New gearbox on a W202 at 47k!!!

[fgaffney]

I’m feeling just a wee bit deflated today after hearing from the dealers that my pride and joy “needs a new gearbox”… a snip at £3,200!!!

After the car warmed up last Thursday it developed a strange whine during acceleration and I booked it into my local mechanic to get it checked out. When the engine was cold the car ran fine however during the Friday the car began to jump gear and I cruised home at 20mph @ 5000revs. I thought I was in ‘protect mode’ however I stopped at a set of lights only to lose all drive when I went to accelerate. After turning off the engine and sitting for 30 seconds I switched on again and drove off as normal with no whine and full use of the gearbox. I didn’t think the problem was that bad but decided to put the car off the road until the dealers checked it out today.

I received the call at lunch time advising me the gearbox needed replacing at a total cost of £3,200 (incl.VAT)… just as well I was sitting down at the time. I tried to haggle and played on the low mileage and dealer service history but was only offered a small discount on labour costs so I ended up paying the dealers £80 for 1 hour of their time and took the car down to a local recommended automatic gearbox specialist.

Over the next few days he’s going to set about stripping down the gearbox to see what can be done with it (if anything). If the worst comes to the worst and he can’t make an ‘economically viable repair’ the gearbox will be replaced £500 cheaper than the dealer who wouldn’t even consider a repair job.

The specialist wasn’t that surprised to see the car and was saying he recently repaired a 2000 plate W202 showing the same problems as mine with only 30k on the clock… surely this can’t be right???

I’ve seen one other post regarding a failed AMG gearbox and was wondering if I’ve just had really rotten luck or if it’s a common W202 problem??? I thought the Mercedes auto boxes were bomb proof???

 

[Iyse]

Put the £3200 towards a new car, maybe a W203

Only a suggestion. Seriously tho, I can't concieve how the gearbox can go so early on. Did you buy it new or used? Only possibility is that if you did buy it used, it wasn't looked after as well as you might have hoped.

 

[sym]

That is really rotten luck !

We don't hear about this stuff that often, and the auto gearbox is one of the things that I am paranoid will go wrong on my car - hence have just changed the transmission fluid about 5k miles ago (63k at the time) to hopefully give it the best chance of survival. 47k seems very early for it to go though.

When you consider what our cars are actually worth these days, the price you have been quoted seems very expensive, doesn't it.

For what its worth, I was quoted almost the same price to have a new auto gearbox on a renault megane several years ago, which would have been totally uneconomic ... so don't think you are paying over-inflated Merc prices ... its just a very expensive component

Good luck in getting it sorted.

S.

 

[Dieselman]

I am a bit suspisious about gearbox requiring replacement as you gained full use after the engine had been switched off and reset.

Get the diagnostic printout from the dealer as it will tell you what codes have been stored.

I suspect either the torque converter locked up or the gearbox ECU was trying to engage two gears or other malady.

These gearboxes can give trouble but often an oil change can sort problems.

The most common problem is sticking hydraulic actuators. Alternatively a hydraulic plate, which is the valve body, is usually what's required.

The MAF sensor can cause the engine to not produce enough torque so the gearbox will hold a low gear all the way to the red line.

There can be a few mechanical issues, usually a broken spring in the valve body, so a valve body would fix this.

If all else fails a MB replacement gearbox is about £1200 + vat. You should also replace the torque converter, about £400 +vat.

As the box has started working again I would go for changing the ATF and filter, inspecting the innards, then drive the car. Even if it then fails you're no worse off.

It sounds like your dealer may be trying to sting you.

You could always contact MB UK and ask for a contribution.

 

[fgaffney]

Dieselman... your post echoes what the specialist told me and like you I was a bit suspicious of the dealer wanting to replace the gearbox so quickly. Initially I didn't think the problem was that serious due to drive being fully restored after a quick 'reboot'.

I'm expecting a phonecall over the next few days informing me of what's needing done so I'll post the details when I get them.

The warranty on the car ran out four weeks ago which rubs salt in my wounds a little!!!

 

[GrahamC230K]

Typical main dealer. Get the car to a specialist, even if it means paying the dealer for some labour so far and flatbedding it to another garage.

 

[Alps]

ive been there done that, my problem seemed to be the gearbox ecu, that caused the gearbox to fail, i had the gearbox replaced at a independent with a brnad new one, it worked, but weasnt shifting smoothly after, ecu resets didnt help, so new ecu at £540 it had to be! and thats after forking out for the new gearbox!

ouch! i know how u feel !

 

[watsone91]

Could be wrong but merc sourced some of their auto boxes from isuzu cant remember what year GM took them over but it could explain why they are failing .

My 1994 c220 d has the isuzu auto box it`s done 130,000 miles still ok

 

[grasmere]

My 1994 c220 d has the isuzu auto box

How do you tell an isuzu one from a GM ?

 

[watsone91]

auto

Dont know how to tell but the stealership can tell from the chassis .

Perhaps dieselman can tell us the difference cheers....

 

[Dieselman]

AFAIK all MB five speed electronic boxes are in house boxes. In fact I would be surprised if any MB auto boxes are out-sourced.

Why would MB use Isuzu? They have no reputation for auto gearboxes, diesel engines-Yes, but boxes???

I am prepared to be wrong on this.

MB are world leaders for electronic auto boxes for both cars and lorries, in fact they sell to other marques. The lorries have been using electronic boxes for much longer than the cars.

 

[watsone91]

autos

A yes dieselman but ours are four speed boxes

 

[Dieselman]

But the thread started with fgaffneys 5 speed.

 

[watsone91]

True sorry fgaffney

 

[R2D2]

Mercedes DO make there own boxes and in fact sell them to the likes of Jaguar.


PS. Watsone91 could you make your signature normal sized pleased because those on modems have to download that huge photo every time you post! Thanks

 

[watsone91]

done hows that sorry all

 

[grasmere]

My Sept 96 C220 Diesel has a 722.6* 5 speed auto box, I cant see that its anything but MB.

 

[Will]

Could be wrong but merc sourced some of their auto boxes from isuzu cant remember what year GM took them over but it could explain why they are failing .

My 1994 c220 d has the isuzu auto box it`s done 130,000 miles still ok

I didn't think that GM were part of Mercedes (or Daimler-Benz or whatever!) at this time (1994!).

Can't see it myself!

Cheers,

Will

 

[Dieselman]

I didn't think that GM were part of Mercedes (or Daimler-Benz or whatever!) at this time (1994!).

And they're not now, so I don't see there would be any connection.

Maybe folks are confused with MB using Mitsubishi engines in their newer ranges of four pot motors?

 

[jaymanek]

I would take the car to an independent like George Fraser. Then if needs be the box can be refurbished or renewed with a ssecond hand one. Either way, no way it will cost 3K!