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E280 no 5th Gear

Pilgrim

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Joined
Sep 17, 2004
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2
My E280 Auto Estate ('94, 215K miles) will not change up to 5th gear. .....Before anyone asks...It does have the 5 speed auto box!!
I've checked the upshift switch next to the gear stick (with a multimeter) and this appears to be opening and closing circuit OK.

Does anyone know what else I might check?

As a bit of background reading -
I have recently had the Engine wiring loom replaced by Star Motor Services in Caversham - no complaints there. Smoked like an angry dragon for the first few miles and for a while I thought I'd just wasted £650, but it cleared up and is now just fine.....except for no 5th gear.

Prior to that it wouldn't run (one day it just wouldn't start) and had been off the road for a few months whilst I considered options before parting with £500 odd for a new loom plus fitting. I could see the wiring loom insulation crumble away, but had no idea what else might be wrong, how many more £££ I'd need to pour in, or if there may also be something else more serious wrong. I even tried fitting a used loom I acquired at a local breakers - looked OK, the car it came off was relatively low mileage, but inside it was just as bad as my original one. I am somewhat surprised that Mercedes do not accept some responsibility for what appears to be well known problem (Biodegradable cables!!!). I suppose the goodwill period has expired!!

Ian from Star Motors says he will check the wiring diagram when he has time to see if he can trace where the problem may be, in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone else may have experience of a similar problem and may be able to point me in the right direction - thanks
 
How fast have you tried driving in fourth, could it be low oil in the box? I'm not too well up on modern auto boxes, but I had a similar problem on an old Triumph 2.5 four speed auto or was it three, geese my memory.....what we talki... oh yes, low gear box oil stopped changing gear.
 
not re set the box side of the ecu? try the basic re-set - disconnect battery for an hour or more - remember radio codes!

after a 'catastrophic' failure like that, i reckon the ecu(s) has gone into limp mode on everthing, not just the engine...
 

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