GLE cooling

[grosser panzer]

I have a 2016 GLE350 diesel and have added a after market towbar. Its been coded etc for the electrical connection etc. I know many models have upgraded cooling for towing and so I asked my local independent specialist about this and they said that there is a cooling fan upgrade and a radiator shutter mod but that was all they could see. When towing the engine coolant temperature gauge doesnt seem to change but I dont know what the transmission fluid is doing.

Has anyone got any experience or knowledge of either towing or upgrading the cooling system? I tow a double axle caravan at about 1800Kg and I want to know if I should proceed and get the upgrade done, its well over a £1000!

Thanks

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I have a 2016 GLE350 diesel and have added a after market towbar. Its been coded etc for the electrical connection etc. I know many models have upgraded cooling for towing and so I asked my local independent specialist about this and they said that there is a cooling fan upgrade and a radiator shutter mod but that was all they could see. When towing the engine coolant temperature gauge doesnt seem to change but I dont know what the transmission fluid is doing.

Has anyone got any experience or knowledge of either towing or upgrading the cooling system? I tow a double axle caravan at about 1800Kg and I want to know if I should proceed and get the upgrade done, its well over a £1000!

Thanks

I seem to remember that models which were not type approved for towing had less cooling capacity as they would never need the same amount of cooling as an equivalent car which was type approved for towing.

I think you’ll probably be alright with a GLE. Whether they came with a factory fitted towbar or not, I suspect they were type approved to tow and most would expected to tow in their lifetime. That’s an opinion rather than fact.

If you can’t see the transmission fluid temperature in the cluster, try using a scanner tool, perhaps the OBDII plugs with onboard Bluetooth, and the corresponding app on your phone - that may show you transmission temperature.

PS Our GLE (albeit with a different engine) does have transmission temperature in the cluster - and I’ve towed a twin axle caravan many times - however I won’t be towing with it any time soon so I can’t tell you the temperatures.