Transmission fluid drain/fill
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 9
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2003 CLK500
Transmission fluid drain/fill
Does anyone who has successfully changed their transmission fluid have any guidance or tips then can give to someone who has never done it before? Where can I find the plug to drain the old fluid on the w209? Where does the filter go? I found the right filter/gasket parts and the fluid but I wasn't able to locate any concrete information about a DIY transmission fluid change on the w209. Thanks.
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 44
From: PA
09 CLK550
I changed the filter on my 2005 CLK55 AMG last week.
Drained what I could from the torx bolt on the bottom of the tranny, was about 3.1Qt.
Removed the pan via the 6 allen-key bolts. The rear, passanger side bolt had a small heatshield-looking thing attached to it.
Drained the pan and pulled off the filter. About another 0.2Qt came out.
Clipped the new filter in and put it all back together.
Took about 30mins.
The tranny fill tube is in the very back of my engine bay by the oil tube. Had to break the red tab off the black cap to open it. SLOWLY added 3Qt of MB Auto tranny fluid. Took it out for another drive and added the remaining 0.3Qt.
That was about 500mi ago and no issues.
Fluid that came out was nasty but not terrible. 46,000mi on it.
Note: This doesn't flush everything, there is another couple quarts in the torque converter. You could drain that too but its a pain trying to find the drain plug through the bell housing. You'll need someone to turn the engine over while you look from underneath.
Drained what I could from the torx bolt on the bottom of the tranny, was about 3.1Qt.
Removed the pan via the 6 allen-key bolts. The rear, passanger side bolt had a small heatshield-looking thing attached to it.
Drained the pan and pulled off the filter. About another 0.2Qt came out.
Clipped the new filter in and put it all back together.
Took about 30mins.
The tranny fill tube is in the very back of my engine bay by the oil tube. Had to break the red tab off the black cap to open it. SLOWLY added 3Qt of MB Auto tranny fluid. Took it out for another drive and added the remaining 0.3Qt.
That was about 500mi ago and no issues.
Fluid that came out was nasty but not terrible. 46,000mi on it.
Note: This doesn't flush everything, there is another couple quarts in the torque converter. You could drain that too but its a pain trying to find the drain plug through the bell housing. You'll need someone to turn the engine over while you look from underneath.
Last edited by ambit; Jul 7, 2011 at 10:37 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,632
Likes: 150
C63s Cabriolet, BMW M4, Civic
Yup......only a few didn't have any problem DIY afterward but alot people reported problems with hard shifting. The tranny service is the only service i paid Mercedes to do on all Mercedes i owned because Mercedes check and recalibrate valves body pressure within spec. after service done.
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Joined: Jul 2011
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clk55
Yup......only a few didn't have any problem DIY afterward but alot people reported problems with hard shifting. The tranny service is the only service i paid Mercedes to do on all Mercedes i owned because Mercedes check and recalibrate valves body pressure within spec. after service done.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,700
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From: EURO Style
Euro Cars Only
I had my MB dealership do that 2 weeks ago. I thought about doing it myself then changed my mind. Leave it to the pros. Cost me 400. Then again they did a complete drain, changed all fluids and now she is running extra smooth.
