ML 320 permanent limp mode

[jbar24]

I have a 2000 ML320.

A couple of months ago I was coming into town off a highway drive and boom, limp mode. Had no idea what was happening at first. When I turned the car off and on it was fine. Took it into the mechanic to read the codes and the first thing that came up was fluid leaking from the pan gasket and from an oil cooler fitting. He replaced the transmission filter and pan gasket and added fluid. The car worked fine for 24 hours and then limp mode again.

Back to the mechanic who checked the EGR for a clogged passage - he cleaned out the EGR tube. The vacuum hose was soft and cracked, so he replaced that and the coolant expansion tank. This worked fine for a few days, then the same thing - coming in off a highway drive and into limp mode. Back into the mechanic who said that there was fluid on the conductor plate so he just replaced that. Now the mechanic can’t get it out of limp mode and says he has no idea what is going on and we’re basically out of luck - that we’ll have the replace the whole transmission. So, we’ve spent almost $2000 to have a non-functional car, and frankly at this point it isn’t even worth replacing the transmission.

I am hoping that someone has another idea as to what could be wrong with it? I have read through all of the boards extensively - in fact I printed up two pages to take to the mechanic. At a loss.

Also - am I obliged to pay all of this amount for a car that is not fixed? We’ve already paid the first two bills ($1000) and who knows what this last one will be (we haven’t picked up the car yet). I honestly don’t think the mechanic was trying to rip us off but at the same time I can’t see paying $2000 to get my car fixed and now it is absolutely 100% broken.

Thank you for your help.