2001 S500 trans question
 

Does this car have a trans dipstick? There is what appears to be a tube for it.

No. The dipstick is a tool. They are available on ebay. The dipstick works differently than all previous dipsticks of all previous cars. A normal dipstick reads the distance from the top of the tube to the fluid level. The new dipstick tool measures the depth of the fluid from the bottom of the pan up. To do this it has to be significantly longer than the tube.

When inserted it goes into the tube till it hits the pan bottom. The reading on the stick is then the depth of the fluid. Because the stick is longer than the tube it can't stay there.

MB also is very particular about fluid level in all the new trannies and want the fluid tested at a particular temp. Since that requires extra tooling they decided to make the operation a shop function.

Thanks, I know the Germans like to do everything different so I thought I'd ask before I got concerned.