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Try a "very brisk" acceleration with the rpms up to 5000rpm, in other words wide open throttle entering a freeway until the max speed you care to achieve. What happens then?
This transmission needs work.
Great video btw.
We're scheduled for Monday, if we can get it there. (We think so.)
Your test sounds frightful, but perhaps it could throw a CEL that would be useful.
We do love this car. Why not pour more cash into it?
Sure, why not. It looks well taken care of from the video and appearance of the interior. The 166 platform is excellent. If the powertrain and other systems can be maintained, to me it makes sense to keep it running as long as possible.
Suggest diagnosing the lockup clutch, and transmission hydraulic system more generally, to the shop.
p.s. The test you describe as frightful is conducted multiple times on my Cayenne S every time I drive. It is a positive confirmation of, among other things, gas pedal functionality!
Sure, why not. It looks well taken care of from the video and appearance of the interior. The 166 platform is excellent. If the powertrain and other systems can be maintained, to me it makes sense to keep it running as long as possible.
Suggest diagnosing the lockup clutch, and transmission hydraulic system more generally, to the shop.
p.s. The test you describe as frightful is conducted multiple times on my Cayenne S every time I drive. It is a positive confirmation of, among other things, gas pedal functionality!
I suppose that if you look at it that way... let 'er rip.
The car is in magnificent shape. I have one barely perceptible door ding and a few tiny chips on the hood. I've taken good care of it with Ammo products, and it is garage-kept.
Plus, we have a ton of good memories traveling around the U.S. and Canada. We've been from Florida to Maine, New York to the Oregon coast. Good think I like my wife a lot.
It seems like it's going into Limp mode. That's why you have no acceleration.Don't know why a dealer can't find a code about that.
I had the dealership check the issue when I showed up for tranny oil change and batteries.
They couldn't find a code. Perhaps because my local boys, in their infinite wisdom, cleared any codes and didn't write them down or get a printout. I'll be looking for a new local shop; this is the third time they've done this s&*%.
Plus, I was "limping" along at 70+ mph. I was able to accelerate a little, but the engine was working hard. The effect is that although I could maintain speed, the car wasn't very responsive to pedal inputs.
Just got back from yet another four-hour r/t to drop it at the dealership. I have no earthly idea when it's coming back home. I have mentioned (and wrote on paper) all the ideas presented here. Thanks!
On Day 2 of the most recent ML250 incarceration, I got a call from the SA at the dealership.
The tech wants one more day to double-check his findings and work, possibly with Mercedes in Florida. The SA says that the tech experienced the issue, and that "it's normal after the emissions recall/upgrade" that was done not too long ago.
I explained to him that the behavior is not "normal", and that it's dangerous to drive the car in this condition.
So, I thought I'd throw this idea out to the MBWorld forum to see what reaction y'all would have to this.
My BS detector just went off. That can't be normal.
Standard MB dealer bs.
Don't stand for it and get up their noses as far as you can.
Tell them to run a XENTRY test while driving to confirm lockup clutch function. Tell them to take photos of the test screens they execute and to send you the screenshots. Then post them here.
Tell them to list stored and active codes and to give you the list.
Well, that text message seems to have worked. MB contacted me and said they found a problem, fixed it, and the car is ready for pickup.
Would someone care to review the following and see if it tracks to the problem? I realize that their note-taking leaves a lot to be desired.
For what it's worth, when they mention the regeneration of the DPF below, I find it hard to believe that over the past 8 years I've owned the car, I've not seen this type of behavior, except those times I had a similar but more acute issue that was eventually resolved and blamed on the DPF. In other words, we had multiple instances where, on trying to accelerate up a ramp onto a highway -- it always seemed to be at that kind of time -- RPMs would go way up, acceleration of any sort was very hard to achieve (limp mode?), and that behavior put us in some pretty dangerous situations... like 18-wheelers honking & wondering why we couldn't go over 20mph.
Related? "Normal"? Normal after the AEM in June of 2021?
I seek to understand what's (really) going on under the hood.
Well, that text message seems to have worked. MB contacted me and said they found a problem, fixed it, and the car is ready for pickup.
Would someone care to review the following and see if it tracks to the problem? I realize that their note-taking leaves a lot to be desired.
