Mercedes Benz E220 sportline coupe

malcolm smith

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I have a 1994 Mercedes E220 sportline coupe which motors extremely well, but it does not like to climb hills. This fault has only recently started and my local dealer is unable to locate the problem without (he says) a great deal of time, which means a similar amount of money!
 

roofless

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Your Mercedes
w124 e220 estate
is it a auto or manual is it hills in town ect or on the m-way if its a auto its poss that its not shifting down a gear on steep hills if so might just need a auto box service
 

kth286

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Your Mercedes
E320 Coupe 95
Malcolm

Has any work been done on the car recently ??

Did the dealer check the codes and give you the result.

Where you based.
 
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malcolm smith

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merecedes benz E220 sportline coupe, auto

I haven't had any recent work done other than the diagnostic check. The dealer only said that the tests had shown nothing although, as a 1994 car, it didn't have all of the updated facilities.I am based in Stourbridge
 
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malcolm smith

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is it a auto or manual is it hills in town ect or on the m-way if its a auto its poss that its not shifting down a gear on steep hills if so might just need a auto box service
The car is an auto and I have only experienced the problem in town. Since the fault occured I have not been on a motorway
 

kth286

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E320 Coupe 95
Malcolm

Assuming there are no fault codes showing from the engine, are you saying it might be gearbox not changing down issue, when you put your foot down ?

I would check the level of fluid in the gearbox via the dipstick at the rear of the engine bay.

Do you know how to do that.
 

roofless

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w124 e220 estate
drive for 10mls to get the oil up to temp then dip the fluid with the car runnig in park. hope this helps
 
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malcolm smith

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Malcolm

Assuming there are no fault codes showing from the engine, are you saying it might be gearbox not changing down issue, when you put your foot down ?

I would check the level of fluid in the gearbox via the dipstick at the rear of the engine bay.

Do you know how to do that.
Have tested the gearbox fluid and it is OK. It seems to manifest itself when I go up a hill. If I start on the flat, it seems to be OK, but when I come to a hill, it gives the impression that it will stop. Many thanks for your help
 
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malcolm smith

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drive for 10mls to get the oil up to temp then dip the fluid with the car runnig in park. hope this helps
Many thanks for your help. I have dipped the gearbox and the fluid level is OK. If I start on the flat it is OK but when I want to climb a hill, it gives the impression that it will stop
 

roofless

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Your Mercedes
w124 e220 estate
do you feel it needs to go down a gear or is it the engine not pulling you can try shifting down by selecting 3rd gear on the gear selector to see if that helps & that will give a better idea of the fault
 

kth286

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E320 Coupe 95
Malcolm

The car may have gone into limp-home mode, because of a sensor fault, but I would have expected an error code to be logged.

However, limp-home mode will prevent the engine from changing down (kick down etc) to protect the engine from over reving when there is a perceived fault on it.

Drive the car and manually hold the car in say second gear on a straight piece of road and see if the car will go fast enough for the engine to be spinning at say 5000 revs.

If it does do 5000 revs then it is not in limp-home mode.

If it does not do more than approx 4000 revs and feels as if the engine is missing (at that revs), then it is in limp-home mode. and you have an engine sensor problem.

Let us know.
 
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malcolm smith

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do you feel it needs to go down a gear or is it the engine not pulling you can try shifting down by selecting 3rd gear on the gear selector to see if that helps & that will give a better idea of the fault
I don't think the engine wants to go down a gear. It starts on the flat in D without any bother, it is only when I have to go up a hill that the problem starts. If I get into say 2nd or 3rd it seems to be better
 
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malcolm smith

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Malcolm

The car may have gone into limp-home mode, because of a sensor fault, but I would have expected an error code to be logged.

However, limp-home mode will prevent the engine from changing down (kick down etc) to protect the engine from over reving when there is a perceived fault on it.

Drive the car and manually hold the car in say second gear on a straight piece of road and see if the car will go fast enough for the engine to be spinning at say 5000 revs.

If it does do 5000 revs then it is not in limp-home mode.

If it does not do more than approx 4000 revs and feels as if the engine is missing (at that revs), then it is in limp-home mode. and you have an engine sensor problem.

Let us know.
I can't hold the car in 2nd. manually because it's an auto. It starts OK in D and the road is level. It's only when I have to climb a hill that the problem starts. If I do get to the top, and the road levels out, then eventually the engine picks up and it motors as normal. I have to say that I dare not use it much at the moment, as I am surrounded by hills! I don't recall seeing any fault messages though.
 

roofless

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w124 e220 estate
when in D you can use the gear stick when on the move as it has 2.3.D.N.R.P just slide it back to 3 or at low speed 2 if it takes the hill with ease you have a fault with the kick down not a big prob
 
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malcolm smith

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Many thanks. I'll try that tomorrow evening as I have something on during the day
 

kth286

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E320 Coupe 95
Malcolm

The gearbox CAN be used as a manual on the move, as previous poster explained.

AND with the benefit of no clutch.

Move the lever into second gear and the car should be capable of something like 60 mph.

This will prove or other wise the ability to significantly go over 4000 revs in that second gear.

You will not see any fault messages - unless you plug a diagnostic sensor into the diagnostic plug in the engine bay, which the dealer did, and there were no faults recorded, so he told you.
 
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malcolm smith

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Sorry I haven't replied to your suggestions before now, but I have been away.I have now done as you suggested but, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to work. I cannot get more than 2500 revs in 2nd, and that only produces a screaming engine with no extra speed
 
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malcolm smith

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Sorry I haven't replied to your suggestion before now, but I have been away. I tried yeterday to drive in 2 but was unable to achieve more than 2500 revs which resulted only in a screaming engine with no extra speed
 

roofless

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w124 e220 estate
hi malcolm it seems it might not be the box if you put it in N will it rev past 2500rpm if not the fault is on the engine side ?
 

jberks

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Your Mercedes
Jaguar XF 3.0 S, LR Freelander 2, Fiat 500 & Fiat Panda
you say its fine on the flat - but is it? Or - is it that the engine is short on power which really shows itself on hills.

I had a Ford a few years ago that seemed ok on the flat but wasn't too happy with hills. after a few weeks, hills became slight inclines and finally even the flat was a struggle. It wound up eventually but wasn't eager. It was a manual so easier to mask but it was clearly struggling. Turned out to be a sensor that was causing the ECU to run a very weak mixture but it didn't show up on diagnostics and took a mechanic a full day to find.

A dealer will charge £100 per hour for such a diagnosis so as you say, it can get very pricey. Things like this are often better dealt with by an indie, especially given the age of the car, where the indie probably has vastly more experience of 124s and 220 engines than the dealer's mechanic. Its possible in fact that yours is the only 124 your dealer's tech has ever worked on. Even without the near 50% reduction in charges, in your position, I would take it to an indie in preference to the dealer. I've nothing against dealer, in fact I booked mine in with my local dealer last night, but horses for courses.

Anyone know someone good in that area?
 


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