Kickdown

[Donza]

The kickdown......just love it..

Pedal to the metal, then another flick of the toe and you press the little kickdown switch..

Just brilliant..

Do any other cars have this?

 

[Seamster15]

Most Automatics ?

 

[reflexboy]

Oh no! Most definately not! Kickdown was a Mercedes patented feature-no other car has this........

 

[500E]

I thought all autos have kickdown?

 

[Donza]

I thought all autos have kickdown?

lol..well there you go.

Never driven an auto until i got my E320 CDi. Shows you how much i know about autos!

 

[television]

They have always had it since day one, thats autos, the very first were a fluid flywheel semi automatic and had a pre select box. You still had a clutch pedal but it was not a clutch. You started off in first, and you would move the selector to 2nd and when the road speed of the car was OK you then pushed the clutch pedal, it would drop into that gear, and selected 3rd and so on. These boxes did not have a kick down, as these heavy old small engined cars would take 30 sec to get to 50 mph.

Acording to Auto data all with MB's, the most common fault is where the printed track goes open citcuit on the fuel pump relay, I have only ever seen one yet that has done it, so do not believe all you read

 

[Dryce]

I thought all autos have kickdown?

Actual implementation varies.

MB have quite a long accelerator travel with a specific pressure point/switch action that you can feel.

Others have shorter travel and no distinctive pressure point so there's no real feedback apart from either feeling the transmssion shift or hitting the end stop.

A nice feature of the MB tip auto is the function that selects best gear for acceleration. Move the gear shift left and hold it there for a second or two and the car will drop to the best gear for acceleration. It's a bit like a pre-kickdown you can use prior to overtaking.

 

[crockers]

Oh no! Most definately not! Kickdown was a Mercedes patented feature-no other car has this........

I think you will find the MB also patented brakes, windscreen wipers, door handles, and wheels...

 

[stevesey]

And rusty wheel arches?

 

[television]

And rusty wheel arches?

Please excuse me, you made me laugh

 

[st4]

Actual implementation varies.

MB have quite a long accelerator travel with a specific pressure point/switch action that you can feel.

Others have shorter travel and no distinctive pressure point so there's no real feedback apart from either feeling the transmssion shift or hitting the end stop.

A nice feature of the MB tip auto is the function that selects best gear for acceleration. Move the gear shift left and hold it there for a second or two and the car will drop to the best gear for acceleration. It's a bit like a pre-kickdown you can use prior to overtaking.

So it may not take the very lowest gear possible, i.e. in my E220cdi it may take 3rd at 50mph rather than 2nd as although it can go to 50mph in 2nd, the best acceleration is in the 3rd gear as your into the peak torque area.

I am off out to try this....

 

[television]

So it may not take the very lowest gear possible, i.e. in my E220cdi it may take 3rd at 50mph rather than 2nd as although it can go to 50mph in 2nd, the best acceleration is in the 3rd gear as your into the peak torque area.

I am off out to try this....

Do not forget that the up and kick down shift points are different in S and W, they are much higher in S

 

[fyonn]

A nice feature of the MB tip auto is the function that selects best gear for acceleration. Move the gear shift left and hold it there for a second or two and the car will drop to the best gear for acceleration. It's a bit like a pre-kickdown you can use prior to overtaking.

I tried this yesterday in my Y reg SLK.. didn't work. I assume this is a more modern development then?

 

[st4]

Do not forget that the up and kick down shift points are different in S and W, they are much higher in S

Does the kickdown switch not override this, i.e. the car will rev fully in each gear and take the lowest gear it can.

In the BMW I had if you were in D or S kickdown meant full revs and lowest gear no matter what. Actually it reved to 6500rpm, the limit of the torque convertor IIRC not the engines redline of 6000rpm.

 

[television]

Does the kickdown switch not override this, i.e. the car will rev fully in eahc gear and take the lowest gear it can.

In the BMW I had if you were in D or S kickdown meant full revs and lowest gear no matter what. Actually it reved to 6500rpm, the limit of the torque convertor IIRC not the engines redline of 6000rpm.

No not on a MB, the S or W still dictates the point of where the car will change gear, I will find a sample list of change points a bit later in the day showing the 2 sets of figures

 

[DieselE]

The kickdown......just love it..

Pedal to the metal, then another flick of the toe and you press the little kickdown switch..

Just brilliant..

Do any other cars have this?

I seem to remember your new car is an E320CDI. If you use kickdown in anything approaching heavy traffic you will fairly quickly learn about the Brake Assist function.

If you rapidly take your foot of the accelerator and apply the brake, the car assumes an emergency and you get a full power brake application.

You shouldn't need kickdown as the car has great part throttle change down and accelerates like the proverbial sh1t off a shovel.

 

[Dieselman]

No not on a MB, the S or W still dictates the point of where the car will change gear, I will find a sample list of change points a bit later in the day showing the 2 sets of figures

Are you sure about that. AFAIK kickdown makes the box shift up just as the revs hit the red line in any setting.

The purpose of kickdown is to give maximum accelleration, which would be defeated if an early change came into force.

 

[st4]

There is only one true way to find out. Shame really

 

[Donza]

I seem to remember your new car is an E320CDI. If you use kickdown in anything approaching heavy traffic you will fairly quickly learn about the Brake Assist function.

If you rapidly take your foot of the accelerator and apply the brake, the car assumes an emergency and you get a full power brake application.

You shouldn't need kickdown as the car has great part throttle change down and accelerates like the proverbial sh1t off a shovel.

Guilty as charged lol!

 

[raymont]

S and W are different change patterns to reflect a different driving style.

S hangs on to lower gears a bit longer and will be keener to execute a part throttle down shift.

W is more relaxed, changes up earlier and is less keen to down shift on part throttle; although it will do it.

Kickdown happens when you push the pedal to the metal, a lower gear is engaged to provide max acceleration and, providing you keep the pedal floored, up shifts wil be made to maximise the acceleration.

The effect of kickdown will be the same no matter is S or W is selected.

Kickdown give you the max acceleration the car can achieve.