For what it's worth, when they mention the regeneration of the DPF below, I find it hard to believe that over the past 8 years I've owned the car, I've not seen this type of behavior, except those times I had a similar but more acute issue that was eventually resolved and blamed on the DPF. In other words, we had multiple instances where, on trying to accelerate up a ramp onto a highway -- it always seemed to be at that kind of time -- RPMs would go way up, acceleration of any sort was very hard to achieve (limp mode?), and that behavior put us in some pretty dangerous situations... like 18-wheelers honking & wondering why we couldn't go over 20mph.
Related? "Normal"? Normal after the AEM in June of 2021?
I seek to understand what's (really) going on under the hood.
Good job on the text message to them.
The regeneration sounds plausible but I defer to others with experience with this engine and the field repair.
On the other hand, the dealer claims to have “fixed” your transmission problem by explaining an engine operating function (regen). Keep the bait-and-switch accusation ready at hand. It would be similar to a doctor telling you he solved your indigestion by explaining how your toenails grow.
@kajtek1 i think is a resident expert on MB diesels.
Perhaps to their credit they did highlight that problem with the EGR seal. Why they didn't catch that on the first two passes is beyond me.
The previous issues I mentioned were much more acute than this one. In the last few weeks when this came up, I could still maintain 70mph, albeit upshifting manually. In the previous encounters, all hell seemed to be breaking loose. After three or four visits to various dealerships, they finally 'fixed' the problem, and I haven't seen anything like this until recently.
My wife, the smart one that she is, may have made a connection.
Earlier in this saga, when the struts were being replaced, the techs noticed an oil leak at the throttle valve actuator, near where an air line goes in. They replaced the O-rings there.
Is this in any sort of proximity to the EGR tube/tube seal that was most recently addressed?
In other words, when they were replacing the o-rings on the throttle valve actuator, could they have accidentally farked the EGR tube or tube seal?
Inquiring minds would like to know. For all I know, they're miles apart under the hood.
My wife, the smart one that she is, may have made a connection.
Earlier in this saga, when the struts were being replaced, the techs noticed an oil leak at the throttle valve actuator, near where an air line goes in. They replaced the O-rings there.
Is this in any sort of proximity to the EGR tube/tube seal that was most recently addressed?
In other words, when they were replacing the o-rings on the throttle valve actuator, could they have accidentally farked the EGR tube or tube seal?
Inquiring minds would like to know. For all I know, they're miles apart under the hood.
Anything is possible. After watching this video I would say the EGR and throttle body are not miles apart.
Perhaps to their credit they did highlight that problem with the EGR seal. Why they didn't catch that on the first two passes is beyond me.
The previous issues I mentioned were much more acute than this one. In the last few weeks when this came up, I could still maintain 70mph, albeit upshifting manually. In the previous encounters, all hell seemed to be breaking loose. After three or four visits to various dealerships, they finally 'fixed' the problem, and I haven't seen anything like this until recently.
I come back dead tired from 5 days in the woods, where I had to repairs damages the 30 ft of snow did to my cabin, so I did not read whole story, but owning 3 Bluetecs, I never can tell when regeneration is pending ,unless I observe ScanGauge.
No change in rpm and if there is change in temperatures, I usually drive in gusty winds, so my engines temperature fluctuate a lot just because of load changes.
As for EGR, I read about problems with it, but last time I had EGR issue was like 25 years ago on Chevy. The only conclusion I am coming to is that my love to "Italian tuneups" plays the role, but there is no way I can confirm the theory.
So hopefully you will have it all sorted out.
The ML250 went back to the dealership for the third time in as many weeks.
The dealership eventually found some sort of seal lacking around the EGR and fixed that. I picked up the vehicle one week ago, and so far, no noticeable issues. We'll be going on a reasonably long & challenging mountain road trip next week, so we're hoping that provides a good test of the work.
Who knows what they actually found or did to it, but as long as the issue doesn't come back, I'm good.
As a reminder, this whole thing started because of a squeak in the right front. Turns out that was the upper control arm, with a price tag of $1,200 to replace it. I opted out. So, after all the visits and diagnostics... I still have the squeak.
I can live with it. And I'll enjoy spending the next $1,200 on something I'd enjoy more.
Thanks for the update. If you have any investments at all, this week the market handed you likely a bit more than $1,200, so maybe you could treat yourself to a new UCA.
Perhaps some day... or next time I'm in the area. For now, I'm out. Tired of driving back & forth. Besides, I have to road-test this sucker for a while more. Who knows if it'll be back in.
And yes, Mr. Market has been good to us. Thanks, NVDA
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