2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Powertrain & Transmission Problems

THE PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE IS THAT WITH ITS CURRENT TCM( TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE) IN A 722.9 TRANSMISSION, THE CONDUCTOR PLATE THAT HOLDS THE SENSORS IN PLACE BECOME DEFECTIVE AND CREATES A PROBLEM IN WHICH THE TRANSMISSION GETS STUCK IN 2ND GEAR. THIS CAUSES A MAJOR PROBLEM DRIVING ON ROAD WAYS THAT ARE +45MPH BECAUSE THE VEHICLE CANNOT DRIVE OVER 25MPH FURTHER CAUSING MORE PROBLEMS THAT MAY ACTUALLY FREEZE UP THE ENGINE CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP. IF THE CAR IS STOPPED AND BEGINS TO GO AGAIN, THE RMP'S CAN GO VERY HIGH WITHOUT ANY POWER OR MOTION IN THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO 2 OF MY PERSONAL FRIENDS ALREADY WITH THE 722.9 TRANSMISSION. IN PARTICULAR THE CONDUCTOR PLATE OR VALVE BODY WAS CORRUPTED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FAIL. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE THE PART CAN FAIL ANYTIME DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO THE DRIVER AND OTHERS AROUND WHEN THIS MAY OCCUR. MANY OTHER OWNERS (I'VE READ ONLINE) WITH THIS 722.9 TRANSMISSION CONDUCTOR PLATE FAULT IS ALSO FRUSTRATED BY THE FACT THAT NOT ONLY MERCEDES-BENZ DOESN'T ALLOW FOR A CONSUMER TO BUY THE PART BUT MANY WARRANTIES ARE VOIDED WITH THIS FAULT. MY VEHICLE (MERCEDES-BENZ E500 2004) ALSO IS ONLY AT 56,000 MILES ON THE SPEEDOMETER. CONSIDERING THE MILEAGE, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE PREMATURE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY A MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER BUT HAS NO SERVICE FOR THE VERY COMMONLY FAULTED PART.

THE SHIFTER MODULE IS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, WHEN IN DRIVE, IT STAYS IN 2ND GEAR ONLY. TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, I MUST SHUT THE ENGINE. OTHERWISE I CAN'T SHIFT FROM D TO N TO R. THE SHIFTER WILL NOT MOVE PAST NEUTRAL. TO GET TO P OR R, I MUST SHUT THE ENGINE. THIS IS UNSAFE WHEN TRYING TO BACK INTO A CITY STREET PARKING. WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY, AFTER STARTING IT, ONCE I SHIFT FROM P TO R & ARRIVE AT N, THE SHIFTER WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO SHIFT BACK INTO R WITHOUT SHUTTING THE ENGINE & THEN RESTARTING IT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED BUT CONTINUED TO ROLL WITHOUT STOPPING, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED, AND THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO COME OUT OF PARK. IN ADDITION, ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

DRIVING SOUTH ON I95 NEAR SAVANNAH THE DASH LIGHTS INCLUDING THE BRAKE LIGHT LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN DECELERATING. APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE COULD BE STARTED BUT COULD NOT GET FROM PARK INTO A GEAR OR EVEN NEUTRAL. ALL FOUR WHEELS WERE FROZEN AND SO GETTING THE CAR ON TO THE TOW TRUCK WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. WERE TOWED TO THE NEAREST MERCEDES DEALERSHIP WHERE THE SBC SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. THIS TOOK OVER NIGHT AS THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE DEALERSHIP. BESIDES BEING GREATLY INCONVENIENCED - WE HAD TO SPEND A NIGHT IN A HOTEL, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THIS WOULD HAVE OCCURRED AT NIGHT. THE CAR WAS SERVICED BY MERCEDES SINCE PURCHASE NEW IN 2004. THE PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED DURING A SERVICE CALL, THIS OBVIOUSLY WAS A RECALL THAT WAS KEPT QUIET. NOT INFORMING THE OWNERS OF THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY ISSUES IS A MAJOR NEGLIGENCE ON MERCEDES PART. *TR

