For owners with less than smooth 7-speed autos

[124coupe]

Ok. I have started a new thread to leave the sentiment in the old one behind.

Taking the time to research the other forums and also Alldata, here are the symptoms and some of the cures (for us "unluckly" people with imperfect Mercedes 7g gearboxes which make 35-40k cars unpleasant and frankly unacceptable to drive - AKA mechanical dog owners).

All owners with perfect cars - please ignore and continue to enjoy your car.

a) Harsh 1-2 or 2-1 changes.

May require SCN coding.

b) Uncomfortable 2-1 change (or "surge" when braking to a stop)

Valve body part number to be checked (replace if not "new" number")
Then s/w updates and "initial startup" performed under STAR

c) Rough Shift Quality (1-2, 2-3, 3-2, 2-1 or any one/more of these)

Requires gear adaption analysis on STAR and then, according to "fill" times:
either: reset adaption
or: replace "incorrectly fitted" circlip and spring (requires transmission opened up)
or: replace gearbox

There are significant numbers of customers with these issues in the US and Australia (where they buy the E350/500 which have torque levels close to the UK diesels).

I have not copied the "TSB" numbers as I know from experience that MBUK dismiss them using the excuse tha they are not for the UK and refusing to admit that they have exactly the same fault listed but under a different (and secret) number.

A variety of the fixes above seem to have cured some of the Forum users' cars - and a significant number have either had a new gearbox fitted or rejected the car under the US "lemon law".

I'm off to see my dealer's Serive Manager to see a list of what they have tried so far out of this list and what the next step is.

Hope this helps others.....

 

[hawk20]

It is completely baffling to me that your dealer does not lend you a loan car, take yours in and fix it, then the Service Manager should try and test and make sure the fault has been cured. You would then be happy.

This is a well known fault- mainly when the new box first came out- and I have been referring to the benzworld threads ever since. Nobody needs to accept rough shifts on a Mercedes. All agree that when the box is set up properly it is beautifully smooth.

BTW Mercedes have a trouble-shooting system for recurring faults, which Customer Service at MB should be able to aim you at.

 

[hawk20]

Here's more detail on the troubleshooting system, which I think SHOULD operate in your case, though it clearly hasn't yet: -

This article will show you some details of the troubleshooting system
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2006/04/01/mfmerc101.xml

Here is an extract from Mike Belk After Sales Director
"But even that doesn't solve all the problems," says Belk. "A lot of the things we see are a number of problems with the same car. So we've now got a team of guys who go out and see customers, dealers and cars.
"They are highly technically literate and are also empowered commercially to do anything up to and including a buy-back of the car. They are some of the best guys that we've got and are our front line on solving issues.
"We decide how and where these guys are sent with a Rapid Reaction Group, which reviews all difficult cases. I set this up because I was fed up with the ping-pong match between customers, the customer centre, dealers and us. It was deeply unsatisfactory for the customer and it looked as if we weren't joined up…"
Sounds like you or your dealer should make contact. Good luck.

 

[124coupe]

Thanks. I will wave that at them when it next goes in and make sure they know what the next action from me will be.

Interestingly I just tried coasting down to a stop both in neutral and then in D to isolate just the gearbox effects and that made me realise that the "strange braking" behaviour I have always had is actually also geabox related - the car is changing harshly down into second and then pulling forwards which I had misread as an SBC quirk - now that falls into the category "dangerous"...

The pattern so far has been to lose the car for 2 days (with a usually dirty-from-the-last-user B180-class replacement) and then get it back with the service man telling me its all perfect and then finding within the first mile that its not.

Its easy to assume we all have time to have long chats with the dealer and "make" them follow their own rules - I always drop off at 8am and pick up at 6pm to minimise the loss of working time that the diversion to the dealer causes - and the only call back I have ever managed to get from them is one asking for permission to spend more of my money on optional extras during the service.

 

[hawk20]

It is clearly not good enough by a very long chalk. The service Manager should be reported to the service director at your dealers. He is not checking properly to ensure that his team are doing the job properly. Just the problem Mike Belk refers to and which exasperates both Mercedes and the customer. The ping pong problem. Car in. Back out. Back in etc. And all because someone in the service department did not check properly.

 

[hawk20]

I hope you will keep us posted 124coupe.

 

[hawk20]

Any news please?

 

[124coupe]

Working away so can't be involved in loan cars etc right now - will let you know.

Comand rebooting almost every trip now!

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

have any suggestions for those with a "less than smooth" 5 speed auto-box? I guess the fluid change is the most likely one but it's only done 47k miles. Seems a little early.

 

[Hibbo]

have any suggestions for those with a "less than smooth" 5 speed auto-box? I guess the fluid change is the most likely one but it's only done 47k miles. Seems a little early.

Forty seven thousand miles is a long way. Get it changed. I'd say 30k is a reasonable interval. No matter what anyone says, any fluid will degrade of time, and ATF has a hard life.

 

[hawk20]

have any suggestions for those with a "less than smooth" 5 speed auto-box? I guess the fluid change is the most likely one but it's only done 47k miles. Seems a little early.

