GL Class (X164) 2007-2012: GL320CDI, GL420CDI, GL450, GL550

Help to identify issue

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Old Aug 22, 2015 | 05:38 AM
  #1  
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From: San Diego, CA
99 E55, 00 S500, 01 CLK55, 01 E320, 04 E320
Unhappy Help to identify issue

Hi, benz family

I have 08GL450 with 125K.
Around 110K i started to feel that my car start to jerk when i accelerate to around ~30mph. It is only few seconds jerking. Mostly on uphill, or when i brake to speed under ~30mph and accelerate. (right traffic-light turns, when you slow down to see if everything is okay and accelerate to turn and on ramps).

My Benz mechanic says that there is no codes and he can't identify the problem. He says maybe it is just me picky, and i better drive till whatever it is fails so we can know what was it.

So 15K miles later this jerks became are more obvious and more frequent.

It drives me mad!


Here is short maintenance history:

At 100K tranny oil and filter changed. Diff oil changed as well and transfer case oil was drained. steering pump failed- replaced it with used one. spark plugs were replaced at 110K plus after sp replacement had two misfires ( fix: 2 coils were replaced), plastic latch for manifold broke (fix: replaced with metal). P0420 light comes on sometimes stays few days then goes off, comes back after ~3000miles then goes, and back again.




PS. I have 2003 E500 and i had notorious issue with this year w211 issue (coolant leaking into tranny and destroying the tranny) Number 1 symptom was jerking on low speeds.

But it is two different kinds of jerking.

So the frequency of oscillation in my E500 was like:
_________-------------_________------------__________------------_________


so my GL's jerking frequency is like:


____------____-----_____-----____-----____----___ it feels like you fire AK47





Any ideas, people?
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Old Aug 24, 2015 | 11:01 AM
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2011 GL 350
My 2011 GL350 had similar symptoms. They replaced the torque converter (under extended warranty) and the problem was solved.
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Old Aug 24, 2015 | 06:08 PM
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From: San Diego, CA
99 E55, 00 S500, 01 CLK55, 01 E320, 04 E320
Originally Posted by scoe54
My 2011 GL350 had similar symptoms. They replaced the torque converter (under extended warranty) and the problem was solved.
How many miles you had on it? And which symptom made you to worry and take it to dealer??
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Old Aug 25, 2015 | 08:17 AM
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2011 GL 350
The mileage is approximately 160,000 kilometers, or about 100,000 miles. The car would shudder while accelerating, most noticeably in hot weather and stop and go traffic, but also did so (less frequently) at higher speeds and in other conditions. When I took it in, the service tech told me that I was the third car to come in during the past two weeks with the same problem, all solved by TC replacement.
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Old Sep 9, 2015 | 04:33 PM
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From: San Diego, CA
99 E55, 00 S500, 01 CLK55, 01 E320, 04 E320
Originally Posted by scoe54
The mileage is approximately 160,000 kilometers, or about 100,000 miles. The car would shudder while accelerating, most noticeably in hot weather and stop and go traffic, but also did so (less frequently) at higher speeds and in other conditions. When I took it in, the service tech told me that I was the third car to come in during the past two weeks with the same problem, all solved by TC replacement.

After watching this video:

I am pretty sure that my torque converter is the root of shatters.

My mechanic's friend's job is to rebuilt torque converters and as he described him, he is very good at it.

I might be wrong, but he said he will replace original spring with reinforced spring, and bore the aluminum hub out and replace it with steel hub to reinforce the torque converter to handle this heavy GL, and also he will change the cause of shatters - clutch.

And he ask only $650 versus dealer $1100.00.

So my car is in the shop right now. Lets see how it will work out
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Old Sep 9, 2015 | 05:17 PM
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A failing tq will not be limited to acting up only in the narrow scenario you are describing ie it will shudder at various shift points/ rpm/ throttle angles.

I would check engine and tranny bushings. Then I would connect star/ das and observe shift pressures / timing / duration.

A bad tq would be further down in my list of things to check...
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