w203 c230 auto gearbox stuck in 1st gear

[cclassrob]

hi all i have a 2001 c230k coupe i have a problem that when i take it out of park and then in to drive it some times jearks with a bump noise and then it is stuck in 1st gear and wont change even manualy on the gear stick +/- i have to stop take it out of gear turn off the enging and when i restart it its ok then but its started doing it about 3 or 4 times a week now

 

[AndyPCD]

My first piece of advice would be get it stuck on a star machine and get the fault codes read and then check the oil level and go from there

 

[lynall]

I would check the oil level first as its free



Lynall

 

[Buggerlugs]

You need to get her plugged in to get the trouble codes, then post them here.

 

[alexander patie]

hello rob, as above - unless...does it only happen first thing each day (ie after first start up)? if so how old is your battery? there is a date stamp on the terminal btw.

 

[cclassrob]

hello rob, as above - unless...does it only happen first thing each day (ie after first start up)? if so how old is your battery? there is a date stamp on the terminal btw.

hi the battery has been on there sinc new but i cant see how that would affect the gear box as it still starts with in seconds of tuning the key i have read about a switch on the gearbox that can get oil inside it so i may try and clean it also my brother has a snap on laptop thing that he said should read the codes

 

[alexander patie]

...does it only happen first thing each day (ie after first start up)?

ok, so your battery is 8yrs old? can you answer my question above, i am trying to help here.

the low voltage on startup can cause gbox to log a current fault, and choose not to change up the box to prevent any possible internal damage from solenoids not working properly. actually it need not worry, the voltage only dropped below 10v momentarily as the starter engaged, but that is how its software is written. on second start it will be fine, usually. and no, you will not notice any reluctance in starting. this is a VERY common and very well known problem. if it happens to you at any time during a journey then forget it, if it is straight away on first start, change your battery.

 

[cclassrob]

ok, so your battery is 8yrs old? can you answer my question above, i am trying to help here.

the low voltage on startup can cause gbox to log a current fault, and choose not to change up the box to prevent any possible internal damage from solenoids not working properly. actually it need not worry, the voltage only dropped below 10v momentarily as the starter engaged, but that is how its software is written. on second start it will be fine, usually. and no, you will not notice any reluctance in starting. this is a VERY common and very well known problem. if it happens to you at any time during a journey then forget it, if it is straight away on first start, change your battery.

ok thanks will give that a go but it also comes up with other things saying ESP not avalabe and light sensor not working telling me to go to workshop but they all do work

 

[Adam230K]

Automatic Transmission fluid level is the first thing i'd check.

 

[alexander patie]

here is a bit more about the low voltage on start up problem. i did search this forum but no joy.

Mercedes-Benz Owners' Forums

 

[cclassrob]

here is a bit more about the low voltage on start up problem. i did search this forum but no joy.

Mercedes-Benz Owners' Forums

ok thanks just been on there so will check if there is any water in the battery and will post my finding

 

[alexander patie]

you have not confirmed if the problem is only on the first start up! as i said, if it can happen any time then probably not, but can you please clarify this point.

 

[Stratman]

Trust me, a battery on the way out can cause all sorts of unrelated problems to be reported. My sadly departed W202 had a very strange cruise control fault, where if it worked on first engagement it was fine for the rest of the journey, but if it didn't engage at the first attempt then it wouldn't work for the remainder of the trip. Sounds familiar? Then the alarm started going off at random intervals for no apparent reason. I consulted the Forum and changed my seemingly good battery and the faults went away.

 

[cclassrob]

ok thanks just been on there so will check if there is any water in the battery and will post my finding

Had a look this morning started first time but i had drove it for 1 hour the night befor so plenty of charge drove to work 5 mins away to get some battery water i had to put 1.5 liters of water to fill it back up to cover the plates all was ok at 10am this morning just popped to the shop at 8 pm and is now stuck in first with the enging light on and not even restarting fixes it so will be off to halfords tommorrow to buy a new one

 

[cclassrob]

just put a new battery on and still the same i got my old one tested and he said there was a fault with it so think i will have to get the codes read

 

[alexander patie]

you may just need them resetting. the battery guy cannot tell you that your 8yr old battery is not causing the gearbox problem. all the help we are giving here is great, but as has been said reading the fault codes is the first place we start when the vehicle is a paying job in the workshop.

if you get the codes read NOTE THEM DOWN! record which happened most recently at what milage, and which happened most frequency. if you get the code for low voltage at the solenoids note down how many seconds from start up this occured. fault codes alone are of limited use, this ambient data is most vital.

 

[cclassrob]

All fixed now i got my brother to reset the codes with his snap-on solus pro scanner the codes were
p2600 circuit 87 voltage too low
p2602 voltage supply of valves is faulty
p200A m16/6 throttle valve potentiometer
p200e fault stored in n15/3 module
i just hope is has been fix and hope it was just the battery thanks to all for your advice

 

[alexander patie]

those are the very codes you will expect!! i have my fingers crossed for you but you have probably got it sussed now. the most diagnostic code is the p2602, this will always be linked with no upshift untill you turn off/on. i guess the solus could not give you any ambient data then?

the p200A and p200E codes will have been in the engine management. the p200e is self explanatory (n15/3 is the gearbox ecu), but the p200A is not quite so obvious...

 

[alexander patie]

here are the listed possible causes of the p2602 fault...

STAR TekInfo

 

[cclassrob]

no i dont think it listed ambient data there were other menus but he never went in to them. If i was to change the trans oil will i notice the difference thanks rob