Omni, what has been happening to you is a disgrace, just like 124coupe's. It is called the 'ping pong problem' at Merc head office. Look at the refs I gave 124 coupe on the other thread -Telegraph article etc. Merc trying to get dealers to stop this problem and set up special hit squad. But the hit squad may only apply to cars still under guarantee??

This is what would happen at my dealer. I would go in and ask for Foreman or the service manager. They would come out for a short drive so I could show them the problem. Then I'd book it in and be given a loan car on the appointed day. They would fix problem and foreman or service manager would personally test to ensure problem had gone. Do you know the foreman at your dealer -or manager- and could you tell him not to give you the car back till he has tested and shown the problem is solved. Surely that is not too much for a customer to ask for? Maybe tell them when you collect it, you will drive round the block to see if fault cured and if not will bring it straight back in. Hold the loan car I know it takes time and is maddening but this is what should happen IMO. I think you have the same 5 speed box as my S and as I had on the E class. Should be smooth as a silk blouse.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

sadly I have already been talking to the service manager. He was the one that said he would sort out the scratch that appeared on my bonnet after the last service. However, when I got the car back the scratch was still there and he said they couldn't see it, despite me showing it to the guy that picked the car up. They didn't bother phoning me either, just bought the car back and said nothing about it.

It's going back early in feb......

 

[hawk20]

sadly I have already been talking to the service manager. He was the one that said he would sort out the scratch that appeared on my bonnet after the last service. However, when I got the car back the scratch was still there and he said they couldn't see it, despite me showing it to the guy that picked the car up. They didn't bother phoning me either, just bought the car back and said nothing about it.

It's going back early in feb......

It's your gearbox that I was referring to. Have another look. Delay in my reply is for some reason I don't get e-mail reminder when you reply on this thread despite subscribing...

 

[124coupe]

Update on my jerky gearbox.

Had my second service today at Mercedes Worcester - good price and excellent service (good valet, box of sweets, satisfaction survey etc). Oh and they swapped all the rusty wheel bolts for the new improved ones -looks much better.

They updated the ECU and gearbox (recent set of software updates) and then reset adaptation, roadtested and confirmed fault still there.

They booked in for 2 day slot next week and will change gearbox valve body, roadtest and if still faulty change the box.

Nice to have found a decent dealer that cares.

Obviously I will not go near S-on-A again as they just spoiled my experience of the car and perception of the brand.

Worcester are highly recommended.

 

[124coupe]

Update.

Merc Worcester took the car in last Thursday and changed the valve body, roadtested and the gearbox still faulty.

They asked Merc UK for permission to change the box and finally today heard back - its been refused!

Apparently MB UK "technical" say the fault lies outside the box and is software related around the way the software applies engine torque at the time of a gearchange. Merc have NO timescale for when this new software will be ready and have told the dealer to "put me back in my car" to await the new software.

I will post a copy of my complaint letter on this forum and update everyone as and when I get some semblence of "service" from MB UK.

The car is utterly unacceptable and I'm totally sick of every new passenger commenting on the jerky changes in my "quality" car....

Having finally found a good dealer, MB UK are found lacking - so much for the "new" MB..

 

[television]

Never know what to say on threads like this, very sad times we are in.

 

[124coupe]

Reference Mercedes E-class E280 Estate registration xxx VIN WDB2112202xxxxx

Dear sir, I am writing to formally complain about the faulty 7-speed auto gearbox on my less than one year old car.

The car is currently with Mercedes Worcester who have spent several days performing diagnostic actions on the car (gearbox adaptation data reset, new valve body, new software) to try to resolve faulty gearchanges in the first 3 gears when the engine and gearbox are fully warm:

1. All changes 1->2, 2->3 and 3->2 and 2->1 are jerky and often “clunk” the drive-train and rock the car and passengers when in slow traffic.

2. When braking the gearbox changes down and fails to match the engine torque correctly - either causing the car to pull forwards or imposing excessive engine braking – this makes smooth stops impossible and unnerves passengers.

3. When braking relatively quickly (for instance up to an A-road roundabout) and then accelerating away, the car hesitates for around half a second, eventually changes down with a lurch and then surges away in an uncontrolled manner.

I have today been told that the dealer request to Mercedes UK to replace the gearbox has been refused and that they are to “put me back in the car” to await a future software fix that is anticipated to cure the problem. I am also told that there is no timescale for this fix and that I am supposed to “put up with” the fault in the meantime.

This attitude and proposed solution is totally unacceptable.


I have also taken the opportunity to:

Be a passenger in a similar model with the same engine and gearbox combination – it is smooth and does not suffer from the faults listed above.

Take two test drives in dealer stock of the same car (used) – they are also fine and do not suffer these faults



I therefore require you to assist the dealer to quickly effect repairs to the car that make the gearbox function correctly.

I expect contact from you Tuesday 27th March on my mobile – 07702 xxxxxx – BEFORE I agree to hand back the service loan vehicle and take back my faulty vehicle.


Regards

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Mr Teddy Bear]

Hi 124 Coupe,
Please may we have a update on how your getting on ?

Best Regards,
Tim

 

[hawk20]

Hi 124 Coupe,
Please may we have a update on how your getting on ?

Best Regards,
Tim

Yes please keep us all informed.

 

[hawk20]

Hi 124 coupe. Any progress to report, please???