230SLK Reluctance to change up, Gear change

Brian23

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Your Mercedes
EClass
My wife has a 1999 230SLK, Transmission oil (MB) and filter changed 1 month ago. I have a 230TE auto. When I drive the SLK it seems to have a reluctance to change up, compared with my 230TE. It is more obvious when starting off in the mornings. What controls the gear change? is it adjustable? Also on my car it has a S&E switch next to the gear change. (Book says: Standard and Econ) SLK has S&W which is??
Brian
 

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Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
The SLK has the 722.6 gearbox,, these are designed to hold on to the lower 2 gears to warm up the CAT,,once warm the box is normal.

Als on this car the W and S are different to the S and E on the 124. With it switched to W the car will start off in second gear, and the changes there after are done at lower speeds that in the S setting, also in the W mode,the car cannot roll back on hills, as it engages a Srag clutch. In the S mode, the car will start off in 1st gear and hold onto the bears long in both the up and down change modes.

Most 124 cars have the 722.3 , 4 or 5 gearbox,, the E gives more leisurely changes both up and down, most always start off in 2nd gear, and you use kick down or full throttle to start off in first gear
 

geoffd

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Sep 7, 2006
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Your Mercedes
56 plate SL 350 (sold)
sluggish gearchanges

It might also be that the box has 'learned' to be sluggish. These boxes 'adapt' to your driving style, and if that's 'spirited', then the changes are too and vice versa.

Try resetting to the default operating mode as follows :

1. Ignition on
2. Accelerator to floor and hold down for 5 sec
3. Switch off ignition but don't remove key
4. Release accelerator
5. Wait 2 minutes

This procedure worked for me.

Geoff
 

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