6 months ago my indy replaced my trans with a MB rebuilt one. It was shifting hard which got better after driving more. After a couple of months, the trans failed and under warranty, he replaced it with another MB rebuilt trans. I though it was odd that a MB rebuilt would fail so soon, don't they test these trans out before they resell them? The 2nd trans was smoother than the 1st but 4 months latter it also fail (wouldn't shift from 2nd gear). I limped it over to me indy today, under the one year warranty and he mentioned that last time, MB said previously that the ECM (engine control module) may be causing the transmission to fail. Huh, is this possible? I am bracing myself for $$ repairs if it's the ECM. He's been my trustworthy indy for 5 years.

__________________
85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)

I am by no means an expert in this, but I did help a friend with the same sort of problem, and I learned quite a bit.

The electronic transmission is really dumb. It won't do anything without a command from the ETM. The ETM looks at a bunch of things before it will issue a shift command: speed, engine RPM, throttle position, engine load, phase of the moon, etc. In my friend's case the problem was the vehicle speed sensor (right front wheel) had failed , and was telling the ETM that the car was not moving, so (of course) there would be no command to shift. This will, apparently, not generate a fault code in the ETM.

So my point is that it may not be the trans or the ETM, but one of the inputs that the ETM needs. If your indie doesn't know about this stuff, you need to take the car to a shop that does.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

Thanks for your input but the check engine light is on and generating a fault code.

__________________
85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)

Well, thanks for that bit of information.

Remember the engine control and transmission control are separate modules.

I don't think you will get a CEL from the ETM, those codes come from the ECM and they are emissions-related. But the CEL may well be a problem related to the ETM's unwillingness to shift out of first gear.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

What is the ETM? My indy says that oil fouled the ecm and he cleaned it out and the fault codes are clear. It shifts rough and he asked me to to drive it for a couple of days to see if the faults come back. He says it has to be driven 50-60 miles to see if the fault codes come back. I'm going tp pick it up now. Thanks for your input.

__________________
85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)

The ETM is my term for the "electronic transmission module," which is officially the "Transmission Control Module" (TCM).

I'm puzzled as to how oil would get into the ECM on a 140, but it sounds like it screwed things up enough to put the car in limp mode and stop the trans from shifting.

You might ask your guy if he pulled the codes from the transmission, and if so, what were they. If he didn't do this, I would take the car somewhere that has the right test equipment.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

This was a common problem on early 722.6's where fluid wicked up the harness and fried the ECM. Seal was redesigned a couple of times in 97/98 model years.

__________________
Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

My indy says the there were no fault codes on the trans. The fault code generated was that the ECM was having trouble communicating with the trans. He cleaned the contact and replaced the O ring. I drove the car and it seems fine. The shifts are a bit harsh but he said that the adaptive computer will make adjustments and smooth it out as I drive it more. He thinks the trans is good because there were not fault codes generated on it specifically. He wants me to drive it for a few days aand call him if there are any problems. He is insure whether the ECM is going bad. He is not charging me as the rebuilt trans comes with a one year warranty.

__________________
85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)

The trans control unit should have been replaced with the first repair as a 97 had the early VB and the rebuilt if done after 98 or 99 would have the new VB and require the new controller. The controller should be adapted by the tech installing it after being sure the previous adaptations are cleared.

Did your tech evaluate the adaptation data? If not why not?

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

What does "VB" mean? I will ask him, thanks. How much additional cost is the trans control unit? My indy doesn't like to increase the cost of the work if he can work with what's in it. He's the type that would grease the aux fan to get it working rather than simple replace it and make a few hundred more.

__________________
85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)

VB=Valve Body

__________________
Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

Well I had to take my 97 E420 back to my indy to get the TCM clean out. Apparently it is oil fouled like it was last June. What is wrong with these Mercedes Benz transmission designs? Does this mean I have to periodically have the TCM cleaned out evry 3 months or so. WTF? He only charged me $40 and he said he spent an hour cleaning it out but what a PITA! Where is this TCM located, can I do this myself?

__________________
85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)

Fairly rare problem and the only way it happens twice in the same car is that the issue wasn't resolved the first time. If you don't fix the problem you will do it again next year.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

There is an updated plug and seal set that need to be installed at the transmission end of the wiring harness. This (appears to have) fixed the problem on my S500.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

How is it fixed, he replaces the O ring and it eventually seeps in again. What to do?

__________________
85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)