New 6 speed (C240) problems?
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Los Angeles
GL450, Sienna SE
New 6 speed (C240) problems?
Is it just my car or does the reverse gear sometimes grind and pop out of gear? This problem is not consistant and I cant duplicate it for my service dept. Its just embrassasing when it does it where there is a lot of people. I asked the service dept and they told me to put it in first gear first then in reverse. But I forget and thats annoying to always put it in first and then reverse. Does anyone else have this problem?
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Brab, that's your car telling you to reinstall your amber bumper corner lights so you are legally DOT compliant in all 50-states, as MB intended. (That's just a joke.)
Seriously, every car I've ever had with the reverse engagement problem, I was taught to do the following:
Start engine with foot on clutch (as required). Before attempting to engage reverse, and with selector in neutral, release clutch pedal to spin the internal parts in the tranny. Then press clutch to floor, then try to engage reverse.
The BMW guys on this forum will have the "ultimate" procedure, which will obviously be better, but this has always worked for me.
Seriously, every car I've ever had with the reverse engagement problem, I was taught to do the following:
Start engine with foot on clutch (as required). Before attempting to engage reverse, and with selector in neutral, release clutch pedal to spin the internal parts in the tranny. Then press clutch to floor, then try to engage reverse.
The BMW guys on this forum will have the "ultimate" procedure, which will obviously be better, but this has always worked for me.
Last edited by MB-BOB; Jan 28, 2002 at 08:59 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Gaithersburg, MD
2002 C240 6-spd (ret)
I've never noticed the problem you've mentioned. I know the trick about going into 1st first, but I've never had to do this w/ my C240 (or my previous Passat for that matter). I had an '85 Mazda RX-7 which exhibited occasional grinding you mention, but never popping out of gear. However, usually when I shift to reverse, I've either just started the car and the clutch is still in, or I've come to a stop in a forward gear and then clutch depressed before I shift, so maybe I'm already avoiding the problem.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,869
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From: Los Angeles
GL450, Sienna SE
Thanks MB BOB I'm gonna try that. Now that you mention it, when the problem happened the last time I did put it in reverse without depressing my clutch after I started it. Wow. I just learned something new. 
Hopefully no more embrassing moments for me in front of a lot of people. 
Hopefully no more embrassing moments for me in front of a lot of people.
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 291
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From: Portland, OR
2001 CLK320
Manual trannys & (often lack of) reverse gear synchros
Many makes omit synchros for the reverse gear. Its a cost saving measure on the mfgr's part.
If you get gear grind when trying to go into reverse after sitting in Neutral after a while, then:
put tranny in a forward gear, then go into reverse gear. It might that the rationale is most situations would be that you are about to park and just came to a stop and then shifted to reverse (such as parallel parking).
Some makes will put in a safety lockout so that if you're in 5th (or 6th gear) you can't go directly into Reverse (if reverse is near the 5th or 6th position) and won't accidentally get Reverse while going down the road at speed and destroy your transmission if you inadvertantly shifted wrong.
Since 99% of time driving is in the forward gears, the "need" for a reverse synchro isn't really that great, I suppose in the minds of product planners...
If you get gear grind when trying to go into reverse after sitting in Neutral after a while, then:
put tranny in a forward gear, then go into reverse gear. It might that the rationale is most situations would be that you are about to park and just came to a stop and then shifted to reverse (such as parallel parking).
Some makes will put in a safety lockout so that if you're in 5th (or 6th gear) you can't go directly into Reverse (if reverse is near the 5th or 6th position) and won't accidentally get Reverse while going down the road at speed and destroy your transmission if you inadvertantly shifted wrong.
Since 99% of time driving is in the forward gears, the "need" for a reverse synchro isn't really that great, I suppose in the minds of product planners...
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,869
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From: Los Angeles
GL450, Sienna SE
Oh by the way MB-BOB I still have my amber bumper corner lights...just I opted to paint them to match my car. Hehe. They still light up at night...just not that bright. Wanted to keep it legal ya know...
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Oro Valley, AZ
2001 C240 6spd
brabuscclass,
very nice car...like the front end treatment....
as for the reverse problem...I have just over 12000 miles and have not had a problem...maybe I just instinctively go to 1st before I put it in reverse....but those times I forget...I have not had any problems....
very nice car...like the front end treatment....
as for the reverse problem...I have just over 12000 miles and have not had a problem...maybe I just instinctively go to 1st before I put it in reverse....but those times I forget...I have not had any problems....
