I'm pretty sure my car doesn't have a turbo, but...

[Adski]

sometimes it feels like it!

Hello again!

Here's a bit of an odd one. The first time it happened, I thought I was imagining it but it happened again yesterday and I'm positive it's not me going crazy! (I think!).

I recently bought a 1999 E280 and am made up with it. HOWEVER, I have two problems - not really that serious but something I'd like to sort out.


Problem 1 - Last week when I was turning out of a carpark onto a main road, I accelerated out (not especially that forcefully) and started driving up the main road. Pressure was constant on the accelerator and I sure as hell didn't activate kickdown, but the car took off enough to throw me into the back of my seat. Not dangerous - it just surprised me!
I just ignored it until yesterday when it did the same thing again. I was moving off from the lights, same pressure on the accelerator and then all of a sudden, it was like a turbo kicked in and it took off. The car doesn't feel especially slow but I've only owned it for a month so I was thinking maybe that there is something wrong to make the car slow and because I've not known any different, I haven't noticed anything. I.e. someone else with a 280 would think mine slow. I realise that's very confusing but that's the best way I can explain it.

Problem 2 - A very minor problem but something I reckon I might be able to fix myself. I've noticed a rattle occasionally that took me 3 weeks to trace - it's the gear selector when it's in Drive. When in Drive, you can pull the lever back about half a cm which sure enough, stops the rattling. Short of putting a bit of sponge or something on the lever, is there anything I can do? I'm loathe to start prising off gear lever covers - because the inevitable is that the car will end up stuck in reverse or something. I love taking things apart but the trouble is, I can't really put them back together again!

So, any advice, words of wisdom or anything remotely helpful would be very much appreciated.

Many Thanks,

Adam

 

[wireman]

It could be a plastic bush on the gear selector, there are two of them in, one in the gear lever (under the car) and one in the selector lever on the box itself.
They are probably difficult to change but easy to see.

 

[Rory]

Problem 1 - Last week when I was turning out of a carpark onto a main road, I accelerated out (not especially that forcefully) and started driving up the main road. Pressure was constant on the accelerator and I sure as hell didn't activate kickdown, but the car took off enough to throw me into the back of my seat. Not dangerous - it just surprised me!

Does the auto box have a summer/winter switch (sometimes it's called other things, like standard/comfort)?

In my car, comfort or winter setting makes the car start in 2nd gear. If I boot it firmly off the line, then it will start in 2nd but then downshift to 1st gear, and then really take off.

 

[jberks]

if sometimes it seems to have more power than other times, i'd start with the MAS sensor. A tired one can cause all sorts of symptoms but the bottom line is that if it's out, the mixture will be off and performance and economy will be eratic.
I also has similar issues with the O2 sensor where, on a fixed throttle, it would suddenly find another few horses but Id start with a MAS. Check out your local bosch dealer for an insert as a full unit inc housing from the dealer can be pricey and the insert is all you need.

 

[Adski]

Hi all,

Firstly, thanks very much for all the replies; they are very much appreciated.

I've been dissuaded from fixing the gear lever problem in light of wireman's comments!

The car has a W and S switch - I assumed for the first three days that S was sport but the manual later revealed it actually meant "Standard" ! What I'm describing though definitely isn't it changing down a gear. Even when I plant my foot on the floor and it kicks down I don't get power like that.

Bearing in mind that I don't mind getting my hands dirty, but am a complete and utter novice, can someone explain what I'm looking for and what I do with it when I find it? If the part's at fault then I'll definitely change it but ideally, I'd like to definitely diagnose the problem first before I go randomly replacing things. (I've been a little generous in putting petrol in and I'm feeling the piinch this month!)

Once again, thanks a lot for taking the time to help me.

Cheers,

Adam

 

[jberks]

Sadly, with an intermittent fault like this, there's no way of making a definite diagnosis. A full diagnostic may show the problem but as the car hasn't switched into safe mode, chances are that the ECU doesn't know it has a problem so stored faults aren't going to help and in any case, it may be behaving ok for the most part so there's no fault to find.
Anyway, as a cheap intermediate step, you could strip out the MAS and clean it (a how-to is in the DIY section) and this may even cure the fault! Good place to start anyway.

 

[Adski]

Sorry for never replying to all your helpful replies. I've been so busy that I just forgot all about it!

Not really much of an update but the car seems to be perfectly quick now - almost as though it's loosened up! It had only had one owner before me (I think he was an old gent that had it in the garage most of it's life) but now I've put about 8,000 on and it really flies when you get it up and over 3,4k revs (makes a wondeful sound too!).

It just takes a bit of getting used to; more so with it being the first automatic I've driven long term. For example, if it's in third or 4th at certain revs it doesn't pull that much without activating kickdown (I have a habit of doing that!) but if you know when it's about to change gear and drive accordingly it's like a different car! Anyway, I'm leaving the gear selector "problem" because the hassle it would be to fix it I think far outweighs how much it annoys me.

That being said, after research I've been doing, I've decided to get the ATF changed. I look after my car and I'm constantly swerving to avoid potholes, never driving up kerbs, avoiding speedbumps etc but I do drive...fast - and I do use kickdown...well...a lot. So I think I would benefit from an ATF change.

There's a "prestige & performace" car garage next door who seem to know what they're on about (the bloke has an ML too) and they've quoted me about 60 quid plus fluid. Does that sound right? A cheaper garage over the road didn't seem to want to do the job ("we'd have to find out what the fluid is...it can't be drained....I wouldn't bother if I were you" etc etc) and the only other garage I'd trust to do it is too far away for a none essential job.

Thanks again for your help and apologies for not keeping you updated. Mercedes-Benz Owners' Forums now added to favourites!

Thanks

Adam