Persistent jerky 7-speed auto (W/S211) - what is the fix?

[w124coupe]

I have just tried a second time to have my jerky E280CDI box fixed and its come back the same.

Symptoms are a clunky 1-2 change very quickly after pulling away (within the first few yards), a surge/jolt 2-3 change and agressive 3-2 and 2-1 changes (as if a learner had not learned how to match throttle and revs!).

The car also gets confused if you brake up to a roundabout and then want to quickly pull away (having not quite come to a stop) - 1/2 sec delay then a neck snapper pull away.

The service guys tell me the car is not in the "circlip" VIN range and have just done software updates and reset adaption (again).

Anyone else had this AND had it fixed?

Anyone on the "inside" know what the cure should be?

Ruins the whole car for me as you CANNOT drive smoothly in slow traffic and I hate the way passengers "rock" with the changes!!

Thanks,

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Have you tried a reset yourself? Worth a go if it's driving you mad!!

Here's how:

1. Turn the ignition key to the on (not start) position.

2. Press the gas pedal to the floor and hold for five seconds.

3. Turn the key to the "off" position (don't remove the key), then release the gas pedal.

4. Wait at least two minutes for ECU to reset.​

I find it's best to get the car well into normal operating temperature first, and then immediately after re-setting go for a good drive in the style you prefer:
Smooth shifts - steady, and cruise.
Super quick shifts - drive it like you stole it.

If you reset when the engine is cold, it seems to adapt to the cold shift points, which seem to be less smooth IMHO.

(Discalimer: Reset it at your own risk. No guarantees given or implied. Blah, blah, blah. ) )

PS Lots of people do it and I haven't heard of any problems resulting from it.

 

[Brian WH]

Iv'e had similar problems see my post below.

7Speed Box problems

 

[w124coupe]

BobbyD - thats the proc for resetting the drive-by-wire throttle?

(I have just tried it but can't feel any difference re the gears)

Brian - has yours got any better or are you still waiting on the new software?

(I have driven 300odd miles today since the pick up and if anything its worse than when freshly reset - certainly no better).

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

BobbyD - thats the proc for resetting the drive-by-wire throttle?

Apparently it clears all 'adaptive' settings, including the gearbox shift patterns.

 

[DieselE]

BobbyD - thats the proc for resetting the drive-by-wire throttle?

(I have just tried it but can't feel any difference re the gears)

Brian - has yours got any better or are you still waiting on the new software?

(I have driven 300odd miles today since the pick up and if anything its worse than when freshly reset - certainly no better).

If you read Brian's thread, his car got better after a lot of local driving. Your 300 miles probably doesn't help as much as 30 miles of driving round town.

A slightly OT thought. To my knowledge, nobody with a petrol engine has posted about this particular problem. I wonder if the higher torque of a diesel is making it harder for the box to change smoothly at light loads.

 

[Brian WH]

BobbyD - thats the proc for resetting the drive-by-wire throttle?

(I have just tried it but can't feel any difference re the gears)

Brian - has yours got any better or are you still waiting on the new software?

(I have driven 300odd miles today since the pick up and if anything its worse than when freshly reset - certainly no better).

I am personally not convinced that the drive by wire cars can be reset like that? But I can be convinced if someone in the real know at Dealers do it like that? Mine was reset by the Dealer, but I don't know how.

I am still waiting for the new software, haven't chased them lately as been too busy. Mine is a lot better, and as Peter said, Town driving at less than 40mph with lots of changes at low revs will get the gearbox used to the changes better than motorway driving.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I am personally not convinced that the drive by wire cars can be reset like that? But I can be convinced if someone in the real know at Dealers do it like that? Mine was reset by the Dealer, but I don't know how.

My service advisor wasn't aware of the routine, but it's well documented on the owners club forums world over, so unlikely to be the placebo effect. Give it a go and test the theory.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Just out of interest, have you tried driving using the manual settings?

Start in 1, change to 2, then 3, etc. Is it still as jerky?

 

[DansSlk]

I am personally not convinced that the drive by wire cars can be reset like that? But I can be convinced if someone in the real know at Dealers do it like that? Mine was reset by the Dealer, but I don't know how.

I am still waiting for the new software, haven't chased them lately as been too busy. Mine is a lot better, and as Peter said, Town driving at less than 40mph with lots of changes at low revs will get the gearbox used to the changes better than motorway driving.

It worked like a charm on the 5-speeds of course it was just as easy to reset using star but for the owner it's a great help and its easy to see why.

