Questions for those who tow
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2013
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From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
There is no hidden AMG menu on a diesel ML, and I would certainly steer clear of any kind of "hacking" which is what that would be. Besides, why would you even care what the transmission temperature is unless you are changing the fluid? It is not something you need to keep an eye on any more than your fuel rail pressure or intake air temperature... for all intents and purposes, in this case it is useless information.
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Joined: Jan 2011
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2014 ML350 Bluetec, 2003 C230K
Thanks! I'm just over the border, so next time I go to IKEA I'll stop in and check them out.
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 20
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2014 ML350 Bluetec, 2003 C230K
Besides, why would you even care what the transmission temperature is unless you are changing the fluid? It is not something you need to keep an eye on any more than your fuel rail pressure or intake air temperature... for all intents and purposes, in this case it is useless information.
All this being said, if anyone has a good ODB PID for transmission temp, that would be the easiest way to get the data. If not I think I'll get an icarsoft.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2013
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From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
I was hoping there was something in the engineering menu. I was able to change my mpg range from 0-60 to 0-40, add an "off-road display" and change my clock there, without "hacking".
We're in a towing thread. Transmission temperature is absolutely good info to have when towing. Overcooking the fluid will destroy it, and you can show down or stop while towing if it gets too high. Don't assume that just because it's useless info to *you*, that it's useless to everyone...
All this being said, if anyone has a good ODB PID for transmission temp, that would be the easiest way to get the data. If not I think I'll get an icarsoft.
We're in a towing thread. Transmission temperature is absolutely good info to have when towing. Overcooking the fluid will destroy it, and you can show down or stop while towing if it gets too high. Don't assume that just because it's useless info to *you*, that it's useless to everyone...
All this being said, if anyone has a good ODB PID for transmission temp, that would be the easiest way to get the data. If not I think I'll get an icarsoft.
And yes, while I certainly agree that ATF temperature is definitely a factor that needs to be considered when designing a car, if your ML has the factory towing package it already has a larger transmission cooler. There have been ZERO reports of transmission / ATF overheating issues with the diesel MLs - so in that regard it is indeed useless information. You're not trying to tow with a RAV4 where you actually run the risk of killing the transmission, you're doing it with a diesel Merc that has been designed to pull over 7700 lbs from the factory (that's what they are rated for in Europe - the 7200 lbs rating in NA is because they assume that you're going to have occupants and/or cargo that make up an additional 500 lbs, but it is not the towing capacity per se). In other words, it is not something that you'd need to keep an eye on. If you are overheating the ATF and need to stop to cool it off, it's because you're pulling a 9,000 lbs trailer uphill in which case I would respectfully suggest that you're using the wrong vehicle for the job.
And, last but not least, a $20 OBDII Bluetooth dongle and a smartphone will show you what you want to know - so again, why hack the COMAND system on the Merc even if you insist on looking at data that you don't need to be concerned with?
Last edited by Diabolis; Apr 15, 2022 at 11:07 AM.
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 20
Likes: 6
2014 ML350 Bluetec, 2003 C230K
Thanks for letting me know.
Good to know.
My ML has the factory tow package. My trailer is ~5000 lbs loaded, so well under the max. It's a 2014, with just shy of 100k miles. It shifts hard in the cold mornings from 2nd-3rd, so I don't think the transmission is in "As designed from the factory" condition. I'm trying to preserve it. I am towing through the Adirondacks, so there is definitely grade to be concerned with, hence me wanting the data for peace of mind.
I've got the ODB scanner, and Torque pro, no love there. If you know a PID and conversion, please let me know. I've searched and not been able to find one that works. The only thing I see is the icarsoft, I don't mind spending $100-150 to figure it out, but would be better if free 
Shouldn't be too hard to sniff the PID from icarsoft after I get it I guess...
Thanks for taking the time to respond. I'd encourage you to be more welcoming of newbie (like me) questions and perspectives, it makes the forums a friendlier place! If I already knew all the answers, I wouldn't need to be on a forum, right?
And yes, while I certainly agree that ATF temperature is definitely a factor that needs to be considered when designing a car, if your ML has the factory towing package it already has a larger transmission cooler. There have been ZERO reports of transmission / ATF overheating issues with the diesel MLs - so in that regard it is indeed useless information. You're not trying to tow with a RAV4 where you actually run the risk of killing the transmission, you're doing it with a diesel Merc that has been designed to pull over 7700 lbs from the factory (that's what they are rated for in Europe - the 7200 lbs rating in NA is because they assume that you're going to have occupants and/or cargo that make up an additional 500 lbs, but it is not the towing capacity per se). In other words, it is not something that you'd need to keep an eye on. If you are overheating the ATF and need to stop to cool it off, it's because you're pulling a 9,000 lbs trailer uphill in which case I would respectfully suggest that you're using the wrong vehicle for the job.
Shouldn't be too hard to sniff the PID from icarsoft after I get it I guess...Thanks for taking the time to respond. I'd encourage you to be more welcoming of newbie (like me) questions and perspectives, it makes the forums a friendlier place! If I already knew all the answers, I wouldn't need to be on a forum, right?
Thread Starter
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From: In the Shadow of the Tetons
2013 ML350 Bluetec
It's not in the engineering menu. What these guys do is hack into the COMAND system and load their own software that has been modified form another car in order to get it to show more parameters, but it is not without downsides.
And yes, while I certainly agree that ATF temperature is definitely a factor that needs to be considered when designing a car, if your ML has the factory towing package it already has a larger transmission cooler. There have been ZERO reports of transmission / ATF overheating issues with the diesel MLs - so in that regard it is indeed useless information. You're not trying to tow with a RAV4 where you actually run the risk of killing the transmission, you're doing it with a diesel Merc that has been designed to pull over 7700 lbs from the factory (that's what they are rated for in Europe - the 7200 lbs rating in NA is because they assume that you're going to have occupants and/or cargo that make up an additional 500 lbs, but it is not the towing capacity per se). In other words, it is not something that you'd need to keep an eye on. If you are overheating the ATF and need to stop to cool it off, it's because you're pulling a 9,000 lbs trailer uphill in which case I would respectfully suggest that you're using the wrong vehicle for the job.
And, last but not least, a $20 OBDII Bluetooth dongle and a smartphone will show you what you want to know - so again, why hack the COMAND system on the Merc even if you insist on looking at data that you don't need to be concerned with?
And yes, while I certainly agree that ATF temperature is definitely a factor that needs to be considered when designing a car, if your ML has the factory towing package it already has a larger transmission cooler. There have been ZERO reports of transmission / ATF overheating issues with the diesel MLs - so in that regard it is indeed useless information. You're not trying to tow with a RAV4 where you actually run the risk of killing the transmission, you're doing it with a diesel Merc that has been designed to pull over 7700 lbs from the factory (that's what they are rated for in Europe - the 7200 lbs rating in NA is because they assume that you're going to have occupants and/or cargo that make up an additional 500 lbs, but it is not the towing capacity per se). In other words, it is not something that you'd need to keep an eye on. If you are overheating the ATF and need to stop to cool it off, it's because you're pulling a 9,000 lbs trailer uphill in which case I would respectfully suggest that you're using the wrong vehicle for the job.
And, last but not least, a $20 OBDII Bluetooth dongle and a smartphone will show you what you want to know - so again, why hack the COMAND system on the Merc even if you insist on looking at data that you don't need to be concerned with?
There's a reason there is a transmission temperature gauge built into the dash on my Chevy truck; it isn't there for looks. The truck is built for towing and the gauge is there to tell the operator when to back off. Plenty of guys also add a cluster of gauges to the A pillar to monitor exhaust temperature, oil temperature, turbo pressure, etc...
To assume Mercedes designed a perfect system that never needs any input or monitoring is to trust the machine far too much, especially if a simple meter will inform the user when the limits are being pushed and you're thousands - or even just hundreds - of miles from home.
It bears repeating: transmission fluid temperature is a good thing to monitor while towing.
I also have torque pro. I wonder if it might be worth us ganging up and emailing the developer to ask if adding transmission temperature to one of his readouts can be done.
Last edited by rapidoxidation; Apr 21, 2022 at 12:58 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,745
Likes: 811
From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
ATF temperature is absolutely a good thing to monitor when towing.
There's a reason there is a transmission temperature gauge built into the dash on my Chevy truck; it isn't there for looks. The truck is built for towing and the gauge is there to tell the operator when to back off. Plenty of guys also add a cluster of gauges to the A pillar to monitor exhaust temperature, oil temperature, turbo pressure, etc...
To assume Mercedes designed a perfect system that never needs any input or monitoring is to trust the machine far too much, especially if a simple meter will inform the user when the limits are being pushed and you're thousands - or even just hundreds - of miles from home.
It bears repeating: transmission fluid temperature is a good thing to monitor while towing.
I also have torque pro. I wonder if it might be worth us ganging up and emailing the developer to ask if adding transmission temperature to one of his readouts can be done.
There's a reason there is a transmission temperature gauge built into the dash on my Chevy truck; it isn't there for looks. The truck is built for towing and the gauge is there to tell the operator when to back off. Plenty of guys also add a cluster of gauges to the A pillar to monitor exhaust temperature, oil temperature, turbo pressure, etc...
To assume Mercedes designed a perfect system that never needs any input or monitoring is to trust the machine far too much, especially if a simple meter will inform the user when the limits are being pushed and you're thousands - or even just hundreds - of miles from home.
It bears repeating: transmission fluid temperature is a good thing to monitor while towing.
I also have torque pro. I wonder if it might be worth us ganging up and emailing the developer to ask if adding transmission temperature to one of his readouts can be done.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2016
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Likes: 880
From: In the Shadow of the Tetons
2013 ML350 Bluetec
Not to get into a pissing match, but it is nice to know about impending (and easily preventable) problems before they become problems that stop you, yes? An idiot light will tell you when something is wrong (transmission overtemp). A temperature indicator will show you well in advance that you're pushing too hard and it is time to lighten up on the throttle. In that regard, a Chevy towing its rated capacity and a Mercedes towing its rated capacity are the same. Thing is, the Chevy will tell you how things are doing as it is doing so.
A transmission fluid temperature gauge is a good thing for those that care about their drive train. YMMV, it is a free country.
A transmission fluid temperature gauge is a good thing for those that care about their drive train. YMMV, it is a free country.
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