Update - My transmission dipstick came in yesterday, so I was finally able to check the fluid level. As I had seen others on the forum recommend, I made sure the transmission was up to the correct operating temp before checking. It showed on the dipstick to be in the area between the 20 c and 80 c zones so I am assuming that since the vehicle had been running for about 20 minutes (and driven 10 miles before I did the check) that it is a little low on fluid?

Yes, between the 20 and 80 would be low. You want to be between the 2 marks on either side of the 80. Add fluid slowly. It won't take much.

I just did this to my 2000 C280. It would go into limp mode after a few stops typically after just getting off the freeway. When stopped, moving the shifter resulted in really harsh shifts. Restarting the car would reset it. This worked a few times until it was stuck in 2nd for good.

If you don't know the service history of the car, go ahead and do the connector along with a filter and gasket and some new fluid. You might get lucky and this is all it is. If not, then you've wasted the fluid and next is a new conductor plate.

Use MBZ connector only, only about $12 on ebay. You can get the plate there too for about $130. My old plate showed no obvious fault.

Wolfpack, did topping up fix your problem? I just had a small amount of "sealed" fluid loss. I just got my dipstick but am not sure I want to top off with the Mercedes fluid which is now made thinner for the 7speed transmissions. I keep reading we can use Mopar and Valvoline as substitutes for the "no longer" made ATF from MB, what did you use?

__________________
Ed "Don't Benz's just feel better..."

Current wives...
2000 ML430 Skyview "The Mel"
2000 CLK430 Cab "The Cab"
85 300D Turbo "The Diesel"

Past wives...
92 300E
85 190E

"One should as a rule respect public opinion in so far as is necessary to
avoid starvation and to keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond
this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny, and is likely to
interfere with happiness in all kinds of ways."
Bertrand Russell

I know this is an older thread, but I have a question.

My ML320 is stuck in limp mode, and I have replaced conductor plate, connector, etc and repaired lots of melted wiring etc. Now the truck is stuck in limp mode. I have an iCarsoft scanner, and its saying that the Lateral Acceleration sensor is faulty. When tested with a normal OBDII scanner it says "Solenoid C Electrical" fault.

When I try to clear TCM Codes, with the carsoft it says unsuccessful. The car remains in limp mode.

The question is, will my iCarsoft that works through the OBDII port allow me to reset the transmission and bring it out of limp mode, or do I have to have some kind of other computer that links to the car "under the hood" to do this??

All of my repair experience has been with pre-ESP cars, and I've never had this problem.

It's driving me crazy!

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

what year is your ML? I want to say after 2003 everything is done through the OBD port, but earlier in the engine bay is a 1-1/2" black circular connector that the limp mode is reset through.

Martin