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My w204 C300 4Matic transmission is bad. Again

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Old Aug 24, 2013 | 06:52 PM
  #1  
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From: Orlando FL
2009 C300 4Matic Sport
My w204 C300 4Matic transmission is bad. Again

Hi guys, a few months ago my transmission was making a weird whining noise, I took the car to the dealer and they said I'd need a new transmission since the front transfer case is bad.

They wanted 5k, so I went ahead and found a certified 30k miles tranny from a totaled '10 C300 4Matic.

I took the car to an European car shop and they replaced the tranny, keeping the old valve body so there won't be any issues with the newly placed transmission. Of course they flushed the oil and put new Mercedes OEM oil in it.

Now, just 6k miles later, I heard the same freaking noise again, coming from the front transfer case.

Is it because my luck is extremely bad? Or it is something else that is causing the transfer case to go bad in my car.

I hate it, you have no idea on how much I do... Need some help here, don't know what to do. So far I'll put a cover in the car and park it for a few weeks until I see what shall I do.

Thanks in advance.
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Old Aug 24, 2013 | 11:14 PM
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2010 C300 Sport 4MATIC
Can you describe the noise coming from the TC?
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Old Aug 24, 2013 | 11:32 PM
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2009 C300 4Matic Sport
Originally Posted by BigOilBenz
Can you describe the noise coming from the TC?
Whining noise, depends on the speed. Coming right from the transmission. Its not as bad now as it was before replacing the tranny, but it is definitely going to be as bad if I don't do something soon.
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Old Aug 25, 2013 | 09:08 AM
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From: Orlando FL
2009 C300 4Matic Sport
anyone?
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Old Aug 25, 2013 | 10:15 AM
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2010 C300 Sport 4MATIC
Did you do the tranny flush every 39k on your original tranny? I don't know if you would be able to tell that was done to the one you bought from the '10. Sorry I don't know much about it other than it's notorious for having issues and the 39k flush is supposed to help...
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Old Aug 25, 2013 | 10:16 AM
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2009 C300 4Matic Sport
I did the tranny flush at 40k miles with my original transmission. The replacement transmission was taken from a car with 30k miles, so regardless if the previous owner did or not the flush, my mechanic did it anyway before installing it into my car. Now the noise is there again.
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Old Sep 29, 2013 | 03:20 PM
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2009 C300 4Matic Sport
?
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Old Oct 28, 2013 | 09:16 AM
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2009 C300 4Matic Sport
I see little interest in this topic. But anyway, for the record;

The noise just got worse, I took the car to the dealer and they said yes, the transmission is bad again and its not something else in the car that is breaking it, its just that these transmissions suck!

At MB of South Orlando, the service department guy told me at least once a month they receive a 2008-2009 C300 4Matic with the same issue and that they are giving out new trannys at a "discounted" price of 5K installed.

I don't want to spend 5K. I'll probably get another used one to make it work without noise and sell the thing.
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Old Oct 28, 2013 | 06:29 PM
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2026 GLC300 4Matic (X254)
Sorry for your bad luck. The fragility of 4MATIC is why I chose the C250. If I required AWD, hate to say it, but I would have chosen the A4.

You are in Orlando - go get a RWD!
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Old Oct 28, 2013 | 06:33 PM
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2009 C300 4Matic Sport
Originally Posted by spyked
Sorry for your bad luck. The fragility of 4MATIC is why I chose the C250. If I required AWD, hate to say it, but I would have chosen the A4.

You are in Orlando - go get a RWD!
Yeah, I will as soon as I can get rid of this thing. I'm thinking on getting the 350.
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Old Oct 28, 2013 | 07:38 PM
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2011 C300W
it might be the driveshaft which can cause the transmission to fail. i dont know much about benz but it might be something with the drive train which not in the right angle or something... just my guessing
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Old Oct 28, 2013 | 08:31 PM
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late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Can you post a clip of the noise. Are you sure it's not the torque converter. BTW did you fit a new TC. If you rev the car in neutral does the whine increase with revs?
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Old Oct 28, 2013 | 10:56 PM
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2009 C300 4Matic Sport
Originally Posted by Glyn M Ruck
Can you post a clip of the noise. Are you sure it's not the torque converter. BTW did you fit a new TC. If you rev the car in neutral does the whine increase with revs?

