Reconditioned Mercedes Citan 1.5 CDI Gearbox

Reconditioned Mercedes Citan 1.5 CDI Gearbox: 5 or 6 speeds depending on the year — how do you tell them apart?

Between 2012 and 2021, the Citan 1.5 CDI did not always come with the same manual gearbox. Early versions sold from 2012 onwards were fitted with a 5-speed gearbox, inherited from the Renault platform on which this vehicle is based. References such as JR5301, JR5366 and JR5364 belong to this family. A 6-speed gearbox was subsequently introduced on later production runs, with distinct references such as TL4090, TL6006 and 700720. These two families are not interchangeable: the vehicle's first registration date and exact specification are decisive in identifying the correct unit.

The Renault K9K origins and what that means in practice

The Citan is fitted with the OM607 engine, which shares its base architecture with the Renault K9K. This lineage explains why gearboxes from the Renault parts catalogue appear in the list of compatible units. The known weaknesses of these transmissions in this type of application — a van with a high payload, subjected to repeated urban cycles — centre on premature synchroniser wear, particularly on 2nd and 3rd gear changes in the 5-speed version. The 6-speed version, introduced later, has a different gear ratio, which affects behaviour under load.