2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE OF ENGINE RPMS AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL INDEPENDENTLY. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENT OCCASION WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR, GASKETS AND CAM SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

I PULLED UP TO A STOP SIGN AND AS I PRECEDED TO ACCELERATE IT WAS VERY SHAKY AND UNWILLING TO ACCELERATE. IT WOULD NOT BRAKE 20 MPH. I THEN PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND WAITED TO RESTART. AFTER THE RESTART IT BEHAVE AS NORMAL BUT IF I ACCELERATED TO MUCH IT WOULD BEGIN TO SHAKE AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ANYMORE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH ON THE FORUMS I DISCOVER A MASS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS THAT MATCH MY DESCRIPTION TO A T AND DESCRIBE ISSUES WITH A CAM BEARING, A TRANSMISSION PLATE, OR BOTH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

A O-RING CONNECTED TO THE TRANSMISSION STARTED LEAKING OUT TRANSMISSION FLUID AFTER MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR IN THE SNOW, THE BACK TIRES HAD SOME TRACTION PROBLEM DUE TO THE WET SNOW EARLIER. ONCE THE CAR REACHED HOME, TRANSMISSION OIL WAS DRIPPING ONTO THE GARAGE FLOOR. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 25K ON IT, IN MINT CONDITION. SHE WAS TOLD BY OUR NEIGHBOR THAT SHE SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FIXED. THE WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP AND FIXED IN JANUARY WHEN I RETURNED FROM MY OVERSEE MISSION. THE MERCEDES SHOP INDICATED IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE O-RING DESIGN AND THAT A BETTER REPLACEMENT O-RING WAS INSTALLED FOR A HEFTY PRICE SINCE THE WARRANTY ON THE CAR ENDED THE PRIOR MONTH. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB TO SEE IF THIS PROBLEM WAS COMMON GIVEN IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE O-RING. TO MY SURPRISE I FOUND THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT MERCEDES BENZ REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. HAD SHE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR SHE COULD HAVE ENDED UP DAMAGING THE TRANSMISSION AND WORSE GOTTEN STRANDED SOMEWHERE. I THINK THIS DEFECT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER TO ENSURE SAFETY OF THE DRIVERS OF THE VEHICLE GIVEN THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. OTHERS ON THE WEB HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR