any news mate?
Pre facelift E63 AMG 7g+ autobox issue.
- Thread starter Boristheblade
- Start date
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Boristheblade
Active Member
So I dropped the car off with James at Auto transmissions in Preston yesterday at 2pm, it was just over an hours drive to get there.
Once there I went through the problems with him again and left it with him.
He said whilst it was up to temperature he would take it for a short drive (to see how it drove) then would check the gearbox oil level.
He rang this morning to say he had taken the car out this morning to see how it drove from cold.
Then after letting it sit for a while, he then applied the latest gearbox software, then took it back out to test it, whilst it was better, the gearbox was still flairing.
So now onto the bad news!
He took the oil pan off the gearbox sump and the oil is contaminated with water.
This and the oil has shavings in it.
He did say that when I had the gearbox oil changed then filter used was the wrong one, but this was only a slight problem and the filter would have still filtered the oil.
He says I'll need a new radiator (which cools the gearbox) a new torque converter/wet clutch pack, as it looks by the shavings that this is breaking down and the wet clutch is slipping because the clutch material has probably absorbed water and glycol from the coolant.
They also fit an additional oil cooler to the gearbox, then oil, filter, labour etc.
He has quoted £3k+ for the job, which takes a week.
I've told him to go ahead and do the job.
Now the possibly better news, The car is still under warranty, and its a company that Auto Trans deal with.
Bit sh1t seen as how I've only done about 600 miles since buying car and only about 400 since the gearbox service, but this is life.
Photo's James sent me once the pan came off.
Once there I went through the problems with him again and left it with him.
He said whilst it was up to temperature he would take it for a short drive (to see how it drove) then would check the gearbox oil level.
He rang this morning to say he had taken the car out this morning to see how it drove from cold.
Then after letting it sit for a while, he then applied the latest gearbox software, then took it back out to test it, whilst it was better, the gearbox was still flairing.
So now onto the bad news!
He took the oil pan off the gearbox sump and the oil is contaminated with water.
This and the oil has shavings in it.
He did say that when I had the gearbox oil changed then filter used was the wrong one, but this was only a slight problem and the filter would have still filtered the oil.
He says I'll need a new radiator (which cools the gearbox) a new torque converter/wet clutch pack, as it looks by the shavings that this is breaking down and the wet clutch is slipping because the clutch material has probably absorbed water and glycol from the coolant.
They also fit an additional oil cooler to the gearbox, then oil, filter, labour etc.
He has quoted £3k+ for the job, which takes a week.
I've told him to go ahead and do the job.
Now the possibly better news, The car is still under warranty, and its a company that Auto Trans deal with.
Bit sh1t seen as how I've only done about 600 miles since buying car and only about 400 since the gearbox service, but this is life.
Photo's James sent me once the pan came off.
Last edited:
That's awful, pal. Hopefully there is light at the end of your tunnel and it will be sorted under warranty.
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Boristheblade
Active Member
Yes mate, the crap news above
ahhh what a bastard! at least you can get it sorted, better than not knowing what it is, james knows his shit he will get it sorted.Yes mate, the crap news above
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Boristheblade
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Rpp999
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Sorry for the shit news, any reason why it would not be covered by the warranty ?
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Boristheblade
Active Member
Something happened a couple of hours ago that has spooked me, I'm not going into details just now, ..........but I will tell everything on Monday.
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The consolation is that once it's sorted you should have have a beautifully smooth drive 
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Really bad luck on a car you haven't owned for long.
I hope your news on Monday doesn't involve a warranty that won't pay out
I hope your news on Monday doesn't involve a warranty that won't pay out
hope everything is alright, keep us in the loop!
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Boristheblade
Active Member
The Monday news is nothing to do with warranty, actually very angry about it!
I will update the thread on Monday.
I will update the thread on Monday.
W1ghty
MB Enthusiast
You really don’t hear about water in gearboxes on newer cars , not since the early Valeo rad problems got sorted
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Boristheblade
Active Member
So from reading the last bit of the thread, the garage sent me the pictures of the alleged water in the gearbox.
And as far as I thought that was it, the car had had the gearbox sump removed, ready to strip the rest of the box.