Thing is i have tried this on a load of MB's with the 7-speed just to see what happens (with all owners permission before anybody says anything) and no such luck but do it with the SDS and its wiped clean, WIS does mention adaption is inhibited in N and P and maybe i have just dreamed this bit up but did the old trick use to fool the computer into thinking you where going like a bat outta hell and get around it this way if so maybe that would explain it the car don't care where the throttle is because its not learning?

 

[w124coupe]

My 300 miles (and the 200odd today) included loads of stop/start and town centre as well as the straight & clear bits - there's no improvement.

I had given up on the manual changes as they always seem jerky (even 5->4) and with such a delay before they happen you might as well push the throttle down.

Just tried manual from a start and the problem is still there - two more days in the delayers I suppose!

 

[w124coupe]

Taking the time to research the other forums and also Alldata, here are the symptoms and some of the cures.


a) Harsh 1-2 or 2-1 changes.

May require SCN coding.

b) Uncomfortable 2-1 change (or "surge" when braking to a stop)

Valve body part number to be checked (replace if not "new" number")
Then s/w updates and "initial startup" performed under STAR

c) Rough Shift Quality (1-2, 2-3, 3-2, 2-1 or any one/more of these)

Requires gear adaption analysis on STAR and then, according to "fill" times:
either: reset adaption
or: replace "incorrectly fitted" circlip and spring (requires transmission opened up)
or: replace gearbox

There are significant numbers of customers with these issues in the US and Australia (where they buy the E350/500 which have torque levels close to the UK diesels).

I have not copied the "TSB" numbers as I know from experience that MBUK dismiss them using the excuse tha they are not for the UK and refusing to admit that they have exactly the same fault listed but under a different (and secret) number.

A variety of the fixes above seem to have cured some of the Forum users' cars - and a significant number have either had a new gearbox fitted or rejected the car under the US "lemon law".

I'm off to see my dealer's Service Manager to see a list of what they have tried so far out of this list and what the next step is.

Hope this helps others.....

 

[Norheimer]

E 280 7 speed problems

Having also suffered from the same painful neck breaking at times experiences with the speedtronic box and making several visits to the MB workshop where no amount of adjusting and changing of valves made the slightest difference.

During the last visit to the workshop,I was asked to leave the car with them and given a loan car ...a very nice auto 200C coupe.
My E280 was in the workshop for 2 weeks
The stealership finally admitted defeat and fitted a new box authorised by mercedes....since then I have had no recurrent problems....The 280 avantgarde is a joy to drive again!

My car was bought from new in Sept 2005, the gearbox problems began after approx. 2500 miles.
The whole sorry saga was eventually sorted under warrenty.

 

[w124coupe]

Norheimer, did you also get the symptom where the coasting/under braking downchange to second also causes the car to pull forwards more? (so its hard to brake to a stop smoothly)

 

[Norheimer]

Yes I did suffer the same symptom you describe,I never did have any problems changing up, it was always on the way down...3-2 and 2-1.
Every time I was driving slowly in town or in a stop start situation I would wait in anticipation for the kick up the backside, it really was bad.

At the stealership I insisted that the senior Technician test drove the car with me in the passenger seat, just to make sure he knew what I was complaining about...the guy agreed it was a bad example and yet would not admit it is apparently a common fault with the 7 speed.

 

[glojo]

and yet would not admit it is apparently a common fault with the 7 speed.

I think your spot on, but sadly it would not be very smart for an employee to admit there is a recognised problem with the seven speed gearbox.

The annoying thing is it is not just the E and the CLS, the complaints go right through the range.


Good luck getting your cars cured.

Regards,
John

 

[Brian WH]

The annoying thing is it is not just the E and the CLS, the complaints go right through the range.

It's a pity there is not an option when you buy a new car to have a 5 speed box instead of the 7 speed.

 

[fuzzer]

I noticed this way back when the 7 speeder came out on the cls500.

I drove an SL350 and a CLS500 back to back and the sl was soo much smoother in city traffic.

 

[marcos]

Apart from the fact that my engine dumps oil and sounds like a bag of nails the gearbox is sooooo smooth.
Everyone who gets in it comments on how smooth it is, I also do a fair bit of driving into central London and it always remains perfect, other than dumping oil and sounding like crap

 

[Dieselman]

Apart from the fact that my engine dumps oil and sounds like a bag of nails the gearbox is sooooo smooth.
Everyone who gets in it comments on how smooth it is, I also do a fair bit of driving into central London and it always remains perfect, other than dumping oil and sounding like crap

Look, you can't have everything.