st4
Banned
I know, my car is the last of the dying bread. Actually, I can get a 212 made in 2010 and maybe into 2011 with a 5g.
hawk20
MB Enthusiast
MB dealers are supplied with software updates which they will install for you with no charge (normally when having a service done). It is possible to have it done at a time when a service is not needed if you complain about jerky changes and if you are either under warranty or are a regular customer of theirs. This is what I did.
Out of warranty and for customers who get serviced elsewhere, some MB dealers may make a small charge.
One reason why some members have driven cars with the 7g box not working as well as it should, is that not all owners go back to an MB dealer to get the software update done. And some have only had the earlier updates done which frankly were not fully successful in quite a few cases.
My ML350cdi was MB serviced but the previous owner did not grumble about the box so it was left alone. When I bought it in September 2010, I was not happy with the occasional jerky change especially at low speeds, or slowing down going into roundabouts for example. Fortunately the important update (the one that really worked - some earlier ones were not fully sucessful in some cases) came out in September 2010. Get that one done and the difference I found was really significant. I now get no jerky changes and really the box is now first rate in every respect -silky smooth and picks the right gear, at the right time.
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My (5g) auto transmission is absolutely fine, however I did enquire about a software upgrade at the time. I was advised that it is not a good idea unless the car is under warranty and the upgrade is carried out by MB dealer - apparently the update can fail and when this happens a new autobox - i.e. not just TCU - will be required. I find it odd that a failed software upgrade can damage the transmission - but decided not to go ahead with it... especially as the box is fine.
SavMan
Authorised Forum Sponsor
markjay said:
I think someone was telling you porkies
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I think someone was telling you porkies
Possibly, but this information came from two prominent members on this forum....
....who shall remain nameless unless they wish to come forward.
CLKdream
Member
Hmmmmm.... I understand now what happened to me the other day... in a cold morning I drove off my garage and a couple of hundred meters I noticed the big bag on the gearbox coming from 2 to 1... Now I can see that it is a common problem!!. After driving BMW's for the past 9 years I think the engineering department heads of these two german companies should share a cup of coffee and "interchange" some knowledge :bannana:
st4
Banned
Hawk20. My dad has a 61 reg S class. Why does it clunk into 1st from 2nd?
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I think someone was telling you porkies
The reason the dealers don't offer to do updates unless you raise specific issues is it's really not insignificant to connect the car up and do the update - some of them take literally hours and tie up the service bay and Star machine for that time.
Not Mercedes, but there's a thread running on PistonHeads at the moment where somebody has a 6 Series that was being updated and the dealership suffered a power cut. The car is now so messed up that BMW are talking about replacing it.
hawk20
MB Enthusiast
That is a real problem if the update is interrupted. Both my nearest local MB dealers (Southampton and Salisbury) use a secure power source for updating that is immune to power cuts. Cars are getting way too complicated!
BTW some updates are done when being serviced without the customer raising specific issues (that US thread I posted in the sticky shows up a significant proportion). I've had some and my brother on his A class had 'add extra rustproofing to the fuel tank' done while being serviced though he would not have known if I had not asked 'any update been done'.
And a long thread on the other website shows many having injectors changed on the new 4 pot diesels when serviced even those who had reported no problems.
hawk20
MB Enthusiast
He should go back to the dealer and have it checked.
I'm no 'techie' but I was told that the 7 speed normally starts in second so not sure why your father's would go into first except for a very, very steep hill?
Has he got 7g or 7g plus?
kth286
MB Enthusiast
YES.
I don't want to rub it in to those with 7g boxes, but at 192,000+ miles;
in my 124 (1995 E 320 petrol coupe) I really do not know which gear it is in, and mostly do not even know it has changed gear (it is that smooth and seamless) unless I make a conscious effort to occasionally look at revs change.
I'm not surprised.
Updating firmware is a risky business in IT - of which cars seem to be heading down that road.
It's similar to deciding when to apply updates to domestic computers- unless you know it will solve a major problem that you already have, you'd be wise to avoid the temptation of upgrades that might screw up what had previously been a stable configuration.
There's also the mystical aspect to the 7g, due to the lack of readily available documentation- some are convinced that their box is still influenced by the driving habits of previous owners (not possible- it resets to default state on ignition off), others reckon that the system can be reset by pressing the accelerator with the ignition in the 1st position (all this does is recalibrate the throttle to the pedal- at the risk of getting it wrong). It's easy to believe these things when the only practical measurements are subjective. Even the supposedly simple matter of knowing for sure whether the car is moving off in 1st gear or 2nd is made harder when there is no display of the current gear.
All in all, a less than ideal basis for owners and dealerships trying to confirm and rectify faulty behaviour.
OP
OP
Y8cel
Active Member
Cars still at the garage, they have told me there was an update available for the gearbox so fingers crossed. I asked why was it not updated when it was serviced before I took delivery. They said they only look for updates if there's a specific fault. I suspect the fact they can now charge the warranty might also be a consideration.
