Rib Feast

Hey guys,

I went to my MB dealership for a service two days ago and they performed a transmission upgrade of some kind on the car (apparently it's an April 2014 release). And the difference is absolutely amazing.

I'm in a 2011 (2012 facelift) sedan. Gears 1-2-3 now are smooth both up and downshifting in all modes. I used to have to leave M mode for uncongested roads, but drove home in M without any problems - no more head lurching or biting automatic downshifts. Lag between light acceleration and power to wheels is greatly reduced too.

I've got a service sheet but not sure what I should be looking for to help others get the upgrade. Any suggestions welcome and I'll post them.

Random question - would the ECU remap I did a year ago still remain? I would have thought so, and it still feels just as fast...

kimeran

Sorry, just to clarify, do you have the facelift or pre-facelift?
I'd also be interested in this upgrade. That lurch in the lower gears is annoying when you are driving slowly in traffic

Maverick1975

Any more info would be good. Always looking for ways to sharpen up transmission response in my 09 model

Rib Feast

It's a facelift 2011. Lurching is completely gone, M mode literally is as smooth as the old C mode (but fast changes and more immediate power delivery).

I've dug out the service page and it doesn't have anything special on the sheet - three lots of codes related to oil filter, screen wash, and "ring,general,metal" but nothing else. It sounds like I got the updated TCU map as posted here (sorry just found the thread): https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...update-mb.html

I'd highly recommend seeing if you can get the upgrade at your local dealer. Difference in the car is just night and day!

BenDiem

Interesting thread.

I hope there is a tranny upgrade for the post 7G-Tronic tranny as well.

My current car's MCT tranny is really slow. I think it needs a tranny software upgrade/update. In all honesty, and I may be in the minority here, but I actually preferred my '11 7G-Tronic tranny over my new '14 MCT tranny.

Cheers/B

Rib Feast

Hmm I might be wrong but I think mine is MCT? It's got the C S S+ M and RS dial (think that's a sign of the MCT being present?)

BenDiem

If memory serves, the MCT replaced the 7G-Tronic in 2012. The 2011 MY has the 7G-Tronic... Both trannies have the C, S, & M modes...

Cheers/BB

Rib Feast

Ok I've done a bit of a google around and I'm pretty sure the 2011 facelift (MY2012) is the same as the 2012 model in terms of tranny:

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Se...11-first-pics/

http://www.mbusa.com/vcm/MB/DigitalA...MG%20Sedan.pdf

kimeran

Yup but 7G doesn't have S+ like the MCT transmission, so I'm pretty sure you have an MCT box

Rib Feast

Yeah I think so too, the S+ seems to be the sign that it's not the older 7G.

Keen to hear if anyone else gets the software upgrade and notices a difference!

BenDiem

^^^ Tks for the reads! I'm confused, lol... I would have bet the farm that the 2011 MY C63 has the 7G-Tronic. I could have sworn the MCT did not arrive until the '12 MY, for the U.S. Market.

I stand corrected if you are right, or if I'm missing something here, lol...

I appreciate the great reads, nonetheless.

Cheers/BB

Ingenieur

post the invoice so we can see the codes
thanks

mthis

He has a facelift car that's was built in 2011. But sold as a 2012 .

alexmtl

That's exciting news. I'm going for a service soon, I'll ask for the transmission update.

rage2

I've driven every year of the facelift cars at the track, including the 507, and they all shift slower than the BS. I'll bet the new update just moves the non BS transmissions closer to the BS software. One has to wonder why there's even a gap in the first place, as the hardware is the same minus the extra cooling.

shades

There is S+ in the pre mct, but not on the dial. It's equivalent to pulling on the shifter down while in first gear, then it will stay in that gear until red line

SaphGreyC63

That's not what S+ is. In the MCT its another mode separate from S.

What you described can be done in C, S or S+, its just a gear selection.

Excited if this is for the 2012+ as many have said its really jerky from 1 to 3. Would love to know exactly what to ask the dealer for as its almost time for an oil change and would love to have them have this ready so I don't waste more time.

CPD SLK

I got excited until I saw this was for facelift cars

avery.whss

hows everyones transmission slow and jerky? I have the 7G old one, and if anyone saw my video, my car shifts basically instantly in S+ the second it hits redline with no jerk or anything and it shifts pretty fast, i dont get how much faster you can get? lol ...only thing i'd change maybe is when it shifts gears it keeps the RPMs a bit higher but it is what it is, the down shifting is all controlled by the computer not the transmission and yeah it is kinda sloppy the down shifting

MicheleC

Question to the OP - when you downshift from second to first when slowing down, is the gear change immediate? I had a TCU update done last year and did not like the shifts at all - they are smooth, but the delay between the second gear disengaging and the first engaging on downshift is so long that you don't have engine braking for about a second. I found the old shifts more predictable, even if much less refined. Do you feel the downshift to first is as quick as between higher gears?

Thank you.

BTW - are you in the US?

On the ECU remap, unless the dealer told you they updated the ECU as well, it's unlikely they did anything.

andymc

I think we are still waiting for 100% confirmation that this SW update is for either (or both) the 7g / MCT ? Or did I miss it ?

Rib Feast

Sorry there isn't a code on the service sheet for it - it talks about routine inspections, oil, and lists 3 codes but they're for parts as mentioned above.

Rib Feast

I'll try driving tonight and check - but from memory I had a few goes to see whether the smoothness shifting down to 1 was at the cost of shift speed and was satisfied it was at least as fast as before. I did find the old shifts more predictable, but for me it feels more due to being very familiar with the shift behaviour over thousands of shifts. Over time I think it'll be as predictable, but it feels very different (in a good way) so far.

I'll check again tonight with the shifts down to 1. I noticed that when cold the car would downshift to 1 without adding revs (presumably trading off comfort of rev matching for engine preservation). This used to result in very jarring downshifts which no longer happen.

I'm in New Zealand

Rib Feast

So far can confirm it's for MCT. Not sure if it applies to 7G as well.

MicheleC

Thank you! I fully agree - the smoothness of the shifts is not comparable. It's only the change to first that I found strange.

Interesting observation on the shifts in the cold.