E320 Gear Change Problems

[Dom320]

My 2001 E320 CDI gear change has been playing up recently. When the car is started first thing in the morning it will not change out of 2nd gear. If I pull over stop the engine, remove the key, and then re-start it is then fine. Any subsequent trips through the day are then OK, until......
Yesterday turning off and restarting had no effect (my wife had the car and tried 6 times!). I went out this morning to try the car out, and the battery was too low to even re-set the memory seat.
So the question is has the gear select problem been caused by a tired battery on it's way out?
Will get a new battery today and see what happens.

 

[Blobcat]

Low battery can cause numerous issues and has been covered quite a few times so you may find with a new battery that your problem goes away. One thing to not as well is that the gearbox will hold onto lower gears longer when it is cold to aid warming.

 

[eric242340]

Change the battery and reset on Star D

 

[television]

Change the battery and reset on Star D

Though a fault code maybe recorded they seldom need to be cleared on STAR for as shown above once the car has got the voltage up it has been driving OK

 

[television]

Though a fault code maybe recorded they seldom need to be cleared on STAR for as shown above once the car has got the voltage up it has been driving OK

Eric this is 2nd time today, are you sure that you are not winding me up again.

If you do not know please do not pass comments leading to the guy here having something done he does not need.

I think you should stop using any reference to STAR on the forum It just makes me look to big for my boots having to correct your answers, and I am not going to chase around on everyone of your answers.

 

[Dom320]

Battery changed and......
The fault is still there. Somebody I was talking to reckons that there is a known software communication fault between the ECU and the gearbox controller for which MB have a free software upgrade for - anyone ever heard of this (I can't see anything on any other threads about it).

I'm going to try disconnecting the MAF just in case, but failking that I think it will be a trip to the local indie on Monday to get the codes read.

 

[television]

Battery changed and......
The fault is still there. Somebody I was talking to reckons that there is a known software communication fault between the ECU and the gearbox controller for which MB have a free software upgrade for - anyone ever heard of this (I can't see anything on any other threads about it).

I'm going to try disconnecting the MAF just in case, but failking that I think it will be a trip to the local indie on Monday to get the codes read.

Can I have the 6 VIN numbers please WDB210---

 

[television]

On the 210026 that I believe this car is, the code 114 is that the car does not change up sometimes.

1 Shift rod incorrect adjustment this makes some sense as it you stop the car and start again the fault goes away.

2 gear recognition switch Voltage coded is also plausible .

Replace gear recognition switch only when the error intermediate position or error is indicated when testing with HHT. If error is indicated, ignore DTC 114

3 Limp home 002-007 could be ETC control module. Modules as of CW45 are OK as of CW4

4 012 - 113 - 108- 109 loose connector on ETC module. Or speed module

The fault 1 or 2 is in keeping with your fault

 

[Dom320]

On the 210026 that I believe this car is, the code 114 is that the car does not change up sometimes.

1 Shift rod incorrect adjustment this makes some sense as it you stop the car and start again the fault goes away.

2 gear recognition switch Voltage coded is also plausible .

Replace gear recognition switch only when the error intermediate position or error is indicated when testing with HHT. If error is indicated, ignore DTC 114

3 Limp home 002-007 could be ETC control module. Modules as of CW45 are OK as of CW4

4 012 - 113 - 108- 109 loose connector on ETC module. Or speed module

The fault 1 or 2 is in keeping with your fault

Many thanks Malcolm.

The car is a 226 rather than an 026, does this make a difference?

Thanks,

Dom.

 

[Dom320]

I had the faults read and cleared when it first played up a few weeks ago. This is what was listed then,
ESM
EAG/EGS
LCP
HRA ESA/FR
PSE
OCP
PTS
SAM
KI/ICM
P1817 Back light short circuit (now fixed).
P2502 Trans Slipping
P2600 Circuit 87
P2602 Voltage Supply Faulty
B1121 Faulty Window Lifter
B14A
B14B
B1864
B1723
B1264

 

[television]

When do you need STAR diagnosis.


This is a forum where people can hope to get advice and fix a problem without have to go to the repairman.

Most faults brought about by a faulty battery will clear once the new battery is fitted. The fault low battery and what ever else it was making the car do will be recorded and the fault codes will have been stored, with 99% of these recorded faults they can be left in the cars memory and they can be erased at some time when the car is hooked up to STAR D. An example of this is my own car where I took off the PSE pump to check it out. when hooked up to the tester the car had logged PSE pump failed, door locking ran too long, and a whole load of other faults, I replaced the battery on mine when I first bought it, and there were a few low battery codes stored. In all I had 60 fault codes stored, but talking to the MB engineer we agreed that it does not matter about the codes sitting there. OK we cleared them all, but since then there will be some new ones, like the ABC, sometimes the ABC flashes up on the first start of the day, the car runs fine and these fault codes will now be sitting in the memory, they can stay there as far as I am concerned.

Yes I do get annoyed when someone come on and says Get the codes read out without having been down every avenue of trying the things suggested here, as the guy could then not have bothered coming here in the first place.

With the MAF, we all know the way our car runs when this goes down, a lot of codes will have been stored, but 99% of these cars are driving around perfectly with having to go and get anything read out.

With the odd car that does not respond, and there is always the odd man out there, (this is all digital technology and anything digital can and does lock up some times, we all know this from our SKY boxes and Digi boxes) what happens here is on the car, some info on the ECU's can get lost or contaminated and if that is info thats needed to operate the car, then this info must be put back into the component effected. Many of us have done downloads that have failed, as happens on the command system and computers, it only take 1 missing BIT and it will not work, and you have to do it all again

STAR is not the only way of solving problems, it is the last resort when all else has failed.

