latent

Over the two weeks I have had my E320 CDI, it has, on several occassions exhibited jerky transmission problems. Sometimes not changing up a gear when it should. I took it to my MB dealer yesterday and they could not re-create the problem. However, they hooked it up to their diagnostics tools and noticed from the vehicle log that indeed there had been transmission problems. They have told me that they need to order a part for the transmission..some valve assembly that fits beneath the box, that helps change gears (sorry I am not a car techie!!!). I have to go back to get it fitted on the 20th.

Anyone else had similar parts replaced?

Apart from this ..I do love the car..the V6 engine is a beauty//just a shame it needs attention so soon

rjm

E-430 transmission failed at 24,000 miles. Cause was transmission seal leaking fluid into Transmission Control Module. Cost to fix: $3000. If you will do a search you will find a history of transmission problems with MB.

CE750

I would venture to guess that the tran failure rate on a MB is not better or worse than 95% of the car makers out there.. This site is anecdotal and not a measure of how reliable a car is just because members post a problem.

Here compare the E to the venerable Accord in terms of "reliability" do you see a major problem? I sure don't.

E class Reliability

Accord Reliability

I would have used Lexus, but they had no info on Autobytel.

CE750

Here rjm... click on this and see how unreliable MB transmissions are: Detailed Report

it's a .pdf file so make sure you have acrobat

You will notice, that mechanically the MB is superior to most cars, and ONLY in the electrical world (surprise!) do we have work to do.

Please stop spreading misinformation on MB based on your anecdotal experience with them.. you know better.

avb777

I just bought a 2006 E-500 3 weeks ago. I am having the same problem with trany jerking and acting abnormal sometimes. I am going to take it to a dealer soon.

genechien

are you trying to say that mercedes doesn't have a big and documented problem with their transmissions (coolant leaking into the transmission)?

CE750

define "big" 1 in 100, 1 in 1000... what is a "big problem?" I would expect the failure rate of parts to be in the .01% range for reliable parts, so if a single part is .1% unreliable, it could cause a "documented issue".. that doesn't make all MB transmissions unreliable. The Autobytet numbers are there for you to see... the MB trans is more reliable than average.

rjm

CE750 has been drinking that Kool-Aid since he bought his W211 Diesel 6 months or so ago. You will NEVER convice him otherwise.....nor will you ever find him regarding Mercedes-Benz with any degree of objectivity. You can read his posts and see that Mercedes is PERFECT...they have never had a significant problem with any of their cars

All I do is relate the experience I had with mine, and refer you to others who have experienced similar problems...widespread problems that MB ignores and leaves it to the consumer to pick up the bill for the repair. The transmission problems with the E-Series cars are well-known and documented on this and other forums.

CE750

you only need to read the other posts I've just recently made to see that I am VERY critical of MB, in terms of MBUSA.. The car is however almost perfect.

I never go your comments on the Autobytel data? I don't see any endemic issues, did you?

HELL ONA HARLEY

1 1/2 years and over 23,000 miles and my tranny has been absolutly perfect....

CE750

Kinda like Groundhog day, ain't it HoH? :p

starrman

I came on this forum tonight because on the way home on the freeway at 75 mph our 2006 E350 mysteriously went out of gear and the rpms just revved. Fortunately we were able to get to the emergency lane and tried to put it back into gear to no avail. Finally turned off car and restarted and now transmission seems fine. Anyone else had this problem; the vehicle has less than 2000 miles. It was not a good feeling and was not operator error.

MB owner since 1980.

lig

My '03 tranny was lousy too. At least the A/C was fine.

techbike

is now exhibiting this very same problem.. I'm glad I found this thread. The first time it happened I thought I was hit from the rear!

It's going in next week.

MB Fanatic

Damn am I the only one with a blessed transmission in all my Mercedes cars or what?

ruykava

ah, the rjm - ce750 saga goes on... :p

lets put it this way: i'm sure there are SOME sort of transmission issues in a small number of MBs. on a more general level, i know what you guys mean when you say there's a "thunk" sometimes, especially from 1st to 2nd gear. it FEELS like you've lost a gear very momentarily - like the clutch (i know there isn't one in an auto, but feels like it) is depressed - but not quite like it because the revs stay constant; but it is not a loss of gearing. just a delayed change.

i do not know why that happens - it's happened perhaps twice or thrice on my E until today, always completely randomly. but it's never been a safety issue - just a thunk and nothing more. my guess is: look at how you're driving the car - if you often linger slightly on the accelerator but don't quite press down on it, it's likely to happen as the car tries to figure out what you want to do. the E likes to be driven in a constant way. that's my guess anyway from my experience.

starrman: i'm not sure what your problem was, but i seriously doubt it went out of gear. if it did, at 75mph, i doubt you would have avoided an accident. try putting a car driving at 75mph in neutral gear. i'm glad you're ok - do let us know what the service people say.

