KYBRIGGS82

Hello again!
I have a 2012 GL350 which just turned 70,000 miles. I had the vehicle serviced last month at my local Mercedes Dealership and I was advised to have the transmission and differential serviced.
My questions are: What is required for servicing the transmission and what fluids should be used by my local transmission shop. What is the OEM Mercedes Benz part numbers for filters, parts and fluids. Also I want the transmission shop to replace the rear differential grease so what grade or type of grease should be used?
Everyones help in the past, has helped guide me through brake rotor and pad replacements as well as air bag replacements.
Thanking you in advanced for your continued mechanical support.
K. Briggs
Central California

chassis

I am a believer in changing lubricant of all lubricated devices. This means transmission, front differential, transfer case, and rear differential. And engine.

I would have the MB dealer do this work. The MB oil specifications are a bit of a maze, and it's relatively high likelihood that a "transmission shop" will not be knowledgeable enough, unless they specifically can prove to you that they have the correct specification, and that they have years of experience with Mercedes drivetrains.

ATF --> you need to check which transmission you have by running your VIN through datamb.com
https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-...012-gl350.html

Master data source, in German
https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevol...triebeoel.html

alx

The 7g tranny and center diff need to have their oil changed every 50k miles or so. The front/ rear diffs are good for 100k miles.

Bring truck to dealer. For this type of service it is money well- spent.

KYBRIGGS82

So a ballpark figure, what would be the average cost of servicing the transmission of my 2012 GL350 at 71,000 miles at a local Mercedes service department?
I want to make sure I’m not being taken to the cleaners.
Thanks

TX07GL450

Here in Sugar Land, TX, MB dealer charged me about $350 for transmission service in 12/2017.

Max Blast

The tranny service at the dealer is a no brainer...$350-400 typically with a coupon and they’ll also be able to read your transmission codes and advise you if the contractor plates need replaced...which they always do.

Front and back diffs are easy diy if you have a lift and the right hex tool - remember to open the fill port first before you drain it...i used Mobil 1 75w-90.

center diff takes a good quality atf - it’s just a chain. I used redline atf. Open fill port first.

quantities are in your owners manual.

KYBRIGGS82

Holy Cow! I contacted my local Mercedes dealer in Modesto, Ca. and asked them for an estimate for a transmission service on my 2012 Gl350 with 71,000 miles. I was told $822.00 for the transmission service including filters and fluid. Really! I contacted Mercedes Benz of Pleasanton, Ca and I was advised the same service was $625.00 but if I needed the 70,000 mile service along with the recommended A/C service and oil change then the total amount was $950.00.. None of these estimates include a new conductor plate if needed.
I have a hard time believing there’s much difference in using Jiffy Lube, a local transmission shop or the Mercedes Benz dealership for a transmission service. I just can’t see throwing another $1,000 into this vehicle after just replacing the brakes and air bags.
Any ideas?

chassis

Transmission service is regular maintenance. Not doing it is risking the longevity of the transmission. What is your target mileage to dispose of this vehicle?

Jiffy Lube likely doesn't service many M-B transmissions, which may mean they don't use the correct specification fluid for your vehicle, and potentially do not precisely follow the M-B service procedure. It's a risk I would not take.

KYBRIGGS82

I would like to keep the vehicle a year or two more but I just have a hard time giving away my money. Interesting to me was two dealerships have two different cost estimates. I don’t understand how a preventative transmission service can cost me $800.

chassis

You have choices on the transmission service.

- don't do it
- DIY
- Jiffy Lube
- Indy shop
- M-B dealer

I would call 2 Indy shops near you, and call all of the M-B dealers in a 2 hour radius to compare prices. The choose your option and get the work done.

Max Blast

#1 is funny - But: you might actually hear some of the indies and the dealer actually recommend you don't do it.

Their rationale is the old wives tale that flushing a transmission with no known maintenance history of changing fluid at recommended intervals will actually cause premature failure, due to the new fluid containing less grit and wear materials in it, causing the tranny to start slipping. Well, ask yourself - do they add that grit in the factory, because a tranny with 9 miles on it still needs to function.
I don't subscribe to that logic.

I can see a scenario where the new fluid's detergents dislodge stuck grit and particulates, and circulate that through the tranny to cause even more wear and slipping - but you should also r/r the filter to prevent this from happening.

Max

Max Blast

Call around...should be around $400 at the dealer.
Don't cop to anything else.

eric_in_sd

The rationale is that the new fluid causes solids to dislodge all at once, causing damage before they are absorbed by the filter. Also, there are devices and sensors in the bottom of the pan, which receive unfiltered oil, that get contaminated by the grit. I guess if it hits all at once, the sensors can get plugged or something.

