ML350 transmission noise Service Bulletin
 

My wife's 2006 ML350 has from day 1 made a squealing noise shifting in and out of park. It sounds like a clutch noise. She asked the dealer to fix it yesterday with her first A service ($226!) but their response was basically "they all do that". She knows for a fact that that's not true as she has a friend with an ML500 which does not make the same noise. I called the service advisor who is usually very helpful, and was told "It's a solenoid in the transmission. All ML's make that noise, including other 164 chassis vehicles, plus the new S-class. I have a service bulletin saying it is normal. I'll ask Mercedes for permission to replace the solenoid, but can't guarantee that it won't make the same noise".

I will take it in and have the solenoid replaced (assuming she gets the OK from Mercedes), but I can't believe "it's supposed to sound that way". Did the 164 product planning team sit around writing the spec: "the transmission shall make a loud grinding noise whenever it shifts in and out of park as audible feedback to the driver that the shift has occured"? I can't see it.

Anyone else have this noise? If so what happened when you complained to Mercedes service?

I've attached the scanned "star bulletin" dated 15Aug06.