911grizzly

I've owned this car since 2018, purchased from dealer as CPO at 30,000 kms and I have complete service history. Car is in beautiful condition, location Toronto.

The Service Booklet that came in the owner's manual pouch in my car recommends the following "Additional maintenance work" at the intervals noted:

• Fuel filter replaced at 240,000 km (Service 11)
• Spark Plugs replaced at 100,000 km/5 years (Service 12)
• Replace coolant at 240,000 km/15 years (Service 13)
• Auto trans oil change and filter replaced at 120,000 km (Service 20)
• Transfer case oil change at 120,000 km (Service 20)

Not included in the above list are engine oil & filter changes, engine and cabin air filters, brake fluid changes, and other minor services listed in the "A" and "B" services. There is also a comment about checking and replacing the "poly v-belt" as necessary.

My car is now 8 years old with about 85,000 kms. I like to do as much of the simpler maintenance tasks as possible myself.

Oil changes, and air filters have been changed (lately by me in my garage) and various services A&B have been done at the dealer. I'm now considering having the above listed additional maintenance items performed by the dealer as preventative.

I am considering having the dealer change the transfer case oil. Hopefully that will help avoid future 4-matic trans issues.

I would like to change the spark plugs myself, but the procedure looks a bit too complicated and time-consuming for my abilities, so I think I'll get the dealer to do that too.

I had the automatic transmission oil and filter changed last year at an indy mechanic.

The recommended coolant change at 15 years seems way too long, so I think I will also have that changed at the dealer.

That leaves the fuel filter and poly v-belt. Wondering if I should change the v-belt as preventative since it is now 8 years old.

What's up with the fuel filter change - is that a complicated procedure?

Interested in comments on my thoughts.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

I don't know what your mechanical skills are, or what your set up for tools is, but it may be best to have those services done by the dealer or a good Mercedes shop. It will cost you a lot more than doing it yourself, but you do need special tools to perform some of those items. Spark plugs on your engine are really quite easy, but you MUST use the correct plugs (either Mercedes genuine plugs or NGK 96427) and torqued precisely to 23 NM. Below is from the RockAuto.com website.

S-Prihadi

My comment in blue

S-Prihadi

I am very an-al on my E400 maintenance, due to my average speed of 21KM/H only because of insane traffic jam of Jakarta city.
So by hours my fluids are OLD, not by KM / mileage.

Simple facts :
20,000KM tranny oil change is 1,000 hours running for me.
5,000KM engine oil is 200 hours running for me.

Fuel filter by pressure, read here :
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...er-change.html

and

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...el-filter.html


Hours engine/machine running is how marine and industrial machine oil life is rated at, as it is the most accurate way actually.
There is what we call SEVERE CONDITIONS noted for oil changes shorter interval. My condition met that category, hence I keep short oil life.
Engine , Tranny , Rear DIFF, Front DIFF oil is cheap if you can do DIY.

911grizzly

Follow up:

I took my 2016 S212 E400 to the MB dealer in Toronto and asked for the spark plugs to be replaced, and for the transfer case fluid and rear differential fluid to be changed. The first two tasks were done, but not the transfer case fluid change.

The explanation of why the transfer case fluid was not changed (from the "service advisor") was that this fluid is changed as part of the transmission fluid change. (Aside - I hate the concept of a "service advisor" who acts as a conduit between the customer and the mechanic who works on your car. I find that typically service advisors are not mechanics and the information flow between customer and mechanic gets distorted. That's why I prefer an indy mechanic who runs his own shop.)

The cost of the services performed was $1039 CAD, including tax at 13%. That is around USD$676, excluding tax, at current exchange rates (inflated USD or depressed CAD). Around half of this amount was to replace the plugs, the other half to replace the rear diff fluid. Also the cost of the parts was about half the bill - for example the rear diff fluid is shown as 2 units of "hypoid gear oil" (probably 2 litres) at $101 per unit!

The cost of replacing the plugs is what I was expecting, and I know I could do it but could not find the time soon enough that I knew it would take me to (slowly) figure out the plug change process.

The rear diff fluid change was more expensive than I thought. I don't have a lift, and I'm a bit uncomfortable working under the car on jack stands, so I decided to have the dealer do this job that I know I could do myself.

I am left confused by the explanation of the transfer case fluid change. I did get the transmission fluid changed recently by an indy shop I trust, so based on the service advisor's advice the transfer case fluid was changed at the same time. The service booklet for my car lists the transmission fluid change and the transfer case fluid change as separate services, which conflicts with what the service manager stated.

Also confusing is that the service booklet does not mention anything about a rear differential fluid change for the E400 variant, although it is listed for the E63 variant.

Finally, the service booklet mentions nothing about changing front differential fluid (my car is 4 matic).

By way of comparison, my F150 (like most 4WD trucks) has all these driveline parts which require separate fluid changes: front diff, transfer case, transmission, rear diff.

Andre Cateb

The transfer case in mounted at the rear of the transmission in 4matic cars. I'm no expert since all mine cars have been RWD only but I would suspect it shares the same oil with the transmission. I do not recall if my W212 E400 has an interval to change the differential oil on its booklet. I do recall a note there for the AMG cars as you mentioned. However, it wouldn't hurt to change it every once in a while as S-Prihadi mentioned. I would recommend confirming with the dealer if the changed the oil on your both differentials or just the rear one.