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Mercedes flex disc repair
As an independent Asian and European repair shop located in Kenner, we deal mostly with Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW, Volvo, as well as Honda, Acura, Toyota, Lexus, Jaguar. One of the most common problems found in European cars is that the rubber and plastic parts get degraded over time.
No matter what they (the manufacturers) say about new materials, plastic doesn’t belong on the cooling system. Repeated hot / cold cycles will eventually wear out the plastic, and the engine may be damaged beyond repair due to a cracked plastic housing or hose.
Pair this with a hot, humid climate (read New Orleans), and you have the recipe of a potential disaster. If you add some damage from oil leaks, the disaster becomes real.
Oil contamination accelerates the degraded plastic / rubber parts, causing an even earlier failure.
Vent hoses between the block and the valve covers, engine mounts, plastic water housings, and the flex discs are the main parts that are prone to damage.
Cracked flex disc
A cracked breather hose
Damaged flex disc. If not replaced in time, the flex disc will get completely damaged
A broken plastic fitting on the thermostat housing on a 2009 Volvo XC90Under normal circumstances, the parts are designed in such way that will get you through the warranty period, so what happens next will not be covered.
A good inspection during regular maintenance and replacing the parts while they are still intact can prevent potential major repairs.
Today we will talk about common problems with the flex disc found in Mercedes vehicles.
Although a damaged flex disc will not lead to a major engine or transmission failure, it affects the performance.
Typical symptoms include hesitation on acceleration, especially during a fast take-off. If left unchecked, the flex disc starts breaking up, and the broken rubber pieces, still hanging up, touch the under body, around the transmission area. The noises may be scary, however the transmission operation is not impaired, shifting is not affected. Also, there are no warning lights on the dashboard (check engine, etc).
You should bring the vehicle for a check up at once. Explain what noises you heard, and tell the shop that transmission was still shifting fine. By the time you get to the shop, all noises may be gone, if the hanging rubber pieces break off.
Some shops will try to sell you a full transmission rebuild, or replace. At Briskers, we provide free photo documentation on each repair, so this will not be the case. Ask the shop to provide some proof that your transmission needs replacement. Usually, a defective transmission will slip, or shift improperly, and it will trigger a Check Engine light on the dashboard. A diagnostic scan using the STAR will reveal certain transmission codes, along with other bogus codes. Insist on the photo documentation, or ask for the scan result. If the shop is reluctant to provide this information, you should probably bring the vehicle to a different shop.
Here are a few pictures showing different Mercedes vehicles having the same issue:
Cracked flex disc
The old flex disc and the new one
Old flex disc was removed
New flex disc was installed
Flex disc is worn out and needs to be replaced soon
Drive shaft was disconnected and old seal was removed
View of the transmission. Notice the broken insulation due to the damaged flex disc
Damaged flex disc. If not replaced in time, the flex disc will get completely damaged
Damaged flex disc. If not replaced in time, the flex disc will get completely damaged
Damaged flex disc. If not replaced in time, the flex disc will get completely damaged
A new flex disc was installed
The new flex disc was installed and drive shaft connected 2003 Mercedes C240
What happens when you get a new car and you don’t know its history? You might be lucky, or you may get one with a broken transmission.
In this case, no luck…It turns out the transmission was replaced with a remanufactured one in the past. It should have worked better…
A low mileage, used transmission was installed as a replacement. A new transmission filter and gasket were used.
The rear main seal was replaced in order to prevent any leaks.
Note: this Mercedes model comes with a teflon seal, that requires a special tool to install and requires no lubrication.
The car looks good, too bad it has a broken transmission
Diagnostic
Old transmission was removed
It turns out that transmission was remanufactured, it was changed before
Flex plate, after transmission removal
New rear main seal was installed. This is the teflon type, and requires a special tool to install, and no lubrication
New filter was installed after transmission replacement 2007 Mercedes E350
Over 160k miles, and the transmission fluid was never replaced! It was completely black as you can see in the pictures.
Work done: transmission service, seal replacement.
Old transmission filter
New transmission filter was installed
Transmission pan was cleaned
Overhauling the transmission pan
Draining the transmission fluid from the torque converter
Draining the transmission fluid from the torque converter
Another view of the cracked flex disc
On this model, filling with new fluid is from the bottom. Special equipment used Flex disc is worn out and needs to be replaced soon
Leak coming from the rear transmission seal
Leak coming from the rear seal on the transmission Drive shaft was disconnected and old seal was removed
Transmission after cleaning the old leak 1983 Mercedes 380SL
This classic turned 31 years old. The braking system was long overdue.
Work done: entire brake system overhaul, some steering/suspension.