If I rev the engine at P or Neutral I won't hear anything wrong. If I drive in a highway and put the car in neutral while going at highway speeds, I can clearly hear the noise, if I turn the car off while on highway speeds, I can still hear the noise.

I haven't try with another TC. When I replaced the whole transmission the noise disappeared completely for like 5 months or so.
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Old Oct 28, 2013 | 10:57 PM
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Will try to post a clip tomorrow.
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Old Oct 29, 2013 | 08:17 AM
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It's not the torque converter if the whine does not increase with engine revs in neutral so we have eliminated that. Sounds like a transfer case issue which is integral with the tranny.
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Old Oct 29, 2013 | 08:31 AM
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2009 C300 4Matic Sport
I have my old tranny in my garage, that tranny used to shift great besides the noise it was making, just as the transmission I have now, they both shift great.

Would anyone think I could have this tranny repaired? I was looking at the Mercedes Benz parts diagram for this transmission and I see they do sell the internal components of the transfer case.
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Old Nov 5, 2013 | 05:48 PM
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I have the same problem with my car... 2010 c300 4matic and its a horrible whining sound from low speeds all the way up to 75mph+

I hope you have better luck with this than i did... they're saying i have to replace the whole tranny which is ridiculous!!

a tech i took it to said it was some sort of throw-out or transfer bearing... does that sound right?
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Old Nov 5, 2013 | 07:51 PM
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2009 C300 4Matic Sport
Originally Posted by JungAhn
I have the same problem with my car... 2010 c300 4matic and its a horrible whining sound from low speeds all the way up to 75mph+

I hope you have better luck with this than i did... they're saying i have to replace the whole tranny which is ridiculous!!

a tech i took it to said it was some sort of throw-out or transfer bearing... does that sound right?
First case I see in a 2010. It is pretty sad, but I won't have any better luck than you did. All of us with the issue must replace the tranny.

The saddest of all is that after replacing it, the whining of death will be back soon.

I'll replace the tranny for the last time in a couple months, and then sell the car.
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Old Nov 6, 2013 | 08:14 AM
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2008 C300 Luxury
Is it just the 4Matic cars that seem to have this issue?
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Old Nov 6, 2013 | 08:31 AM
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I also had the same noise/issue in my 2010 c300 4matic CPO with 34500 miles . I took the car to my dealer and they replaced under warranty. I hope thats the end of that problem, if not , im done with it , it Will be traded in for something else. Maybe an A6.
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Old Dec 7, 2013 | 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by ggms16
First case I see in a 2010. It is pretty sad, but I won't have any better luck than you did. All of us with the issue must replace the tranny.

The saddest of all is that after replacing it, the whining of death will be back soon.

I'll replace the tranny for the last time in a couple months, and then sell the car.

Hi, could you do me a favor and post a video clip demonstrating the tranny whine? thx
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Old Mar 4, 2014 | 09:51 AM
  #22  
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2009 C300 4Matic Sport
Originally Posted by c3002008
Hi, could you do me a favor and post a video clip demonstrating the tranny whine? thx
Sorry. Didn't see this message before and sold the freaking car already
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Old Jun 16, 2015 | 07:49 PM
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C300 2008
I just dealt with the same problem. You should call MB customer service and complain.
800-222-0100....more people complain the more attention this unfortunate issue gets.
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=589517&goto=newpost
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Old Jul 7, 2015 | 12:16 AM
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C300 AMG SPORT
My 2010 4matic. Is in the garage, it will go into R and D with a loud zzzzzzzz. And will only go 10mph.
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Old Jul 8, 2015 | 09:18 PM
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2013 c350 Coupe
ggms, I'm sorry to hear about your issue and your bad luck. It almost seems like every day, another 1 or 2 of these issues gets posted. What would it take for MB to consider a possible recall on these vehicles? I understand MB is not a non-profit organization, so naturally they'd push back, but clearly there's a pattern of these transmissions failing way too soon, and with the same symptoms. Still, there's got to be a way for this to be considered as a possible recall. Thankfully, it's not an issue that can cause bodily harm or worse death, but I believe because of that, it also won't get the attention it deserves.
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