[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

A bit of a story, but certain Benz models within the '02-'04 range, both 6 & 8 cyl, can have a radiator from one of two manufacturers - either Valeo or Behr. There was a run of Valeo radiators that have a mfg defect with the a/t trans fluid cooler located in the rad tank. The defect is that the trans cooler has a leak, and the engine coolant seeps into the trans fluid. The rad replacement is the minimum fix obviously.

The result is an increasingly obvious 'shudder, vibration, and whine' between ~1,200 rpm - ~3,000 rpm. The impact on the transmission is varied. The minimal impact is simply clutch pak and torque converter issues necessitating a fluid flush. The next level of impact is excessive wear on the clutch paks due to the electro-plating being scrubbed off, and the torque converter needing to be replaced. The extreme impact is that the entire transmission requires an overhaul/replacement ($8-$10k) due to complete failure of the mechanicals and electronics.

Surprisingly, this 'issue' was not considered to be worthy of a recall.