SLOWSUX

Bought new 2014, currently 73K miles. Serviced as required at MB dealerships. Problem: TCU replaced after car message came up on dash to take to dealer do not shift. Delivered 27 OCT 18, driven 800 miles, Car shut down on highway. This was 29 days after repair. Service invoice stated TCU replaced, 6 quarts topped off. I noticed it had no gear additive as was done during the transmission flush at the 60K maintenance service. Of course car is out of warranty. Dealership states the gear additive is not required. But apparently it is in the MB instruction, was done at 60K and estimate to replace transmission ($13,000.00) has gear additive on estimate. MB good willing 50% but dealership wont do anything. Said I didn't buy the car there. Question: anyone know if gear additive is "optional?" Why would MB start including it in 2016 in their instructions if it isn't necessary? I am not sure what MB warranty cold possibly be, since when they replaced the TCU they did not mention seeing anything amiss in the fluid they drained. When the car go back there (towed) there were metal shards galore. Completely destroyed. I don't feel culpable- I think the dealership messed up and should pick up the other 50% or something. Car has been non drivable since 25 NOV 18.
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2014 E400 Hybrid
2014 GL 450
2015 GTs (the fun car)

mjsbenz

I agree with your initial assessments. Something was not done properly during the service and the dealer should be responsible. I would get on the phone with MB customer service. Get to a person open a file number. And become a pain in their *** by contacting them weekly.

On the dealership side, I would speak to the principals of the dealership and begin the discussions about their responsibilities. Make noise.

ygmn

Yeah... but
Mabe the tranny just decided to fail after they messed with it thru no fault of theirs.

So how did it fail this time?

SLOWSUX

Thanks. Making noise today. I have tried to do this systematically, from the bottom up. Dealership really does not want to take any responsibility.

SLOWSUX

The dealership service people really could not answer that. There were metal shards all over the place. My home service people think the wrong fluid was added and not using the additive was a nogo. The car is 1200 miles from home. Not in a great position.

kajtek1

The truth is that having car at dealer 1200 miles from home puts you in their mercy.
At this point IMHO taking 50% goodwill is the best option, but I would take the old transmssion and out of curiosity take it apart.
sorry man

ygmn

Is there not a powertrain warranty this would be covered under?

Keep fighting for FREE WARRANTY work.

Woudl your dealership warranty it?
Maybe worth putting car on hauler and have delivered to them.

SLOWSUX

Yup. I am at their mercy. They send the transmission back to Germany.

kajtek1

Rereading it, isn't TCU located inside the cabin? Why they did need to top-off 6l of ATF ? If they list it in quarts, that would mean they used aftermarket ATF.
sounds fishy.

kajtek1

Did you agree to it? You should have the right to inspection report.

SLOWSUX

My normal dealership said if I could get it there, they would honor the 50% and pull some discounts. I would much rather have my dealership service this car then where it is at. They screwed it up once, and had only seen 1 hybrid before mine. I lack all confidence in their ability to get it right. I have looked at shipping it- thanks to the fact it is inoperable- the price went up 300.00. Still trying to work it.

SLOWSUX

The TCU is located under the transmission. I wish I could upload the pictures. It was a mess. They told me in order to replace the TCU they also had to do a transmission fluid change. On the invoice of work performed, it did not state they actually did do the transmission flush at all, but it did say they topped off the fluids. And did not use the gear additive.

SLOWSUX

I am not very good at this message board. I am not sure what you mean when you ask "if I agreed to it?" Do you mean did I say they can now do the transmission replacement? If that is the question- it is coming from Germany so they did order it. If by change a miracle happens and my normal dealership calls and says they will comp some of this- I will get it on a truck and pay the 1300.00 to have it fixed at a place know stands behind their work.

konigstiger

If I understand you initial repair was performed under warranty and failure occurred out of warranty. Although applicable to out of pocket repair, given elapsed time out of warranty argue MBUSA for free replacement citing 12 month/unlimited mileage and/or 24 month/24,000 mile transmission warranty: https://www.yourmercedes.com/parts-warranty

kajtek1

What konigstiger brings is long shoot as it always "the other part, not the one we replaced" that fails.
What I was asking about why the transmission was send to Germany? If it is of warranty, it is your transmission and you make the orders

MBNUT1

Here is another hypothesis. The transmission was being damaged as part of the TCU going south or the transmission was starting to fail and began contaminating the valve body causing TCU not to work correctly and it ultimately gave up the ghost after the TCU was replaced. Would be good to know what the codes were that drove the TCU replacement.