"Pulling" feeling when slowing down E220 CDI

[Hillman]

Hi there

Anyone got any ideas on this problem I have. I have a 2000 E220 CDI with 55K on the clock. When I coast to a stop I feel a distinct "pull" from the gearbox at about 22-24 mph. It only happens when I coast up to something. If I am breaking in normal traffic conditions then the pull appears not to be there.

It feels like the auto box is changing down to early as it is the same feeling that you get in a manual car if you select a low gear when going to fast.

Anyone got any ideas??

 

[jberks]

my first question is how long have you had the car? Has it changed?
The reason I ask is that driving a merc auto, though less these days, I always notice that I've learned to instinctively back off the brake fractionally as it changes up. Doesn't seem to happen on other cars, just mercs and less on the newer ones.

 

[Hillman]

Hi

I've had the car since January and it's always been the same. I have had 4 other merc, all e-class but they have all been petrol. This is the only car I have felt do this.

Cheers

 

[Rory]

Hi there

Anyone got any ideas on this problem I have. I have a 2000 E220 CDI with 55K on the clock. When I coast to a stop I feel a distinct "pull" from the gearbox at about 22-24 mph. It only happens when I coast up to something. If I am breaking in normal traffic conditions then the pull appears not to be there.

It feels like the auto box is changing down to early as it is the same feeling that you get in a manual car if you select a low gear when going to fast.

Anyone got any ideas??

By 'coast' do you really mean on the over-run, with the car still in gear? Coasting would be in neutral.

Obviously a little difficult to diagnose remotely, but I would say my car (C270CDi Auto) does this too. One journey I frequently take has a long run to a set of traffic lights that have long change cycle - I find it very hard to judge rolling up to the red lights on the over-run as the autobox shifts down through the gears and slows the car more than I expect. As it shifts down, I would say that could be described as a pulling feeling.

 

[Frank Patten]

Due to the high compression of a diesel engine it exerts a lot more engine braking, so when the gearbox changes down you will fell it much more than with a petrol engine. My 220CDI does this as well.
A petrol engine has a compression ratio of around 8 to 1, whereas diesel has around 25 to 1.
I used to cruise down the short hill to my home with my foot off the accellerator, but with the diesel it has to be driven.

 

[carabind]

i would concurr with above, what you are probably seeing is the the drop in gears from 4-3 which has a larger gap that the others, so is increasing the engine braking effort at that point. That is what you are feeling at 22-24 mph. Its quite normal, I have similar within my 220CDI