The recommendation is that if a transmission has not had the fluid changed in >50k miles, or has an unknown interval to the last change, you only change the oil in the transmission and not the torque converter. This is a "fluid change" and changes only half the oil. A fluid flush changes all the oil at once. When in doubt, just do a fluid&filter change.

eric_in_sd

I would not go to an indy unless you are confident they know how to fill the transmission correctly, and they will use the correct fluid.

I took my GL to a transmission shop at 120k miles. Clean bill of health, although some sensor errors had appeared. 10k miles later, transmission disintegrates. Was it about due to self destruct? Did they not fill with the right quantity? Did they use the wrong fluid? I didn't check the latter two.

Next transmission service, I'm doing myself.

Bimmer777

7G transmission oil change runs ~$600 here in tri-state area. California seems to charge even more. Transmission oil change on these is a bit of a pain as you have to heat up the oil before you fill. I am not sure everybody follows the procedures, specifically Indy shops. This is why the only time my cars visited a dealer was for transmission oil changes.

not2fast

Any try this fluid? Shell ATF 134 Mercedes Benz Transmission Fluid 236.14 236.12

KYBRIGGS82

Yay for me... I was online and located (2) identical coupons at Mercedes Benz of Encino, Ca. and Mercedes Benz of Valencia, Ca offering a full transmission service for my vehicle at $449.00. I took the coupon to my Mercedes Benz dealership yesterday and they honored the coupon which saved me $400.00. Service was a couple of hours and I walked away a happy man.
Thank you everyone for your input!

eric_in_sd

I'm a little alarmed they "reseal" the bottles.

There is no magic pixie dust in the MB spec ATF. MB doesn't make their own; they don't have their own oil drills and refineries and chemical plants. The spec is the spec.

not2fast

I read one of the reviews on that.

"These bottles ship as neatly re-sealed and securely re-packaged NEW original containers, of course with NEW fluid inside. Seller simply takes the extra precautionary step of placing a plastic film around each neck and replacing the cap, and also bagging each quart, before boxing. A very nice idea, one that makes double sure that you get every drop you ordered, and nobody faces a sloppy mess in transit, etc., thank you very much!

What you'll get: Fresh new clean ATF fluid that your car's transmission deserves and needs, to keep happily shifting day after day. If you've got more than 40,000 miles on your existing transmission fluid, it's time. Example: 2004 C240…there's typically 4 quarts in the pan itself, and another half dozen or so in the torque converter. Note, there's a full quart left in the pan after draining because it's female plug-housing stands up about 1/4-inch up inside the pan…so typically only THREE quarts drain out when plug is removed. That's convenient, as this Amazon item ships 6 quarts...…i routinely drain twice, once before and once after driving a few days in-between. In other words, i cannot FULLY flush the system myself all in one shot, so my goal is to improve the overall mix every year using this approach. Every 50,000 miles, my transmission pan comes off to fit a fresh filter and pan gasket, and inspection of the pan's little magnet fragment grabber, for completeness. Entire process takes about an hour. Just measure what comes out, and replace that same amount into the correct under-hood orifice. There are two, one for engine oil, one for transmission fluid. The engine oil tube is easy to reach, while the transmission tube is hidden against the firewall requiring yank intake filter housing…a good time to swap those air intake filters while yeratit."

not2fast

Is there a place to check the transmission fluid condition on a GL550? I can't find the locked tube.

http://www.mercedesmedic.com/how-to-...mercedes-benz/

eric_in_sd

You still don't know. I'm not saying there's a problem; I'm just warning people that something could have happened from there to here.

eric_in_sd

Nope. No dipstick tube. You literally have to put a drain tube up the drain hole into the oil pan, so the excess overflows when at operating temperature.

not2fast

Such a dumb design. I am used to using Liqui Moly and I didn't see they made anything for this transmission. According to service records my transmission fluid was changed about 17k ago, but I do enough
towing that I would rather change it more frequently. It would have been nice to see what it looked like but it looks like before doing anything.

eric_in_sd

Yeah, it's strongly recommended that you do one of two things: Change it yourself or take it to the dealer.

ddruker

It’s not too bad to do yourself. Takes me about two hours. Would be much faster if you have a lift. The only special tools you need are an adapter for your fluid transfer pump to screw into the transmission fill / drain plug, and an infrared thermometer. While you are doing the transmission, also do the diffs and the transfer case - those are super easy...