealer I have paid for the brake fluid change and begrudgingly chance the brake fluid.

Reason given by dealer was that I booked in my car to early for the annual service.

Moral of the story.

I sit down with the service adviser and go through what work is being carried out.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom