S320L (w140) Gearbox problem

[GoDutchGo]

Hi,
This is my first post so please be gentle.
I have a 1998 s320L which as of today has deveoped a gearbox problem (auto). If I select drive I appear to be in 3rd gear and there it stays. I can select all the gears but nothing happens just 3rd gear. No 1st or 2nd gears. Reverse seems ok. The kickdown down doen't work work either. The engine/gearbox has done 125,000miles.
Can anyone point me in the right direction please.
Thanks in advance

 

[eric242340]

Hi,
This is my first post so please be gentle.
I have a 1998 s320L which as of today has deveoped a gearbox problem (auto). If I select drive I appear to be in 3rd gear and there it stays. I can select all the gears but nothing happens just 3rd gear. No 1st or 2nd gears. Reverse seems ok. The kickdown down doen't work work either. The engine/gearbox has done 125,000miles.
Can anyone point me in the right direction please.
Thanks in advance

Its nearly 2 oclock in the morning here, however I would like to help you. Firstly does the engine run Ok? Secondly have you checked the transmission fluid level and is it the right colour or is it brackish/brown? Thirdly, when you put it in drive/reverse, does it kick? Have you tried selecting the gears manually (if you have this facility)? Also second gear is the normal lock-down-mode, so why do you feel its stuck in third gear? A lot of questions, I know, but the answers will get you closer to a fix. Thanks.

 

[GoDutchGo]

thanks Eric and sorry to keep U up.
the engine runs fine. I check the fluid shortly. No kick. Selecting gears does nothing. Yes I know 2nd is the usual start gear but it appears much more sluggish pulling away... it could be 4th gear.

 

[eric242340]

thanks Eric and sorry to keep U up.
the engine runs fine. I check the fluid shortly. No kick. Selecting gears does nothing. Yes I know 2nd is the usual start gear but it appears much more sluggish pulling away... it could be 4th gear.

OK, I understand your confusion on this. But do you have 1 2 3 D on the selector lever? Am not sure of the model and the build

 

[GoDutchGo]

Ok here we go
I have 1,2,3,4 and D. I am unable to check the oil as it doen't have a dip stick just a cover saying something to the effect for dealers only. Does any of this throw any light onto the problem as I don't really want to take it to a main dealer.

thanks

 

[42864]

I see from your location that you are in the Brighton area, surely it would be worth going along to John Haynes in Worthing, not a million miles away, and get his opinion. Yes you do need a special Dip Stick to check the transmission oil on your car as there is not one supplied, or atleast not in mine, same car similar vintage, keep us informed as to how thing turn out.

 

[eric242340]

Ok here we go
I have 1,2,3,4 and D. I am unable to check the oil as it doen't have a dip stick just a cover saying something to the effect for dealers only. Does any of this throw any light onto the problem as I don't really want to take it to a main dealer.

thanks

I hate to say this, but it is a trip to the dealers or a good indie. The fact is your car appears to be in lock-down, which means you need to have the fault codes read to find the cause. It will, most probably, be something very simple. Without a fault code read out it will never be solved sorry.

As for the dipstic, you can buy one, they are freely available. Check out other transmission threads on this Forum and see.

 

[GoDutchGo]

Eric
Thanks for the advice. Strange thing though, this morning the car is running quite normally.
If someone has come across this problem I'd like to know the cause and fix.
Nigel

 

[eric242340]

Eric
Thanks for the advice. Strange thing though, this morning the car is running quite normally.
If someone has come across this problem I'd like to know the cause and fix.
Nigel

This simply proves that there is a fault, albeit a tempory fault. When you key out and key in the computer clears the tempory fault codes and allows you to drive normally untill a fault occurs again and if it does then its back to second gear.