Suprazz

Hi,

I have a problem with my C230 2002 kompressor.

The transmission have problems to shift when the car is cold (5 celcius and less) but only for the first shift of each gear. After the transmission goes into 2 or 3 gear, everyting is normal.

I explain: On a cold morning, I start the car, everything is normal, I start to move and the transmission dont want to shift to second gear. After fews seconds normally it shift to second gear, sometimes really hard. Then, is the turn to the third gear. Sometimes it wont shift at all (even if I rev to 6000 rpm.). When it happen, I just stop on the side of the road. Turn off the car and restart it. After that everyting is ok and transmission shift smooth. Sometimes the 3rd gear will shift with hesitation without restarting the car. After that everything is normal and the car goes very well.

I didn't check the transmission oil level because I dont have the special tool.

What should you guys recommand to do? Should I go to a local specialist transmission garage or go directly to MB? Is there anything I can check myself. Normally I always repair my car myself but this time I don't really know what to do.

Thanks

04mbc230

how old is your battery? When was the last time you changed it?

Suprazz

I don't really know but my car start well each morning. I dont think the battery is dead...

sammydragon3

when u first turn on your car...when its cold 4c

the car will always shift early

this is normal...dont force your car to shift or drive more than 200rpm when your car is still cold

did your car go to the dealership for the radiator recall?

if your in canada and didnt have recall done get that valeo radiator replaced

Suprazz

When my car is cold, it dont want to shift early, it simply doesn't want to shift.
So if I continue to accelerate slowly, then it shift(in second gear) but it can be a really hard shift (at 2500-3000rpm sometimes tires spin...)After that, every shift in second gear will be smooth.

Yes i'm in Canada. I'll call MB for the recall, I dont know if it was done.

C230 Sport Coup

In the US when the car is cold it is designed to not shift as soon
to help warm up the car and reduce emissions.
That's what mine does.

Have you flushed the tranny?
If the answer is no, then at some point you will have shifting issues, since this is what happens when the fluid gets old, but you'll get weird shifting at all points cold and hot.
If will drop into some gears hard.
But the not want to go out of 1st is normal for the 1st minute of so depending on how cold out it it.
Since I"m in Cali it happens pretty quick.
In Canada it might take longer.
It will run to high rpms.

So moral is, let the engine warm just a little.
I try to get past the point where that valve opens.
When cold there is some valve the is closed and diverts extra heated air to the
exhaust and make the car sound extra Whiney and noisey.
It's to warm the Cat and again to reduce emissions.
It lasts for 30-60 seconds.
Once that releases I try to drive normally, but on a cold day, yes, it
will want to rev in 1st to around 5K rpm on the 1st few shifts.

Are you new to your 2002 C coupe?
There's like 4 things you need to check.
One is the radiator, though likely would've failed by now.
There are issues with electrical connector
wicking oil into harnesses, on the cam sensors and tranny.
And...um, well those are the biggies. Cam sensor they put a dongle to
put some space in the wires, tranny means replacing orings in a electrical connector
when you flush the tranny so it doesn't wick into the tranny computer, ie TCU.

Radiator issue, check the end of the sticky on service bulletins.

Check the stickies for DIY's what will enlighten you.

4th issue I guess is the simple fact the tranny is NOT a lifetime fill, like the dealers used to say,
and requires full fluid replacement.
Check my thread on 'all things AT related' I think it's called.

Suprazz

Hi,

Thanks for all the information.

Yes I'm new to c230. I bougth this car last year (change fews things, 2 broken front coil springs and 4 front control arms) and I didn't flush the tranny. The problem with this is my car didn't do that last year with -20c temperatures.

And yes I always wait a least 1 minute idle before I leave. Problem is still happen.

I'll check for what you says and I'll keep this post updated.

sammydragon3

oh ya u can reset your ecu which resets how your trans operates

turn the key to position 2 so all the lights on the cluster light up

press the gas pedal down until u press the button in and hold for 6 seconds

with your foot the holding the button down switch the key to position 1 ..so lights are off

then release your foot and leave the key in for a few mins

your car with hold the shift and feel brand new

Suprazz

good thing to know! I'll try this very soon!

Thanks!

Glyn M Ruck

As C230 Sport Coup has said at cold start the transmission holds gears to warm up the Cat quicky.

Your cars holding gears & harsh change is typical of one of the limp modes being triggered. Please read the stored codes with an OBDII scanner & post.

Check the transmission/TCU Electrohydraulic Bush for oil leaks. If it's leaking it's only a $8 part.

Suprazz

I also noticed that when my car don't want to shift in third gear, if I try to downshift or shift with the shifter, the indicator stays on D and wont go in 1-2-3-4.

When it happens, I stop on the side of the road, stop the car, restart it and everything is ok and transmission shift smooth.

I'll try to look at what you guys said tomorrow.

