Winstanley

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Hi All,

Just a request if anyone else has noticed...

I'm not a fast driver, will sit comfortably at 70mph in Eco mode on the cruise control. I do quite a bit of motorway travel.

I have notice over the past week, after the diesel Nox software update, my car no longer enters 9th gear on the flat or down long hills @ 70mph. I am now using my paddle shifts to compensate.

I believe the car is reving slightly higher, and one method of reducing Nox is by having a less lean-burn and a lower compression ratio. Which the engine-management system could effect.

The effect on the car was not explained by the dealer, and so has the car been de-tuned and become less efficient to reduce the Nox?

Would appeciate other's experience.

Steve
 

Blobcat

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Hello and welcome

We had another thread recently saying very similar, changes to 9th are now further up.
 

malcolm E53 AMG

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As above - Mercedes look like they will be upsetting a lot of owners by detuning their cars with the Nox reduction update. I suppose you could take it back and ask for software update to be removed.
 
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Winstanley

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Thank you Blobcat, I did do a seach looking for threads, as I know how annoying repeating stuff is.

Not been able to find it thus far, will perceiver, but still welcome comments.

BTW: When you say further up, you mean I only get 9th by breaking the law...
 

Blobcat

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Thank you Blobcat, I did do a seach looking for threads, as I know how annoying repeating stuff is.

Not been able to find it thus far, will perceiver, but still welcome comments.

BTW: When you say further up, you mean I only get 9th by breaking the law...
Yes... 74 I believe IIRC

I’ll have a look for the thread

My E220d would go up before 70 most of the time but I’d have to use manual sometimes.
 

Wighty

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Thank you Blobcat, I did do a seach looking for threads, as I know how annoying repeating stuff is.

Not been able to find it thus far, will perceiver, but still welcome comments.

BTW: When you say further up, you mean I only get 9th by breaking the law...

Funny about breaking the law , but it’s worth noting that most speedos read low , on mine , 74 is about 70mph according to satnav and GPS . Would this sort your gear change issues .
 

NBurns

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Funny about breaking the law , but it’s worth noting that most speedos read low , on mine , 74 is about 70mph according to satnav and GPS . Would this sort your gear change issues .

And where on the island can you test this?!!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Winstanley

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Hi All,

To be clear, the car is not going into 9th at any part of a 350mile journey. Unless, as I've just tried on my way home from work it, you travel at ~75mph.

This means that Mercedes Benz is encouraging a driver to break the speed limit, as it is the only way operate the car efficiently in 9th; this is not very safe.

There is no explanation anywhere from MB on the effect to your vehicle of this software update, and reducing Nox is good, but I might argue, not when it reduces road safety.

I am going to speak with MB tomorrow, and ask them about the issue. Will let you know what they say.

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

Steve
 
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Blobcat

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Hi All,

To be clear, the car is not going into 9th at any part of a 350mile journey. Unless, as I've just tried on my way home from work it, you travel at ~75mph.

This means that Mercedes Benz is encouraging you to break the speed limit, as it is the only way car operates efficiently in 9th gear; this is not very safe.

There is no explanation anywhere from MB on the effect to your vehicle of this software update, and reducing Nox is good, but I might argue, not when it reduces road safety.

I am going to speak with MB tomorrow, and ask them about the issue. Will let you know what they say.

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

Steve
Please keep us updated
 
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Winstanley

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MB has kindly asked me to book the car in on the 17th Jan 2020. I will not be able to report back until after 3rd Feb 2020.

BR.
 

mioba

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Let ius know how you get on, intersting thread this, my guess its a llegislation requirement to reduce nox emissions, another dieselgate circumvention i guess. somewhat makes 9th gear redundant if you cant drive so fast (UK roads), not affecting the german autobahn cruisers though.
 

Gazwould

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I've yet to hear of a manufacturer who has reversed a NOx update .
 

malcolm E53 AMG

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I've yet to hear of a manufacturer who has reversed a NOx update .

The issue here in the UK appears to be that the 70mph max speed limit doesn’t allow the gearbox to change up into 9th gear when the software update has been applied so not fit for purpose really
 

ajlsl600

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If your's is a C250, then mine will go into 9th around 65mph. I'm making sure mine is not going to get updated by never taking it back to Mercedes, for anything!


blxxdy right, my mercs going no where near dealer ,or updates if running ok . where yr fd is if yr nox sensors kark it ,then my understanding update a must on replacements in order to get them to work ???
 

TeddyRuxpin

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Hi,

Really interested in hearing about this as I felt like I was the only one! I took my car (2009 E350 with OM642 engine, 7G box) into MB for a service and had the software update done (without it being clearly explained to me, I should add).

I too have noticed that the car no longer changes into top gear (7th) until 74mph (120km)! It will allow it to rev up to 2000rpm in the penultimate gear, and predictably, fuel economy has taken a hit.

Now I have to speed up to ~75mph and back down (it will stay in 7th all the way down to ~53mph), or use the flappy paddles to change manually.

I thought it might be related to DPF regenerating (as this is what the car does if it's regenerating on the motorway), but I tested my dad's car E350 which has the newer 7G+ box - and has had the software update - and his does the same too.

Some things to note:

- This software update is NOT voluntary. The 'voluntary' part that you read, is because MB have 'volunteered' to update their vehicles with new software, rather than the German government/EU forcing them to do it. If you take your car into MB, they WILL do the update to it. You cannot opt out.
- The software update is not reversible, even if you take it to a tuning company to get a remap
- I have argued with MB and had them check it over (although I only noticed the 7th gear thing after) - I knew it was using more fuel, and thought it was DPF problems. They looked at it for 20 mins max (I have a tracker on my car and can see when it's moved, ignition on etc) and said there was nothing wrong with it
- I have emailed MB UK and they actually got aggressive and say 'by taking it into service, you gave your permission. Take it up with the ombudsman buddy'

So, it's unlikely that you'll get anywhere, and unfortunately, you'll probably have to just live with the '9th gear workaround'. Try to enjoy the fact that your car is putting out less NOx, I guess?

Please let us know what MB say about it.

Cheers,

Ed
 
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TeddyRuxpin

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Also to note: 120kmph is the speed limit on many/most german and EU roads (autobahn excepted), if not a bit faster. So for most people that the EU legislation effects, they've made it so it holds the gears until you get to the speed limit, then it will change into top gear.

They probably didn't give much thought to UK customers.

(Not interested in a brexit debate, thanks!)
 


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