hawaiiE350

I need some advice on my overall circumstance. My dealer is telling me I need to replace transmission and radiator due to oily substance found in coolant reservoir (see linked video). Should I proceed with replacement or get a second opinion? I purchased this 2014 E350 with 35K miles from a Mercedes dealership 5 months ago. Today, it has 40K miles and needs significant repair. It was purchased as-is. Thank you!

https://app.mykaarma.com/service-car...media/0/view/1

chassis

Get a second opinion. The video doesn’t show the issue clearly. MB has a history of transmission cooler failures causing transmission oil and coolant to mix. Could be a big problem if it exists. The question is with your car, does it exist?

CaliBenzDriver

normal looking coolant @40kMi👍

A mix of oil in coolant makes an obvious mayo substance courtesy of water pump constant mixing.
>> Your coolant looks fine!

Now maybe a good time to replace the 2014 blue coolant. Find a specialised shop that's not looking to abuse your trust with uneeded $7k scam.

Coolant drain/fill is less than an hour work + 1Gallon OEM mix.

Quick look:
Pull engine dipstick for a quick look at oil color: normal look means tiny "heat exchanger" gasket is still ok.

Second thoughts:​​​​​
Get a tranny oil service now. Normally done at 50kMi... you're almost on schedule.
This will confirm tranny oil shows no sign of coolant mixing.

These cars require maintenance else costly repairs. It's entirely up to you to request normal maintenance work - Dealer won't volunteer service information to save you bundles, they prefer charging for unforseen repairs.
😁

CaliBenzDriver

Furthermore....

Your eyes better than ours: MB DOES NOT USE GREEN COOLANT!

Your coolant is either BLUE or someone used the wrong chemistry thereby requiring a proper system 123 flush...

Do not get your Benz touched by unqualified mechanics... They see the Star emblem as a Dollar sign
😆

hawaiiE350

I have never looked under the hood since purchasing it. This vehicle was purchased 5 months ago from the Mercedes Benz Dealership. If MB doesn't use green then its the dealer who is at fault here. Initially, the vehicle was taken in for the brakes and this is what happened. They ran their inspection, then sent me that video. After speaking with their technicians off the record, they said a glycol test had not even been completed on the transmission yet they are blindly requiring me to replace transmission. After informing them of this, they agreed to do the brakes at no charge to me, then part ways. I was also told by several other small used car lots that this dealer has a history of excessive repair quotes to buy the vehicle back and sell to other pre-identified buyers. This is beginning to look more and more like a mass-tort litigation as I dig further. Instead of taking care of me as I trusted they would, the owners may face bankruptcy in the long run as mire injured parties come forward. Sad case.



Thank you very much for your response.

hawaiiE350

Thank you for your opinion!