722.6 transmission and converter lock-up question
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 983
Likes: 2
From: USA
Marsaydees
is it worthwhile to disconnect the battery overnight in an attempt to reset TCU adaptations such as lockup event and shift points? just trying to exhaust my options before getting fleeced at the stealership.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
You can try that. I'm not convinced it will achieve anything. Please read the sticky at the beginning of the 203 forum on what to expect if you disconnect the battery. You will have to resynch everything.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 50
From: SoCal. Desert
'16 E350, gone: '03 c230k
I came back to a majorly infected computer - damn Internet Security 2010 virus, very nasty, you all beware. Simply clicked on a U-Tube link and BAM!
Anyway, I did try the same procedure as in the video posted - I'll try to record some video to post too, but no promises at the moment. I had my tranny in 'W', cruising @ 40mph. if I gently pushed on the gas, the rpm's followed the mph's, as in your video (convertor locked up). However, when I let up on the gas, the rpm's don't drop (i.e. convertor doesn't un-lock), just slowly go down w/vehicle speed. After letting up on the gas and dropping to just below 40, if I apply ~30% or so throttle the rpm's jump up (i.e. tranny downshifts, or torque convertor unlocks, or both) and stay there - no bounce or anything other than the shift.
Again, this is on my c230K with the 1.8L... Best of luck with it - I'll be keeping my eye on this thread, & Glyn is an invaluable source of information on these vehicles.
Anyway, I did try the same procedure as in the video posted - I'll try to record some video to post too, but no promises at the moment. I had my tranny in 'W', cruising @ 40mph. if I gently pushed on the gas, the rpm's followed the mph's, as in your video (convertor locked up). However, when I let up on the gas, the rpm's don't drop (i.e. convertor doesn't un-lock), just slowly go down w/vehicle speed. After letting up on the gas and dropping to just below 40, if I apply ~30% or so throttle the rpm's jump up (i.e. tranny downshifts, or torque convertor unlocks, or both) and stay there - no bounce or anything other than the shift.
Again, this is on my c230K with the 1.8L... Best of luck with it - I'll be keeping my eye on this thread, & Glyn is an invaluable source of information on these vehicles.
Last edited by mtnman82; Dec 30, 2009 at 03:05 PM.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 983
Likes: 2
From: USA
Marsaydees
I came back to a majorly infected computer - damn Internet Security 2010 virus, very nasty, you all beware. Simply clicked on a U-Tube link and BAM!
Anyway, I did try the same procedure as in the video posted - I'll try to record some video to post too, but no promises at the moment. I had my tranny in 'W', cruising @ 40mph. if I gently pushed on the gas, the rpm's followed the mph's, as in your video (convertor locked up). However, when I let up on the gas, the rpm's don't drop (i.e. convertor doesn't un-lock), just slowly go down w/vehicle speed. After letting up on the gas and dropping to just below 40, if I apply ~30% or so throttle the rpm's jump up (i.e. tranny downshifts, or torque convertor unlocks, or both) and stay there - no bounce or anything other than the shift.
Again, this is on my c230K with the 1.8L... Best of luck with it - I'll be keeping my eye on this thread, & Glyn is an invaluable source of information on these vehicles.
Anyway, I did try the same procedure as in the video posted - I'll try to record some video to post too, but no promises at the moment. I had my tranny in 'W', cruising @ 40mph. if I gently pushed on the gas, the rpm's followed the mph's, as in your video (convertor locked up). However, when I let up on the gas, the rpm's don't drop (i.e. convertor doesn't un-lock), just slowly go down w/vehicle speed. After letting up on the gas and dropping to just below 40, if I apply ~30% or so throttle the rpm's jump up (i.e. tranny downshifts, or torque convertor unlocks, or both) and stay there - no bounce or anything other than the shift.