Glyn M Ruck

When you stop & restart. You are rebooting the TCU. Then it reads a fault again & goes into limp.

sammydragon3

u need to have your transmission checked for leaks , fluid level and fluid condition

as glen said the connector could be leaking and be messing up your tranmission control module this almost happend to me

try to stay away from dealers...find a shop that has experience with mercedes

Suprazz

Transmission is leaking for the driveshaft seal and there was also oil in the transmission connector.

I think I found the problem. Thanks again.

Now I need to find how to change this connector.

Glyn M Ruck

http://www.installuniversity.com/mb/...ans_oring.html

Suprazz

Ok easy thing to do.

I saw that only MB transmission fluid is recommanded in this transmission. Is that ok or tehre is other cheaper oil that will work well?

Glyn M Ruck

You must use approved fluid meeting 236.14. Ryder fleet products sell the Shell branded product which is fully approved for under $6 per quart. Many Benz dealers charge over $20 per quart.

OldSchoolC240

Glyn shouldn't have to do it all! Here's the thread I contributed to after I did my DIY following instructions found on this forum.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ml#post4763265

FWIW, I was ordered one less quart than I needed so I had to pick one up at the dealer. They charged me $18.50! Ryder's price was less than $5 per quart for the Shell labeled version of the same fluid. Nice profit margin if you can get it, huh?

Suprazz

Finally, after I cleaned the connector everything seems to go well but I just start to had other problems with the car like when the gear shift, the transmission goes in neutral instead, I also have a grinding noise from the transmission tunnel. And I got a P0700 check engine code.

I took the car to a garage (the guy is an ex mechanic from mercedes) and for the noise he told me that is the drive shaft center bearing (cheap part 46$ from mercedes) but for the transmission shift problem it's the body valve. The price of this part at mercedes is 1350$!!!!

This is really really expensive. This doesn't include the time to change it + the oil and everything else...

What do you guys think?

Thanks

Glyn M Ruck

If he knows what he is doing it is either the conductor plate $150 or the valve body & that price is good. The labor could be expensive.

Suprazz

I saw few conductor platefor sale on the internet.

What is exactly the body valve? The complete unit? And I can only buy this part at mercedes? I found nothing on the internet about the complete body valve...

Any ideas how can I be sure that is the right thing to do.

What about the noise. Is strange that this two things appear at the same time...

Suprazz

I just read that whining from the transmission is related to fluid problems. So I dont think the problem is the center bearing but the transmission.

Here is a list of code that came out of my transmission:
p2600
p2500
p2221
p220a
p2502
p2503
There is other codes but nothing related to the transmission.

the car is really hard to drive because it always gets in neutral while shifting. I'll open the transmission this weekend and check the valve body and install new fuild. I'm really not sure that the problem is the valve body and i dont want to pay 1350$ for this part.

Glyn M Ruck

I hope it does not sound like this?

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...need-help.html

P2500 The transmission has an impermissible transmission ratio.
P2502 The gear is implausible or the transmission is slipping.
P2503 The gear comparison is negative or the target gear is not reached.
P2510 The torque converter lock-up clutch causes impermissible closing.
P2511 Engaging of torque converter lockup clutch not permitted.
P2511 The torque converter lock-up clutch has excessive power consumption.
P2512 Actuation of torque converter lockup clutch is not possible
P2520 The feedback through the transmission protection is not maintained.
P2600 The voltage supply of circuit 87 has undervoltage.
P2601 The voltage supply of circuit 87 has overvoltage.
P2602 The voltage supply of the valves is faulty.
P2603 The voltage supply of the speed sensors is faulty.
P2221 NOx Sensor Heater Sense Circuit
P220a transmission speed sensor

I think you at least have a failed conductor plate. When you examine the valve body make sure you don't have a broken solenoid spring that has allowed a clutch pack to slip. Look for clutch wear debris on the filter & in the oil.

Y3/6 is the valve body or (electrohydraulic unit)

Suprazz

No it's not the same sound. Only doing the sound when the car is moving.
I found this: "The whining sound is usually caused by a blocked transmission filter, once the oil pressure starts to drop the gearbox will start to slip and the ecu will lock it in a gear until restart."

I'll check what you said this weekend. The mechanic told me he was sure it was the body valve and I absolutely need to change this but i wish it not this. I dont want to pay 1500 to repair my 6000 value mercedes...

Glyn M Ruck

Pleased it's not the Torque converter.

"The whining sound is usually caused by a blocked transmission filter, once the oil pressure starts to drop the gearbox will start to slip and the "TCU" will lock it in a gear until restart."

This is true. I hope if you clean up everything, put clean fluid into the thing & a new filter you might have caught it before any real damage is done. I've known a few survive that were caught early. If it's in a bad way you might have to flush the cooler & cooler lines & TC.

Your codes make me suspicious of the $150 conductor plate. Lets hope that a valve body clean, new filter & fluid rescues her. A complete transmission rebuild can cost what your car is worth. Let's hold thumbs. If you don't win a used transmission might be the answer.