Old brake rotor
Old brake rotor wear
Old brake rotor and caliper
Old rusty caliper. Original part, 31 years old
Old brake rotor
Old brake rotor and caliper
Old wheel bearing
Old wheel bearing
Old wheel bearing and seal
Old brake rotor wear sensor and brake hose
Dirty differential, possible leak
New brake rotor and wheel bearing
New front rotors and wheel bearings
New front calipers
New sway bar links
New rotors
Old rear brake rotors and parking brake shoes
Old rear brake rotors and parking brake shoes
Old sway bar links, brake hoses and brake rotor wear sensor harness
Cleaning the differential
It turns out the differential was just dirty, After cleaning and inspection, no leak was observed
Old seal
Rear brake hub after wiping the old grease
View of the rear brake after cleaning
New rear wheel bearing ready to be installed
View of the rear wheel bearing hub after cleaning and new grease was applied
New rear wheel bearing seal installed
New brake hose and rotor wear sensor harness
New front caliper and wear sensor
Old sensor harness
1999 Mercedes CLK430
Customer complaint: after changing the battery, the car was stuck in limp mode, driving only in 1st gear. An on-site call was necessary to reset the computers in order for the car to be driven to the shop and do the rest of the maintenance.
Maintenance done: transmission fluid, filter and gasket replacement.
Repairs done: ignition system tune up, valve covers replacement, drive shaft flex disc replacement.
Computer diagnostic
Oil leaks around the AC compressor
Oil leaks Cracked flex disc
Valve covers before the repair
Old spark plug
Valve covers before the repair
Oil leaks from valve covers before the repair
Oil leaks
Oil leaks around the valve covers and old ignition wires that were contaminated with oil The old flex disc and the new one Old flex disc was removed New flex disc was installed
Oil leaks and old ignition wires
Valve covers were removed
Valve covers were removed A cracked breather hose
Old air filters
Old spark plug vs new spark plug
Valve covers during the cleaning and resealing process
Valve covers during the cleaning and resealing process
Valve covers after they have been thoroughly cleaned and resealed
Valve covers after they have been thoroughly cleaned and resealed
Defective ignition coil due to an imperfect contact
Clean valve covers along with new ignition wires
Clean valve covers along with new ignition wires
Defective ignition coil due to an imperfect contact
Defective ignition coil due to an imperfect contact
Dirty oil pan
Oil leaks around the engine have been cleaned
Oil leaks around the AC compressor have been cleaned
Oil pan after cleaning all the leaks
Oil leaks around the engine have been cleaned
Old air filter vs new air filter
Dirty transmission pan. Notice the absence of the magnet
Transmission valve body after the filter was removed
Clean transmission pan
Clean transmission pan. A magnet was added 
Mercedes Benz
Mercedes repair is one of the tasks we perform most often as an independent import auto repair. Mercedes designed their vehicles to provide a mix of luxury and performance, a unique feeling that can be understood only by one who drives it! As a high performance vehicle, it needs constant care to keep it in top shape. From routine maintenance (Service A, B, etc), to complex diagnostic and transmission repair, we’ve got you covered. We use the same state of the art diagnostic tools as the dealership, along with original parts so you can rest assured that your Mercedes repair is successful and the vehicle is back to factory specs.
Thinking about the quality of the repair? Check out the 5 Star Reviews and see what other customers say about their repair experience. Manufacturer warranty applies, along with a 12000 miles / 1 year labor.
Oil leaks around the AC compressor Cracked flex disc Oil leaks around the valve covers and old ignition wires that were contaminated with oil The old flex disc and the new one Old flex disc was removed New flex disc was installed Valve covers were removed Old air filters Defective ignition coil due to an imperfect contact Clean valve covers along with new ignition wires Clean valve covers along with new ignition wires
Have you ever complained about work done that you didn’t authorize or considered unnecessary?
Briskers has the answer to eliminate all the confusion: on any repair that we do, photo documentation is provided.
This unique feature provided for free, not only shows off the quality of our repairs, but also proves the customers that they are not charged for unnecessary items. It also serves as a proof in case something was already broken before the repair. You can browse through the Showroom to view different jobs. The list is non exhaustive.
Do you have an older Mercedes in need of repair? We work on classics, too. This beautiful 1983 Mercedes 380SL was long overdue for brakes, among others. After 30 years, the entire brake system was replaced, along with the wheel bearings and sensors.
Old brake rotor wear Old brake rotor and caliper Old brake rotor wear sensor and brake hose New brake rotor and wheel bearing New front rotors and wheel bearings New front calipers New sway bar links Old rear brake rotors and parking brake shoes New rear wheel bearing ready to be installed New rear wheel bearing seal installed New brake hose and rotor wear sensor harness New front caliper and wear sensor
In some cases, getting a used, original part is a better option than purchasing a new one. We can always advise and ultimately it’s up to you what parts you want. Used parts are thoroughly inspected, cleaned and parts that are prone to leak are always replaced. Of course, photos are provided, so you can see the repair process in detail.
Valve cover removed, even after almost 400k miles, engine was still clean. One of many benefits of using synthetic oil
Timing chain still in good shape Damaged flex disc. If not replaced in time, the flex disc will get completely damaged Damaged flex disc. If not replaced in time, the flex disc will get completely damaged Damaged flex disc. If not replaced in time, the flex disc will get completely damaged The new flex disc was installed and drive shaft connected
The new center support bearing was installed
New differential prepared for installation.
Old seals
New differential prepared for installation. New axle seals were installed
Preparing the new differential
Rear pinion seal ready to be installedCall us today at 985-250-0248 or schedule a Service Request and let Briskers take care of your Mercedes repair!