How to Deal with Transmission Leaks in Your Mercedes

Preventive vehicle maintenance is the best way to keep problems from arising. Depending on the type of car you drive, maintenance will entail different procedures at various intervals throughout the lifetime of your car. These intervals and procedures are usually designated by the manufacturer and can be found in your owner’s manual. Luxury imports, such as Mercedes, typically require a specialized level of care by automotive technicians who have Mercedes-specific training and repair experience. If you drive a Mercedes, then it’s important to find a Mercedes specialist in your area who has an extensive background with Mercedes-Benz cars.

One of the most important components of automotive maintenance is fluid changing, flushing, and filling. The different types of fluids your car uses to run optimally need to be routinely examined, kept at the proper level and amount, and sometimes need to be flushed through the system. One type of fluid your Mercedes requires to run smoothly is the transmission fluid. Transmission fluid contributes greatly to your car’s performance, and if the fluid begins to leak it can be detrimental to your Mercedes’ overall health.

Inspections, Fills, and Flushes

As we mentioned before, taking care of your transmission fluid is a critical component of ongoing maintenance. An automotive professional should check transmission fluid frequently for your Mercedes to ensure that the transmission will function properly. Furthermore, the manufacturer lays out a schedule of maintenance services in your owner’s manual for your Mercedes’ transmission that should be followed routinely; however, if your driving habits or conditions don’t match up with service intervals, you might need to have transmission flushes or replace the fluid more often.

What Transmission Fluid Looks Like

The various fluids that your car uses to remain lubricated or perform different functions all range greatly in color and consistency. It helps to familiarize yourself with what the different fluids look like so you can spot a leak rather easily and determine how to fix it. Transmission fluid looks a lot like power-steering fluid, and they can be easily confused. Transmission and power-steering fluid are a light reddish-brown color, but they serve two very different functions—as their names imply. Your Mercedes specialist will know the difference between the two upon spotting the leak’s origin spot.

Possible Sources of Transmission Leaks

Your transmission could be leaking from any number of the parts that comprise the entire transmission system. Since the transmission is often complex, and differs greatly between different brands, someone who is familiar with various Mercedes models alone must diagnose the problem. The aftermath of a transmission leak isn’t pretty, and will likely cost your Mercedes in performance; therefore, it’s important to address any leak with haste. Upon inspection, the technician may find that the leak is originating from a seal (the most common culprit), or leaking fluid lines or pumps. Since these parts are bound to wear out eventually, it helps to have frequent inspections and tune-ups.

Symptoms of Transmission Fluid Loss

Whether you have an automatic or manual transmission, the main function of the transmission is to shift gears while driving. In order to do so, the gears and their various components must remain well lubricated with transmission fluid. As you can imagine, without proper lubrication things can go terribly wrong, and will eventually wind up costing an arm and a leg in repair bills—including an entire transmission replacement. If you’re losing transmission fluid or it wasn’t filled enough, you might notice issues while shifting gears and even a spike in engine heat. Of course, if the fluid is leaking you may notice transmission fluid beneath your car as well. To avoid serious transmission problems and expensive repair work, it’s best to address transmission issues quickly.

How We Can Help

The Mercedes specialists here at Louden Motorcar Services, Inc. have over 40 years of extensive experience working with Mercedes vehicles from all around Dallas, University Park, Highland Park, Irving, and Coppell, TX. The diverse group of drivers we provide services for has given us invaluable education and expertise in all Mercedes models, including expertise in accurately diagnosing transmission issues of all kinds. We know that transmission issues cause a great deal of inconvenience and upset for our clients, so we focus heavily on the diagnostic process to make sure our work is of the highest quality and degree of accuracy. If you’re concerned that your Mercedes might be dealing with a transmission issue, please contact our shop to schedule an inspection appointment as soon as possible.

Mercedes Logo image credit goes to: THEPALMER.