MY MERCEDES E500 2004 RANDOMLY LOSES POWER AFTER COMING TO A STOP. I HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE AND STOP. I TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON AND IT THE POWER IS OK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES OUT AFTER RESTARTING. THIS WOULD HAPPEN ONE OR TWICE A MONTH. I ONLY HAVE 45K ON THE CAR. NOW IT'S HAPPENING QUITE OFTEN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THAN GO OUT AFTER RESTARTING. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY HAVE FOUND NO TROUBLE. THEY GIVE ME THE GAS CAP , BAD GAS, ECT. TODAY I LOST POWER TOOK IN TO THE DEALER AND NOW THEY ARE STATING A POWER TRAIN PROBLEM. I GET NERVOUS ON THE ROAD WAY WHEN I LOSE POWER BECAUSE I CAN NOT SPEED UP AND GET AWAY FROM ON COMING TRAFFIC. THE DEALER IS STATING 2 TO 5 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIR. THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 45K AND I KEEP IT IN MINT CONDITION AND ONLY DRIVE IT ON WEEK ENDS. I SEE THAT SEVERAL E500 2004 OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM VIA AN ON LINE FORUM FOR 2004 E500. *TR

THE SAFETY FAILURE IS THE MY TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SELECTOR HAS REMAINED IN DRIVE. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR ONLY REVS THE ENGINE AND DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY ACCELERATION. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHETHER IT IS SAFE TO DO SO OR NOT AS I HAVE NO ABILITY TO MAINTAIN OR INCREASE MY SPEED TO SAFELY PULL OVER. AFTER STOPPING, I HAVE TO PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE BEFORE I CAN THEN GET THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND IS INCREASING IN FREQUENCY (TWICE IN 1 WEEK). THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS INCLUDING SEVERAL TIMES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE 13 PIN CONNECTOR AT THE TRANSMISSION HAS A SEAL THAT IS LEAKING. THIS HAS CAUSED A NEED FOR THE FOLLOWING TO BE REPLACED: EECTR-HYDRAULIC VALVE BODY, WIRE HARNESS TRANSMISSION, TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT, TRANS SERVICE W/13 PIN CONNECTOR FOR A TOTAL OF $6,164. I HAVE FOUND THAT MERCEDES ISSUED A STAR BULLETIN (DTB) DETAILING THIS BAD SEAL AT THE 13 PIN CONNECTOR. I HAVE ALSO FOUND INFORMATION THAT THE 3RD GENERATION OF THIS SEAL NO LONGER HAS THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT HAD THE REPAIRS PERFORMED AT THIS TIME. *TR

BENZ E500 2004 (54K MILES) SAFETY ISSUE1: NOV 2008(36K MILES), THE CAR USED TO LOSE POWER AND SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING WITH ALL THE LIGHTS BLINKING ON THE DASH BOARD. BUT I WAS ABLE TO BREAK ANSDSTOP . SOMETIMES IT STARTED BACK ON AND SOMETIMES IT DID NOT.DEALER REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND THE SENDER UNIT. HAD TO PAY THE BILL OF $600 PLUS TOWING. THEY DID NOT INSPECT OTHER SAFETY ISSUES LIKE THE SBC PUMP OR LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY. NEITHER DID THEY TELL ME IF SBC PUMP FAILURE OR ITS MALFUNCTION HAS ANY IMPACT ON OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR. SAFETY ISSUE 2: JAN 6TH 2015.(REFER TO COMPLAINT #10676289)SBC PUMP FAILED DURING A LONG ROAD TRIP AND THINKING IT WAS JUST BRAKE PADS, COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. DEALER/MB REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRS. COST US $2200. WHEN THE DEALER REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE SBC PUMP BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THEY KNOW IT IS GOING TO FAIL, CUSTOMER IS IN A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION WITH SAFETY ASPECT, HUGE REPAIR COSTS INVOLVED AND POSSIBLE IMPACT ON OTHER PARTS AND SITUATIONS. THEY DESIGNED A WARRANTY ON THIS PROGRAMMABLE UNIT THAT IS PROGRAMMED TO LEND CERTAIN CYCLES OR SERVICE. MERCEDES BENZ HAS TURNED THIS MAJOR DEFECT INTO A MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNITY LATELY. THEY ARE INSTALLING REMAN UNITS WITH A HIGH REPAIR COST OF $2000-3000. SOMETIMES, MORE THAN THE WORTH OF THE CAR. REGULATORS SHOULD REVISIT THE CASE AND HAVE THEM PROVIDE LIFE TIME WARRANTY ON THIS MAJOR FLAW AND MAYBE MORE. WHEN THERE WERE TWO RECALLS JUST A YEAR AFTER IT WAS BOUGHT, HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH A 10 YEAR WARRANTY AND A HUGE REPAIR COST. SINCE THEY HAVE MORE LAWYERS THAN ANY COMMON MAN, ONLY REGULATORS CAN HELP THE CITIZENS AND PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS AND SAFETY. *TR

DRIVING AT ABOUT 60 MPH AND START DECELERATING TO TURN AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR OR TO FIRST GEAR THE INITIAL TIME. I HAD TO PULL OVER, CUT THE CAR OFF COMPLETELY AND THEN RE-START THE VEHICLE FOR IT TO SHIFT CORRECTLY. WENT ABOUT A MONTH AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT I HAD DONE SOMETHING, BUT IT STARTED HAPPENING MORE OFTEN LIKE ONCE A WEEK AND THEN DAILY. I WAS TRAVELING AT ONE TIME ON I-64 AND DECELERATED A BIT TO GO THROUGH THE HAMPTON TUNNEL AND REALIZED THAT IT HAPPENED AGAIN AS I WAS ACCELERATING AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. ONCE AGAIN, I HAD TO PULL OVER, SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART IT FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO RESET. IT ALSO HAPPENED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS. ONE TIME WHILE MY SON AND I WERE RIDING WE ACTUALLY FELT THE CAR JOLT AS IT SHIFTED OUT OF THE PROPER GEAR. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS ON BUSY RT. 29 RIGHT AT RUSH HOUR. I STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED GREEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE AND ALL I COULD HEAR WAS THE ENGINE REVVING. I TRIED THE USUAL, CUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING IT, BUT THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T RESET ITSELF AT ALL AND I ENDED UP GETTING TOWED TO A SHOP. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP NOW AND THE TRANSMISSION IS BEING REPLACED. THE CAR WILL GO WHEN IT HAPPENS, BUT IT WILL NOT SHIFT FROM FIRST GEAR AT ALL. I JUST LOOKED AT A COUPLE SITES ONLINE AND SEE WHERE AT LEAST THREE OTHER PEOPLE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE. I ALSO FOUND A TSB (TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN) ON THE ALLWORLDAUTO.COM WEBSITE, FOR TRANSMISSIONS DOWNSHIFTING FOR THE MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS. *TR

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS RESULTED WHEN DOWNSHIFTING, THE CAR WILL DOWNSHIFTS 2 OR 3 MORE GEARS AT A TIME. *BF *JB

VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW IN JUNE 2004. SINCE THEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOUR TIMES WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF PURCHASE FOR THE SAME ISSUE - TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK. DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THAT LEAK IS RELATED TO CONNECTOR (?) NOT BEING LONG ENOUGH AND HAS USED ANOTHER NON-MANUFACTURING SPEC'D CONNECTOR TO RESOLVE MATTER. VEHICLE IS ALSO LEAKING ENGINE OIL. ON LAST SERVICE IT WAS NOTED THAT SWEAT STAINS WERE SEEN AND GASKET REPLACED. AS OF TODAY - ENGINE OIL LEAK EVIDENCE CAN STILL BE SEEN. VEHICLE IS IN DANGEROUS STATE SINCE SERIOUS MALFUNCTION IS IMMINENT. LEMON LAW ACTION WILL BE TAKEN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 300 MILES. DEALER STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN CONSUMER WAS CROSSING LANES TO AN ON COMING TRAFFIC. AS THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, THE GEAR SHIFTED FROM FIRST GEAR TO NEUTRAL ON ACCELERATION AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION, BUT DID NOT INFORM THE CONSUMER OF THE PARTS THAT WERE REPAIRED. TWO WEEKS LATER, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN, BUT CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY, AND DID NOT WANT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DRIVER PUT VEHICLE INTO DRIVER AND IT WOULD ONLY GO BACKWARDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER DETERMINED THE NEED FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. *AK