Ok so this is a stupid question but different mechanics/mercedes specialists have given me different answers. I have a 2015 ML350 with 97k miles, owned it since new, and never got the transmission service done or the fluid flush, whichever procedure is recommended. I don't take the car to service, someone else does and I rarely ever drive it anymore. I just found out recently it was never done and thought of getting it done ASAP but I got different responses. Some said if the fluids been in there for that long not to bother with it as it may cause issues if new fluid is put in, and others have said absolutely change it immediately. The car's been stored at a seperate house for the last year and the house where it was originally stored for nearly a decade had a flat driveway. The new house it's stored at has a pretty sloped driveway and it's causing the car to have an aggressive shift when going into reverse and making a large boom sound. Not sure if it's just the driveway issue as at the other house there was never any sound or hard shift over their or if it's a sign for the transmission and something needs to be done. Also would the transmission just need a service or a full flush? I'm attaching a quote below and it seems kind of high from the mercedes specialist, can you let me know if it's a reasonable price.
Change it now. Fluid does not break a transmission. Fluid MAY expose a problem that is already there. Since you experience no problems, now is the time. The issue is when people wait for a problem and think the new fluid is the cure, which it may or may not be. Some shops dont like to do it because they think they will be blamed for a problem that the customer did not properly report. Others know how to talk to and prepare the customer for various outcomes.
I was told the same thing in a similar situation, and it's mostly that the mechanic, as mentioned, doesn't want to be blamed for bringing out new clunks, and new harsh of shifting that the new Fluid will exaggerate once everything is replaced.
The new Fluid absolutely will not make the transmission deteriorate more quickly. It will only help the transmission potentially, but it cannot hurt the transmission. But what it may do is hurt the quality of shifting sometimes because it could bring out more clunky shifting, sometimes the transmission can re-adapt to compensate for all that
We had my Wife’s GLC43 9 speed done at the dealer at 70or 80,000 I think it was, and it just had to go back to be redone due to the new plastic pan leaking. Apparently common problem with the plastic sump.
That was a $1600 trans service. They re did it for nothing.
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