 

[television]

I had the faults read and cleared when it first played up a few weeks ago. This is what was listed then,
ESM
EAG/EGS
LCP
HRA ESA/FR
PSE
OCP
PTS
SAM
KI/ICM
P1817 Back light short circuit (now fixed).
P2502 Trans Slipping
P2600 Circuit 87
P2602 Voltage Supply Faulty
B1121 Faulty Window Lifter
B14A
B14B
B1864
B1723
B1264

Sorry I should have said 226 as I know your car was the last in this series and the code I put up where for this. it just that i have 026 on the brain, I will look into some of the codes you put up later in the day as I must go and do something sensible now

 

[eric242340]

When do you need STAR diagnosis.


This is a forum where people can hope to get advice and fix a problem without have to go to the repairman.

Most faults brought about by a faulty battery will clear once the new battery is fitted. The fault low battery and what ever else it was making the car do will be recorded and the fault codes will have been stored, with 99% of these recorded faults they can be left in the cars memory and they can be erased at some time when the car is hooked up to STAR D. An example of this is my own car where I took off the PSE pump to check it out. when hooked up to the tester the car had logged PSE pump failed, door locking ran too long, and a whole load of other faults, I replaced the battery on mine when I first bought it, and there were a few low battery codes stored. In all I had 60 fault codes stored, but talking to the MB engineer we agreed that it does not matter about the codes sitting there. OK we cleared them all, but since then there will be some new ones, like the ABC, sometimes the ABC flashes up on the first start of the day, the car runs fine and these fault codes will now be sitting in the memory, they can stay there as far as I am concerned.

Yes I do get annoyed when someone come on and says Get the codes read out without having been down every avenue of trying the things suggested here, as the guy could then not have bothered coming here in the first place.

With the MAF, we all know the way our car runs when this goes down, a lot of codes will have been stored, but 99% of these cars are driving around perfectly with having to go and get anything read out.

With the odd car that does not respond, and there is always the odd man out there, (this is all digital technology and anything digital can and does lock up some times, we all know this from our SKY boxes and Digi boxes) what happens here is on the car, some info on the ECU's can get lost or contaminated and if that is info thats needed to operate the car, then this info must be put back into the component effected. Many of us have done downloads that have failed, as happens on the command system and computers, it only take 1 missing BIT and it will not work, and you have to do it all again

STAR is not the only way of solving problems, it is the last resort when all else has failed.

What a load of B--l ****

 

[television]

What a load of B--l ****

You might get more credibility If you could say why. Tell us for once in your life how it all works, then you will have mine and others complete respect, it must be worth it eric

Then if you had got STAR and were used to using it you would not have answered the parktronic fault wrong twice in a couple of weeks, or you would have to be way over the Top with alcohol to do so again

 

[Dom320]

Somebody I was talking to reckons that there is a known software communication fault between the ECU and the gearbox controller for which MB have a free software upgrade for - anyone ever heard of this (I can't see anything on any other threads about it).

QUOTE]

Has anyone heard of this free software upgrade from MB?

 

[television]

My info is good till 07-06 maybe something, the one that I put up, number 4 on the list, about poor contacts on the ECU could be it, though it is not a software upgrade, this that they were referring to.

 

[eric242340]

Somebody I was talking to reckons that there is a known software communication fault between the ECU and the gearbox controller for which MB have a free software upgrade for - anyone ever heard of this (I can't see anything on any other threads about it).

QUOTE]

Has anyone heard of this free software upgrade from MB?

There are many software upgrades available from Mercedes, the easy way is to phone the dealers and ask. They can only give you a yes or no answer. And the reason for clearing fault codes using Star is to ensure smooth resets. If the windows will not reset after an undervoltage problem (for arguments sake) then a fault code reset will ensure the system responds to this request. Yes, truly many cars have a lot of fault codes registered and it does not affect the car too much. But for diagnostic purposes (and IM talking from the technicians point of view) if there is an intermitent problem and the fault codes have not been cleared previously then the job becomes a monumental task. So having the fault codes cleared may do little to help the owner but does a lot to help the mechanic.

 

[television]

There are many software upgrades available from Mercedes, the easy way is to phone the dealers and ask. They can only give you a yes or no answer. And the reason for clearing fault codes using Star is to ensure smooth resets. If the windows will not reset after an undervoltage problem (for arguments sake) then a fault code reset will ensure the system responds to this request. Yes, truly many cars have a lot of fault codes registered and it does not affect the car too much. But for diagnostic purposes (and IM talking from the technicians point of view) if there is an intermitent problem and the fault codes have not been cleared previously then the job becomes a monumental task. So having the fault codes cleared may do little to help the owner but does a lot to help the mechanic.

This is better but not all correct

 

[eric242340]

This is better but not all correct

Pray tell why not correct, are you the mechainc who has to deal with the problem? Have some sympathy for the guys who have to deal with customers problems on a daily basis. Clearing the fault codes helps a lot.

 

[television]

Pray tell why not correct, are you the mechainc who has to deal with the problem? Have some sympathy for the guys who have to deal with customers problems on a daily basis. Clearing the fault codes helps a lot.

Yes correct in the area where the fault is, or if the car has some random faults popping up all over the place, then you give it a clean bill of health.