Gearbox Road Speed Gear Change
- Thread starter MartinPN
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The change in transmission shift behaviour after the 'Dieselgate' update, is something that should have been communicated to owners, granted.
But the behaviour itself is not unreasonable. MB sold automatic cars with 5, 7, and 9 gears, all over the world. At no point did they commit to having the cars customised per country so that the top gear is always engaged before the motorway speed limit for that country is reached.
So German Autobahn drivers and Italians on the Autostrada will be fine with this behaviour, while economy-minded owners in the UK will be disappointed at not being able to achieve top gear while driving legally in their own country.
But, again, no one ever promised anything different.
So the forced change is wrong, but the change itself is perfectly reasonable.
BTW, out of curiosity I checked and my petrol C180 is indeed in 7th (top) gear at 70mph, with the latest engine and transmission software uodates, but then it obviously wasn't subject to any Dieselgate updates.
But the behaviour itself is not unreasonable. MB sold automatic cars with 5, 7, and 9 gears, all over the world. At no point did they commit to having the cars customised per country so that the top gear is always engaged before the motorway speed limit for that country is reached.
So German Autobahn drivers and Italians on the Autostrada will be fine with this behaviour, while economy-minded owners in the UK will be disappointed at not being able to achieve top gear while driving legally in their own country.
But, again, no one ever promised anything different.
So the forced change is wrong, but the change itself is perfectly reasonable.
BTW, out of curiosity I checked and my petrol C180 is indeed in 7th (top) gear at 70mph, with the latest engine and transmission software uodates, but then it obviously wasn't subject to any Dieselgate updates.
I do agree with most of what you say.
The issue that I have is I do go on the M25 and while on there doing long journeys I try like most people to get the best MPG I can, so not going into 7th gear is a pain plus in turn not good for the enviroment.
Just a quick comment on MB not committing to top gear at speed limits. Not sure if that is completely correct as before the update it was working within the speed limit. Now it is the environment and my pocket that is suffering.
The issue that I have is I do go on the M25 and while on there doing long journeys I try like most people to get the best MPG I can, so not going into 7th gear is a pain plus in turn not good for the enviroment.
Just a quick comment on MB not committing to top gear at speed limits. Not sure if that is completely correct as before the update it was working within the speed limit. Now it is the environment and my pocket that is suffering.
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The reasons your car is behaving the way it is have been clearly explained to you by several members.
We cannot be held responsible for your lack of intellectual ability to understand what has been clearly explained to you.
You agreed to the update.
Did you ask exactly what the update would mean in terms of alteration to any performance factors?
I suggest not so that makes you complicit with the outcome.
As for your stupid and childish comments to long established members.
Just what have you brought to the Forum that is of value compared to the many thousands of helpful posts by those you glibly insult?
That's rhetorical by the way.
If you don't like the answers you get then ask the Admin team for a full refund of your membership fee.
You are just another lightweight member happy to criticise and whinge without listening so you can go to my ignore list which will save me seeing anymore of your vapid posts.
We cannot be held responsible for your lack of intellectual ability to understand what has been clearly explained to you.
You agreed to the update.
Did you ask exactly what the update would mean in terms of alteration to any performance factors?
I suggest not so that makes you complicit with the outcome.
As for your stupid and childish comments to long established members.
Just what have you brought to the Forum that is of value compared to the many thousands of helpful posts by those you glibly insult?
That's rhetorical by the way.
If you don't like the answers you get then ask the Admin team for a full refund of your membership fee.
You are just another lightweight member happy to criticise and whinge without listening so you can go to my ignore list which will save me seeing anymore of your vapid posts.
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"The issue that I have is I do go on the M25 and while on there doing long journeys I try like most people to get the best MPG I can, so not going into 7th gear is a pain plus in turn not good for the enviroment."
But the car does go into seventh gear. You know two ways to do it; manual change or firm acceleration. I don't see too much of a problem in that, and once the update has been done you can't go back to the earlier map, so I'm afraid you'll have to live with it; either that, or change the car.
But the car does go into seventh gear. You know two ways to do it; manual change or firm acceleration. I don't see too much of a problem in that, and once the update has been done you can't go back to the earlier map, so I'm afraid you'll have to live with it; either that, or change the car.
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But doesn't the update make the emissions in compliance with the published figures, so better than was happening in reality before the update?
Did you buy your car or is it on some sort of PPI? If the latter it seems you had no. Choice in the upgrade, if on the other hand you bought it outright, when you were called to bring it in for. the upgrade. you should have refused it, as did I. My. E,350 Prem plus Coupe is a 9 speed automatic. Rocket, since all this mb upgrade nonsense began it has been in for 2 services each time I say No Upgrade, they reply " it's your car sir, it's up to you".you pay your money and make your choice, your problem stems from you not asking what upgrade? And reading up on it on forums such as this.
A.J.
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Wonderful thing is hind sight but your answer to the software update should have been NO thankyou. There is a software update on my son-in-laws MB but I have already primed him to say no thanks. There is too many negativities as a result of the update. I believe it is primarily an emissions update 
jc651
Active Member
My car is in the bracket for the update.........
Not a chance is it getting done because of all the problems other forum members are going through and it will also remove the remap I have on it. I understand all the reasons behind the update but I really can't see why you would risk all the trouble it will cause getting it done.
Not a chance is it getting done because of all the problems other forum members are going through and it will also remove the remap I have on it. I understand all the reasons behind the update but I really can't see why you would risk all the trouble it will cause getting it done.
Good Morning.
So in a nut shell. I should not have had the update, although MB Extended Warranty would have run a mile if i had engine problems and not had the update done.
Hind sight is a wonderful thing.
I should change into seventh gear manually.
It is a semi automatic gearbox now by any definition. Unless the sun is in the right position and factoring in wind direction, speed, hour of the day ETC ETC.
It is all my fault.
And basically the update is not really fit for purpose, because if i don't check that i am in seventh gear i am over revving the engine and thus throwing out more harmful emissions. That was i believe the point of the update.
With Thanks to all that have posted helpful comments and to those who have just come up with stupid and negative points, again Thanks.
So in a nut shell. I should not have had the update, although MB Extended Warranty would have run a mile if i had engine problems and not had the update done.
Hind sight is a wonderful thing.
I should change into seventh gear manually.
It is a semi automatic gearbox now by any definition. Unless the sun is in the right position and factoring in wind direction, speed, hour of the day ETC ETC.
It is all my fault.
And basically the update is not really fit for purpose, because if i don't check that i am in seventh gear i am over revving the engine and thus throwing out more harmful emissions. That was i believe the point of the update.
With Thanks to all that have posted helpful comments and to those who have just come up with stupid and negative points, again Thanks.
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It is fit for the purpose it was designed for.
You won't be "over revving the engine" or the car would change into 7th
It is fit for purpose to stop me automatically going into seventh gear. Unnecessarily revving the engine at 70mph in sixth gear. That's a great idea. Prey tell anymore idea's. Please send them to I don't care anymore.com
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There's none so blind as those who won't be told...
Look on it as having an automatic gearbox with manually-selected overdrive on top gear
.
Look on it as having an automatic gearbox with manually-selected overdrive on top gear
.
Petrol Pete
Hardcore MB Enthusiast
Can I complain on here that my -and in many, many cases your - gearbox does not use 1st gear to pull away unless I select it manually or change to 'S' setting ?
Or do I have to start my own thread for that ?
Or do I have to start my own thread for that ?
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Look on it as having an automatic gearbox with a manually-selected underdrive on bottom gear
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Just because this guy is rude and ignorant (sorry, but...) doesn't meant that the 7th gear thing isn't annoying and clearly an oversight by MB in not taking UK customers (i.e. those with a 70mph speed limit) into account.
It's amazing the excuses people will make for the crappy behaviour of their car manufacturer. It should never have been released with the dodgy software in the first place, to require such a bodge/fix. MB are no saints for releasing this update - they only did it to avoid lawsuits, and shouldn't be praised.
I have simply come to use the manual mode on roads over 50mph, and I've come to enjoy it. But I'm on a car forum all day and 'into cars', for the average UK driver it's a pain and will almost definitely result in excess CO2 (from higher revs) in exchange for lower NOx. It will also use more non-renewable fossil fuel, evidenced by a lower MPG figure post-update...
We'll never know why MB did it for sure (perhaps to use the higher revs to burn off the excess soot created from additional EGR usage?), so unless you ask remappers to look into it, just learn to live with it, or sell the car.
Oh, and the update is done without the express knowledge of most customers. So the whole 'you agreed to it' is a bit silly, really. The service managers at MB dealerships have no idea what the update does/did, they just parrot the official line that it shouldn't use anymore fuel (which is clearly and measurably does) or lower performance, and that's that. My dad's E350 had the update, he's 81 - do you think they explained to him anything about an update, or that it would stop the car from going into 7th gear in most circumstances, at legal speeds, in exchange for lower (but completely unspecified) NOx levels? Obviously not...
It's amazing the excuses people will make for the crappy behaviour of their car manufacturer. It should never have been released with the dodgy software in the first place, to require such a bodge/fix. MB are no saints for releasing this update - they only did it to avoid lawsuits, and shouldn't be praised.
I have simply come to use the manual mode on roads over 50mph, and I've come to enjoy it. But I'm on a car forum all day and 'into cars', for the average UK driver it's a pain and will almost definitely result in excess CO2 (from higher revs) in exchange for lower NOx. It will also use more non-renewable fossil fuel, evidenced by a lower MPG figure post-update...
We'll never know why MB did it for sure (perhaps to use the higher revs to burn off the excess soot created from additional EGR usage?), so unless you ask remappers to look into it, just learn to live with it, or sell the car.
Oh, and the update is done without the express knowledge of most customers. So the whole 'you agreed to it' is a bit silly, really. The service managers at MB dealerships have no idea what the update does/did, they just parrot the official line that it shouldn't use anymore fuel (which is clearly and measurably does) or lower performance, and that's that. My dad's E350 had the update, he's 81 - do you think they explained to him anything about an update, or that it would stop the car from going into 7th gear in most circumstances, at legal speeds, in exchange for lower (but completely unspecified) NOx levels? Obviously not...
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