E320 auto won't hold on hills

[mikemoss]

Help! My 1990 300TE auto was great around here (hilly Bath) for holding itself on steep hills in heavy traffic, but its replacement - a 1999 E320 estate - rolls back (or forward) as soon as I take my foot off the brake.

I'm having to brake with my left foot on hills, which is far from ideal, and it's only a matter of time before I forget and bang into something/someone.

Tickover is just over 500rpm, it's just had a main dealer service, and I can't believe it's supposed to be this way.

Any ideas?

 

[Aurora]

That sounds faulty to me. I don't know specifically about the E-class, but my C-Class (W202) applies a brake automatically on steep hills when its too much for the natural forces in the torque convertor to cope. You can feel it bite momentarily after the car starts to roll backwards.

My auto box is the standard 5-speed (non tip).

 

[panason1c]

My ML auto also will roll back on a hill, i asked my local Merc dealer who said that this was normal as the ML did not have a summer/winter switch, he said that s/w equiped mercs will hold on a hill in the 'winter' setting.

Hope this helps.