Again, this is on my c230K with the 1.8L... Best of luck with it - I'll be keeping my eye on this thread, & Glyn is an invaluable source of information on these vehicles.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 983
Likes: 2
From: USA
Marsaydees
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 50
From: SoCal. Desert
'16 E350, gone: '03 c230k
thanks. try it again, but this time do this: cruise at 40mph, coast down to 30mph, then give it 10% throttle. your car has less torque, so your tcu is programmed to unlock and downshift at lesser throttle inputs. for example, if i give it 50-60% throttle, it wont do that silly lock up problem, instead it will downshift just like yours does.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 983
Likes: 2
From: USA
Marsaydees
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
Likes: 192
From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 983
Likes: 2
From: USA
Marsaydees
It's possible that a bad actuator might cause the box to mess around. Can you borrow a known good throttle body from someone? I hate to argue with a MB Tech but you sometimes have difficulty measuring a duff actuator. They chatter in reality but measure fine. They only show up as bad if they go open circuit.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 50
From: SoCal. Desert
'16 E350, gone: '03 c230k
thanks. try it again, but this time do this: cruise at 40mph, coast down to 30mph, then give it 10% throttle. your car has less torque, so your tcu is programmed to unlock and downshift at lesser throttle inputs. for example, if i give it 50-60% throttle, it wont do that silly lock up problem, instead it will downshift just like yours does.
I DO notice this behavior when I'm making a slow right hand turn (sometimes left turns if I'm going slow enough - it's a speed thing, not a rh turn/lh turn thing): the rpms will rise, as if to match gearing, but then it'll clunk into a higher gear (i.e. lower rpm's). This is more predominent when the car is cold.
Please let us know how it's going. Did you find any codes associated with your check engine light?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 983
Likes: 2
From: USA
Marsaydees
I DO notice this behavior when I'm making a slow right hand turn (sometimes left turns if I'm going slow enough - it's a speed thing, not a rh turn/lh turn thing): the rpms will rise, as if to match gearing, but then it'll clunk into a higher gear (i.e. lower rpm's). This is more predominent when the car is cold.
Please let us know how it's going. Did you find any codes associated with your check engine light?
Please let us know how it's going. Did you find any codes associated with your check engine light?
i checked with a scantool, the CEL is for a fried secondary air pump.
i do plan on taking the car to the dealer to see if any hidden codes that only star can read are showing
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 453
Likes: 3
From: Bay Area, CA
'04 Mars Red C230K Sport Coupe (not Coup-EH)
Here's that "some guy" chiming in 
I'll try to take a video as well once I'm back in my car; won't be for another two weeks yet. Driving my Spec Miata around ATM, and having quite a bit of fun, despite the harshness.
When I complained about this the dealer did say that they updated the transmission computer, with no change. I hope they didn't have more than one upgrade for the TCU software...
The only thing I can add is that, after an ECU tune, it happens much less often, though it only really happened at very low throttle application. Given that, valve body may make sense, though it would have to have been bad from day 1...or day 365.
I'll try to take a video as well once I'm back in my car; won't be for another two weeks yet. Driving my Spec Miata around ATM, and having quite a bit of fun, despite the harshness.
When I complained about this the dealer did say that they updated the transmission computer, with no change. I hope they didn't have more than one upgrade for the TCU software...
The only thing I can add is that, after an ECU tune, it happens much less often, though it only really happened at very low throttle application. Given that, valve body may make sense, though it would have to have been bad from day 1...or day 365.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,365
Likes: 12
From: Orange County, CA
GMC - Miata - Trek - P-Car
After having enjoyed an introductory (for him) closed course track day with a youngster aboard sharing incident avoidance skills while exploiting the subtle nuances of repeatedly exceeding its tires’ friction circle capabilities during longitudinal and lateral dynamic maneuvers, our C’s oft recalcitrant torque converter was once again behaving as it should during the drive home and subsequent night about town.
Suppose it’s fair to surmise that those ******* exiled in Affalterbach engineered their machines to be regularly driven as intended?
Suppose it’s fair to surmise that those ******* exiled in Affalterbach engineered their machines to be regularly driven as intended?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 983
Likes: 2
From: USA
Marsaydees
After having enjoyed an introductory (for him) closed course track day with a youngster aboard sharing incident avoidance skills while exploiting the subtle nuances of repeatedly exceeding its tires’ friction circle capabilities during longitudinal and lateral dynamic maneuvers, our C’s oft recalcitrant torque converter was once again behaving as it should during the drive home and subsequent night about town.
Suppose it’s fair to surmise that those ******* exiled in Affalterbach engineered their machines to be regularly driven as intended?
Suppose it’s fair to surmise that those ******* exiled in Affalterbach engineered their machines to be regularly driven as intended?
this is so obvious that it's a software issue. it's pathetic that we don't have a solution for this from MB or from a tuner...