CE750

We're part of the free entertainment package with your MBWorld.org membership

Seriously, it cracks me up how anecdotal stories about cars failing that make it onto the internet some how become the rule, and not the exception. I have posted a link above showing how MB trans are MORE reliable than the average, and not less, and nobody bothers to read it.

You figure MB sells some 1,000,000 E's world wide, and maybe .5% have some kind of major problem.. so that's going to be 50000 cars, you KNOW about 5% of those people are going to be active internet users so that's now 2500 people... don't you think that it's at all possible that the 2500 with those problems, are in some respect represented here? and the other 950,000 100% satisfied customers are the rest of us?

The E is reliable, certainly more than average.. whether it's as reliable as a $60+ car should be, that's a whole another story.

SAguirre

I don't think that you are the only one. I am on my second automatic MB and I had a 5-speed MB as well. All have been absolutely reliable. So far my 2004 E320 4-Matic with 11,000 miles and just over one year of use has been spot on. Mind you that I do run it through the ringer on occasion over the mountain passes.

I am certain that there are some issues with some. As a matter a fact I think that there have been some internal leaks that cause problems with the electric valve body of these transmissions.

So far I have been lucky and happy. I did buy an extended warranty just in case I keep my car past the original warranty.

Steve

starrman

I assure you that is what indeed happened. Fortunateluy we were able to get over a couple lanes to the side of the road...thank God! We are actually going to the football game with our local MB dealer so I will bring it up. I think it was probably an electronics issue. Those electronics can be very touchy at times. I will let you know and thanks for responding.

techbike

>>Seriously, it cracks me up how anecdotal stories about cars failing that make it onto the internet some how become the rule, and not the exception. I have posted a link above showing how MB trans are MORE reliable than the average, and not less, and nobody bothers to read it.<<

It's human nature. We drive MB cars because of it's reputation of quality and reliability; so, any news to the contrary is of interest so we can fix it! An affirmation of our reasoning for buying MB requires nothing more than a nod and a sigh of relief; but then when something goes wrong, we find all means to reassure ourselves that we didn't make the wrong decision, and find means to right what went wrong.

rjm

What reputation?? Are you still living in the 80's? In the latest J.D. Powers Dependibility Study Mercedes-Benz rate 28th out of 38 cars rated. I wouldn't exactly call that a sterling "reputation of quality and reliability."

ruykava

i'm not surprised - the test was for vehicles bought in 2001 (3 year old vehicle, and report issued in 2004). that WAS a bad year for MB, especially for the S-class which, pre-facelift, i absolutely agree was disappointing in the quality department.

but the current crop is a very different story. and so is the crop just before that.

in fact, Merc won the ADAC reliability survey this year. for the A-class and E-class, if i remember correctly. i'm not saying there aren't any problems. just that they're not common although there are unlucky people out there, whose frustration i can certainly share.

so yes - i am slightly worried about Merc electrics - but (i heard) they're relying less on Bosch nowadays, which apparently was the source of many problems. so that's good.

my uncle's LX470 just went into the shop the second time in 3 years now - air suspension failure. my S, also air-suspended, has never had a problem yet - so far! :p

i've experienced brake failure once, and steering failure once, and i know how such failures can be harrowing experiences. both times it was in a proton (which incidentally, is the 3rd most reliable brand according to JD Powers Asia Pacific's IQS ).

avb777

Starrman,

I hade exactly the same thing happend to me on the freeway twice and I just bought the car less then a month ago.

CE750

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosins...uto-342898.htm

looks like Scion beat out Lexus for best brand in this survey.. does this mean you'll trade in you LS for a Scion now rjm?

also, looks like the CDI place rather well on the survey.

MB Fanatic

I had a 2001 E320 with over 60K miles on it and it was flawless. Not a single problem I would say be major or left be stranded. They replaced the harmonic balancer in 2002 since it was out of specs and a fuel sensor. Other than that it had no problems. By far the best vehicle I had owned IMO.