Bill Ball

Ew. 7.x is probably not enough. It's usually 8.x UNLESS they did not drain the torque converter.

Also, I don't want to get your hopes up as I don't think low fluid would account for the harsh drop into D.

After you check the level and get it right, I would check or have the shop check the vacuum to the modulator, making sure the modulator holds vacuum and is getting vacuum from the motor. That will make the drop into D (and R) and usually partial throttle shifts harsh. You say the drop into reverse isn't harsh, so that may not be it either. Still, I would check that.

kevin2012

So what would be your guess? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
I will check the fluid anyway just to make sure that is ok.

Bill Ball

If it's just the drop into D that is harsh while R and partial throttle shifts are smooth, I don't know, but I'd have the vacuum checked. Yes, check the fluid level as well.

kevin2012

Thanks Bill for your advices. I will do that after checking the fluid level and vacuum again.

kevin2012

I took this picture when the egine is running and cold. I need to top up my fluid, I guess the only way is to get under the car to do it but just want to ask again if there is another alternative? Otherwise I need to pay the garage shop to do it for me. Thanks.

Landseer

Pretty much need to have the car on jackstands.

Some folks use a small pump.

Others ziptie a funnel and end of a long piece of 5/8 inch hose to the gas filler lid, and snake it through the fender well to just above the reservoir.

The garage the improperly filled it shouldn't charge to do so now, should it?

Bill Ball

Yeah, it's too low. Maybe a quart. Hope correcting that fixes your shifting problem.

mickster

A quart shy-and did they drain the TC? If not, you're running old and new ATF in there...

Barry Chan

you can fill the fluid without jacking the car up, have some ATF in a small skinny short bottle, clean the surrounding area so dirt don't fall in, lie on the floor, unscrew the cap by hand but if tight, throw a cloth on cap and unscrew with a adjustable wrench, then you can place the bottle and squeeze the fluid in while the engine off, after the fill, cap back on, start the car and check.
P,S,
If your car is too low, you won't be able to perform this task but you can always drive over a block or jack car up a bit so you can reach, hope this help.

Podguy

NEVER NEVER WORK UNDER A CAR THAT IS JACKED UP. iF YOU DO THIS GET SOME JACK STANDS. tHEY ARE CHEAP - $20 AT HARBOR FRIEGHT AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON A SOLID SURFACE. BLOCKS OF WOOD ARE EQUALLY UNRELIABLE. i DO FROM TIME TO TIME USE RAMPS BUT ALWAYS USE A FLOOR JACK TO SET THEM AND MAKE SURE THE TIRES ARE CHOCKED.

kevin2012

Thanks for your advice. Yes safety first. I don't think I will work under it, it is lowered and I can't squeez under it. Moreover, the car needs to be running to check and add fluid which maybe too hot for me. I just let the shop to do it. My car parks at a parking complex and I cannot put it up on stands....too bad the car park management office will not allow me to do so.
BTW, the shop said that they did drain the TC. Again, I cannot verify as I was not there watching them do it.
Cheers.

Bill Ball

The fluid is ~ a quart low. If they used 7+ quarts my guess is they did drain the TC. Had they not done that, they would not have gotten 7+ qts in. The shop should correct the level for no charge. If they are familiar with Mercedes transmissions, they should be able to help with the hard drop into D too, but based on the fact they left the level too low, I wouldn't ask for more than correcting the level. If they put it up on the rack hot, it should be between the two upper lines (hot min - max). I don't rely on the cold line except as an initial check. I always finalize the level after driving the car for 15-20 minutes (hot). The difference between the hot min and max is not very much.

kevin2012

Yes, they said that they did drain the TC. My fluid is way too low. I need to add a bit more in order to have a peace of mind to drive to the garage shop.
May I ask what size of wrench do I need to loosen the cap of the fluid reservior?
Thks

kevin2012

I did it today. I had sucessfully pumped 600ml ATF into the fluid reservior without the need of jacking up the car.
Starting by taking all the stuff out from the trunk and also took out the spare tyre too to make the ground clearance a bit more under the car. With all the wheels are touching on the nice leveling ground in the car park.
With the car running, gear at N and handbrake on. I lay down on the ground and my hand was able to touch the reservior cap to loosen it. And by using the hose and a bath soap pump ( sorry, I dont know how to call that thing, pls see pic.); I was able to pump 600ml into the reservior. Now the level is at the "min" after a 15mins drive. Will check the level again after a long drive later at weekend and add a bit more if necessary.
The shift is now a little better, if I stay 1 or 2 sec at N before shift to Drive, it is smooth. It is acceptable now, next time when my car needs to be repaired at the shop, I will ask them to double check the vacuum at the trans box just to make sure.
Cheers.

kevin2012

Sorry for bringing back this old thread, but the hard shift to D still had not been solved yet. The AT fluid level is checked ok, all vacuum hoses are checked ok and all the gears change smoothly. But when I am parking the car and need to move the car back and forth, the hard shift happens when from N (or R) to D when the car is motionless even I stop at N for few seconds before I shift to D from R.

As mentioned before, from N or D to R is silky smooth.

Please help and really appreciated for any comment. Thks.