Hi, I already tried searching and didn't come up with any definitive way to determine if my radiator is a Valeo. Does anyone have a picture or can give me an answer as to how I know if it is a Valeo? It is black, and I don't see any writing anywhere.

It has a small label on top of the rad which is hard to see. I tried looking from quite a few openings and angles until I noticed it.

If you have a Behr, you'll find its ID sticker on the bottom, in the middle of the lower radiator tank.

If you do indeed have the dreaded Valeo, insist that your dealer perform a Glycol test. It's a warranty job; Star Bulletin #P-B-27.55/50f.

Outside of warranty though. If it's valeo, would the smart thing to do be to just replace radiator and flush radiator fluid AND transmission fluid or is that overkill without the glycol test?

Some may think it's overkill without the glycol test, but I had it all done. The peace of mind was WAY worth the extra $$.

i thought the issue with the rad was not if it will fail but when. i had mine replaced, tranny fluid flushed. car runs like a dream now. very smooth.

you can flush or test but in a month the rad could fail, what then? by the time you recognise you have a problem you may need a new tranny or toque convertor....$$$$$.

DO IT NOW!

Yeah, I'm gonna do it within the next couple weeks. I got a motorcycle so I will ride that mostly till the radiator is fixed. I think all at the same time I'll change radiator, intercooler pump, flush transmission fluid, and flush radiator coolant. That should alleviate me from the dreaded problems Isn't there a Transmission Control Unit software upgrade from 02 to 03 that I could ask for as well to the dealer or is that pushing it?

Does Star Bulletin #P-B-27.55/50f list any other models besides the C32 with this problem ? or just the C32 ????

Not all Valeo radiators are bad. There is the bad Valeo that caused coolant to leak into the transmission system (as described in the TSB, it's the way the radiator expansion tanks are crimped together) and the updated Valeo that was to mitigate that problem (I know because I have the updated Valeo, and it does not look anything like the one shown in the TSB). The only is thing that the updated Valeo radiator part number did not last long because it was replaced when MB switched radiator suppliers for the subsequent model year. I checked part numbers with a dealer and it seems to confirm the frequent updating (or superseding) of radiator part number year after year.

Hope this helps.

OK i thought all 2002 c32s had the "defective" rads??

AWDman,

You got me there...mine is an 03, TJ_Andrews did not mention 02 only so I posted my obersvation. So I should have put: "03 and on have different Valeo rads...

I wouldn't be able to speak for 02's.

Cheers.

Mine is a 2002 (went into service June of 2002) and it doesn't have the Valeo radiator. There's no record on the VMI of it being replaced either.

OE Behr installed at birth in mine too!

Where do you find the Model of your car that you mentioned here?

It's listed in the "technical data" section of the operator's manual. C32=203.065

Is this a good deal on a Behr radiator?

http://replacement.autopartswarehous...diator&dp=true

The first one.

here's where i got mine $189 oem behr.
https://mbworld.org/forums/c32-amg-c55-amg-w203/175571-189-good-price-radiator.html

You end up installing it yourself or you get it professionally done?

The dealer install a Valeo radiator in my car before I bought it. There is a sticker on the top that has 11/4/2004 on it, so hopefully it's the new one and won't leak.

Anyone think I should say screw it and get the Behr?

Does anyone have any more up to date and accurate information on how to determin whether a C32 has a Valeo? Mine is missing the label it seems and I can't verify the make of the radiator.

GT4AWD mentioned that the crimps are different. But different how?

Valeo connection...

Trying to figure out what that picture is a picture of.

The end tank on the radiator. Bottom side.

Never checked my radiator until now that this thread was resurrected. I do have the Valeo radiator but the part number is A 203 500 39 03, with a date of 04/02/05 which is not listed on the list that Splinter provided here in 2007. My car is a 2002, does this mean the first owner might of encountered the glycol contamination and therefore replacing it..? Production date was 02/2002..

Sounds like yours has already been replaced. Where did you find the part number that you referenced?