About 1pm (an hour after they close on a Saturday) I was alerted that my car was being driven 'Aggressively' about 10 miles away from the garage, I had the guys phone number as he had Whatsapped me, I rang him and asked WTF was going on, and he made some excuse about making sure the gearbox update had taken, and if it didn't that it would be a new TCU from Mercedes at God knows how much, as once it was removed only a new one could be refitted.
So it looks like the gearbox was refilled and they guy had taken it home for the weekend.
I told him to keep in touch, but instantly decided I would be there at 7:55 on Monday Morning to remove my car.
I can't say 100% if what he said was genuine or not, but it spooked me enough to collect my car.
So I'm back at square one, no idea what's wrong with the car, couple of places have quoted 2k plus for a new torque converter/wet clutch but I'm still not sure if this is the problem, just want it sorted - but no idea who to get it into.
One place have quoted 3 weeks for the work to be done.
And as far as I thought that was it, the car had had the gearbox sump removed, ready to strip the rest of the box.
About 1pm (an hour after they close on a Saturday) I was alerted that my car was being driven 'Aggressively' about 10 miles away from the garage, I had the guys phone number as he had Whatsapped me, I rang him and asked WTF was going on, and he made some excuse about making sure the gearbox update had taken, and if it didn't that it would be a new TCU from Mercedes at God knows how much, as once it was removed only a new one could be refitted.
So it looks like the gearbox was refilled and they guy had taken it home for the weekend.
I told him to keep in touch, but instantly decided I would be there at 7:55 on Monday Morning to remove my car.
I can't say 100% if what he said was genuine or not, but it spooked me enough to collect my car.
So I'm back at square one, no idea what's wrong with the car, couple of places have quoted 2k plus for a new torque converter/wet clutch but I'm still not sure if this is the problem, just want it sorted - but no idea who to get it into.
One place have quoted 3 weeks for the work to be done.
Sorry to hear of the gearbox troubles.
Didn't sound like they knew what they were doing and best to get the car away from them asap......and that's before the joy ride.
From a remote stand point I guess there are some things to consider.
Is the transmission cooled by an air to oil rad or an water-oil exchanger, I am not sure of the answer to this.
Are the metal shavings normal wear and tear ?
If water was in the oil and abnormal metal shaving were found then, I'd expect a full strip clean and rebuild with new rings, clutch pack, seals etc etc....at least then the risk of any surprises will be reduced.
However, if it were mine, I'd have the oil and filter changed again (preferably by an outfit with a bit more experience ) and work though any potential software / solonoid / TCU issues prior to embarking on any other gearbox
Didn't sound like they knew what they were doing and best to get the car away from them asap......and that's before the joy ride.
From a remote stand point I guess there are some things to consider.
Is the transmission cooled by an air to oil rad or an water-oil exchanger, I am not sure of the answer to this.
Are the metal shavings normal wear and tear ?
If water was in the oil and abnormal metal shaving were found then, I'd expect a full strip clean and rebuild with new rings, clutch pack, seals etc etc....at least then the risk of any surprises will be reduced.
However, if it were mine, I'd have the oil and filter changed again (preferably by an outfit with a bit more experience ) and work though any potential software / solonoid / TCU issues prior to embarking on any other gearbox
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Boristheblade
Active Member
So something has happened in the last half hour,
This video is of the car NOT in gear, just in P
I tried to hold the accelerator as steady as possible, but the revs are still bouncing!
I'm not going to get too giddy, but I'm wondering if this could actually be nothing to do with the gearbox at all?
Possible air leak or something else?
No bounce/flair at idle.
Would this actually flair the revs whilst driving if the air leak was bad enough?
This video is of the car NOT in gear, just in P
I tried to hold the accelerator as steady as possible, but the revs are still bouncing!
I'm not going to get too giddy, but I'm wondering if this could actually be nothing to do with the gearbox at all?
Possible air leak or something else?
No bounce/flair at idle.
Would this actually flair the revs whilst driving if the air leak was bad enough?
Spider10
MB Enthusiast
Was it the contents of his gearbox? I wouldn't of thought ANY reputable garage would refill it then go for a jolly
Spider10
MB Enthusiast
Sorry just noticed the photosWas it the contents of his gearbox? I wouldn't of thought ANY reputable garage would refill it then go for a jolly
