I posted before about the center console getting excessively hot around the shifter and ashtray area (too hot to touch), and I thought it was because of the damaged trans tunnel letting engine/trans heat in through the tears in the metal. I had a muffler repair the damage, and they actually did a fine job of it, but the console is still getting extremely hot...

Then yesterday, while on the freeway driving through LA, some smoke started coming into the car from around the shifter, so I immediately pulled off the fwy and popped the hood. It looked like ATF fluid was overflowing from the trans dipstick tube, and dripping down onto the exhaust manifold, causing the smoke. When I tried checking the fluid level, it just looked like the entire dipstick was covered in fluid...couldnt get an accurate reading. Checked the level again this morning with the engine running, but dead cold, and the level read perfectly at the MAX mark...

The trans seems to still shift perfectly, and really doesn't show any signs of a problem other than a harsh shift into reverse...

I have been driving it since, and have tried to be gentle with the throttle and that seems to keep the trans from heating up so much...what could be the problem?? Should I try doing a fluid and filter change?

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Current cars:
2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles
2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles
1995 S320, 207k Miles