2012 E63 gearbox issue , help plz

[Gumball]

Long story short , the E63 sometimes is a bit jerky pulling away from a standstill. THis is the only issue it has.
All the ecu's have the latest software on them. My spec list says it looks like an intermittent fault on the comms of the gearbox control unit.
His star machine gets a code of U 040208. I have spoke to MSL also and i am waiting to her back from them.
Taking the tcu out is easy but they seem to be very expensive £1200 ish .

Has anyone had a similar problem ??

Thanks Guys.

 

[st13phil]

Not had a similar problem myself, but I'd be inclined to get the opinion of someone who's familiar with the MCT 'box and its possible faults before springing for a replacement TCU.

 

[Gumball]

Looks like i will pop down to MSL and let them have a look at it.

 

[Cyclone1]

Do a reset - quick search on here will find it, the box adapts to your driving style so deviates away from factory set up. Worth a go as it’s harmless and may improve your issue.

 

[Cyclone1]

Turn ignition on. Do not start (2 clicks please think so all the dash lights light up)
Press accelerator to floor.
Wait at least 10 seconds
Turn ignition off do not remove key
Release pedal
Wait 2 mins
Restart and drive

 

[Cyclone1]

Helpful thread maybe?

Clutch relearn/Gearbox reset - E63 W212

 

[Gumball]

Thanks Cyclone but i have tried all these , no effect . Just booked into MSL on wednesday.

 

[E55BOF]

Mine can be a little jerky pulling away from rest on a light throttle as well; I had assumed that it was a characteristic of the gearbox. I only use C mode, so it is in second gear. It seems more noticeable when the car is cold.

 

[CarlPea]

They are pretty bad for the first 200 yards, especially when it's cold out.

however if it's only started happening best to have it looked into.

 

[st13phil]

When cold, the clutch on both my E63 Biturbos has been slightly slower to transmit torque on initial pull away than when warmed, which means you tend to open the throttle a bit more and then it pulls away quite rapidly. The weight transfer causes your foot to lift slightly, the car starts to slow which means your foot presses on the throttle a little more and you're then into the classic Pilot Induced Oscillation scenario.

 

[E55BOF]

That sounds about the same; it's quite smooth enough once the gearbox is hot. It will go into Wayne Gates for a routine gearbox oil change this summer anyway, and I'll see if that makes a difference, but I suspect it's just a characteristic of the car.

 

[Pondman]

That sounds about the same; it's quite smooth enough once the gearbox is hot. It will go into Wayne Gates for a routine gearbox oil change this summer anyway, and I'll see if that makes a difference, but I suspect it's just a characteristic of the car.

I have the same issue here too. I’m also a relative newbie to my E63 and I feel it’s a cold transmission issue as opposed to a throttle control thing. It’s just a bit jerky on cold pull away. I intend to get the transmission fluid serviced shortly so it will be interesting if this solves the issue.

On an similar note, has anyone found a way of preventing or forcing the gearbox NOT to select 1st gear?
My previous XF diesel never went into 1st and that was a ZF8 gearbox. An E63 doesn’t need to go into 1st (loads of torque) and it exacerbates the jerky nature of the gearbox when cold. Any ideas?

 

[st13phil]

That sounds about the same; it's quite smooth enough once the gearbox is hot. It will go into Wayne Gates for a routine gearbox oil change this summer anyway, and I'll see if that makes a difference, but I suspect it's just a characteristic of the car.

Both my pre-facelift car and my current car did/do it, so unless I'm very unlucky, it's a characteristic of the car.

My pre-facelift car had the wet clutch changed at circa 22k miles (to address what turned out to be another characteristic of the transmission, so it made no difference!), and it was exactly the same in respect to cold pull away with both the original and the replacement wet clutch. Gearbox oil change made no difference either.

 

[st13phil]

On an similar note, has anyone found a way of preventing or forcing the gearbox NOT to select 1st gear?

The only way I know to prevent engaging 1st gear is to run the transmission in Comfort mode.

 

[Pondman]

The only way I know to prevent engaging 1st gear is to run the transmission in Comfort mode.

Unfortunately, that seems not to be the case with my particular gearbox
I have tried that and it still selects 1st especially when cold. If you drop to below 5mph, it just leaps into first with a bit of a jolt. I find myself up shifting it back again into 2nd. Maybe if it notices me doing this, it will learn that I don’t want it to use 1st gear?

 

[E55BOF]

On an similar note, has anyone found a way of preventing or forcing the gearbox NOT to select 1st gear?

I presume you could do that in Manual, but it rather defeats the object of having an automatic transmission in the first place.

My pre-facelift car had the wet clutch changed at circa 22k miles (to address what turned out to be another characteristic of the transmission, so it made no difference!), and it was exactly the same in respect to cold pull away with both the original and the replacement wet clutch. Gearbox oil change made no difference either.

That does rather beg the question what the other characteristic was; go on, do spill the beans.

Unfortunately, that seems not to be the case with my particular gearbox
I have tried that and it still selects 1st especially when cold. If you drop to below 5mph, it just leaps into first with a bit of a jolt. I find myself up shifting it back again into 2nd. Maybe if it notices me doing this, it will learn that I don’t want it to use 1st gear?

That's odd. I thought it was standard that these gearboxes always pulled away in second when in Comfort mode. I know my pre-facelift 5.5 BT (AMG PP version) does. I can't see why it would be different for the 63S.

 

[st13phil]

That’s most odd. When in Comfort mode both my E63’s have never engaged 1st gear (unless you engage kick-down when pulling away) and my wife’s R172 SLK55 is exactly the same.

Perhaps there’s something odd with your gearbox?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pondman]

Perhaps there’s something odd with your gearbox?

Indeed, that was the reason for the Q. As I had read elsewhere theta comfort stops 1st gear engagement. I tried it and it still did it! Maybe a gearbox ecu reset might work? Or the gearbox oil service might help?

 

[st13phil]

That does rather beg the question what the other characteristic was; go on, do spill the beans.

It was a light drivetrain vibration in particular circumstances. Specifically it would do it momentarily when light throttle was reapplied from low speed with the 'box in Comfort mode. For example, coast down to make a turn and when accelerating from the turn (from around 25mph) there would be a momentary vibration through the drivetrain. The best way I can describe it is that it felt like very light, but relatively high frequency - probably 30-40Hz - clutch judder.

The car was still under manufacturer's warranty and the dealer I bought it from could replicate the fault when they drove it. Initially they tried re-adapting the transmission, but when that made no difference MBUK authorised replacement of the wet clutch. It was then OK for about 1,500 miles when I noticed the same vibration return under the same driving conditions. I did a bit of searching on the US-based MB forums and found that there were a number of other owners who experienced the same thing. As it was such a situation-specific issue that never became any more pronounced during the rest of my ownership period, and as the wet clutch had already been replaced I ascribed it to a characteristic of the car and never pursued it any further.

 

[st13phil]

Indeed, that was the reason for the Q.

Does the ECO Stop/Start work when the 'box is in Comfort mode?