LILBENZ230

I have been searching around for this but don't know how to properly phrase it. I rarely use the shift-it-yourself feature in my car, but yesterday I did attempt to use it.. it's clearly not working right.

Tap it once either way, no response. Try again, still nothing. Again but firmer.. nothing. Again, nothing. Again.. multiple downshifts or upshifts.. WTF.

Anyone had this happen before? I can't remember correctly but it seems I read somewhere that it could be due to the leaking pilot bushing but mine was inspected recently and found not to be currently leaking (replaced within the past 25k miles for the third time).

Glyn M Ruck

Matt - It could be N15/5 - Electronic shifter module (ESM).

I suggest you try & use it for a few days with multiple reboots. If you never use it the micro switches might have got sticky with disuse.

The only thing that makes me think it is electronic & not the switches is that it remembered multiple taps & then gave you multiple downchanges etc.

People - we are talking 722.6 5 speed here. The 7G can go down & up multiple gears per tap left or right.

C230 Sport Coup

left is downshift, right is up.
If you're pushing right from drive, not likely anything will happen.

LILBENZ230

Wow, I didn't expect anyone would assume I was dumb enough to not know how to use the feature. I've used it before and know exactly how it works, not a noob to this stuff. Maybe my wording was ambiguous.

Glyn - in my car it has always been a bit dimwitted. Even from 25,000 miles sometimes it would take two inputs for anything to actually happen. I couldn't care less if it ever works again, it's a me-too feature that is poorly executed, I just don't want it to be a sign of something else I'm unaware of. No other shift problems - no problems out of park or anything like that ever.

LILBENZ230

Unless it is interpreting that I am HOLDING the lever.. because if you hold the lever instead of just tapping it to downshift it will drop to the lowest gear. I was pretty quick with my actions..

Glyn M Ruck

Indeed!.

Funny - I've always loved the manual tap change and use it often. In all three of my last Benzes it has worked perfectly as long as you don't try & anticipate it. You need to change at constant throttle opening even if that is WOT or over run.

If you try & anticipate the change by backing off just as the change takes place you will make a mess of it because the car is doing that anyway by retarding timing etc at the point of change.

LILBENZ230

I was using it to downshift after doing the bed-in procedure for the new brakes. The CAR was making a mess of things I tried again yesterday with the same response (that is to say, very little response). I'll try again later today. If that feature dies, I won't lose sleep - as I say - I just thought I'd run it by you guys to see if it might be a symptom of something more sinister.

SunnyRayToronto

Since you rarely use it, its not a must have feature,... but its still a nice to have feature.

With your previous leaking pilot bushings were there any oil in the electronic connectors? If so, it's possible that it triggered some transmission fault codes that are still stored in your car. These fault codes could be a bunch of minor ones that never trigger a malfunction message on your instrument cluster. And most OBD2 ScanTools can not pull transmission fault codes.

Next time you're car is hooked up to Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System, check for transmission fault codes. And don't forget to clear them. Best to clear fault codes using Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System.

A few tricks that might clear the bad memory is to disconnect then reconnect the battery (without using a memory saver) after a certain period of time, but you would also have to reset ESP, pano, window, radio, etc,... or disconnecting and reconnecting the TCU under the passenger kickplate might work too,..

If the memory get cleared, for the next 50km your car transmission will adapt to your driving style, again,... and hopefully, that manual shift mode feature will start working again.

LILBENZ230

My pilot bushings have never been allowed to leak. It has been replaced on a regular basis since the car had 25,000 miles. The car has also been hooked up to a STAR system last month and all fault codes scanned and reset.

I have replaced the battery a few months ago and even with no battery saver my car didn't require resetting anything but the windows - but it is a post-facelift car so they are less fussy like that.

I did try the feature again and again and it is not getting any better. It bugs me because I know it isn't functioning properly, but again I never use it so it's just one of those things. I did notice however that suddenly the light in the ashtray area AND the power outlet there have both stopped working as well, though I don't see how that could possibly be related.

mrkevinhoang

old post, but got the same problem. the only way to use + or - is the pull back on the shifter, while slapping left or right.

kev

B-5

Very old post and I will give my issues a shot as well. My problem is, the car will not shift to the higher gears when I want it to shift. I can be WOT and want it to shift at 4500, but the car just runs to red line and shifts itself. In my old 2003 Passat, there was a setting we could change using VAG-COM where is would allow for this. Frustrating!

C230 Sport Coup

It's called "SpeedShift" and only comes with AMG vehicles.
Probably just a setting in the ECU that could be set with SDS
but so far haven't heard of anyone doing it.
Yeah, it'a a pain. When I'm really hustling and using the gears
in a corner, I've gotten to know where the shift points are and hold the throttle to keep
it from downshifting in a corner.
Really sux when you're doing 70-75 in 3rd at 5000+ rpm and
brmmmmm....it drops to 4th and yikes!!!
Can be scary.
And yeah, if you are WOT it won't downshift if you have your foot on the floor.
Lift momentarily and then shift. Might take a couple tries.