C36 kicks down into neutral! Help!
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Newbie
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 10
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C36 AMG
C36 kicks down into neutral! Help!
I searched and I found this in the forums...
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...kick-down.html
sounds a lot like my car, where:
Let's say I was driving down the road at 50km/h and I bury my foot into the carpet on the throttle and as soon as the kickdown switch is engaged, the engine would then rev up radically without any action... if I let out the throttle the car returns to normal behavior...I can do it again all the time...But at anything less than full throttle the shifts are crisp and defined so I don't think the transmission is on its last leg...
What could have caused this? Before I noticed this I did some freeway runs where I put the gear lever into 2nd manually, and then accelerated from 100km/h to 180km/h in D while the kickdown switch is engaged the whole time....it went well and then after having the car parked for a few hours this neutral kickdown phenomenon reared its ugly head
It's a 1997 C36 with the electronic 5 speed....what are the most common cause to this? The transmission has just received service at a local indy shop...
Now I call every indy shop in town they all wanted to do a transmission swap on my car ($$$$$$$ of course) but I am adamant that it's something much smaller....
scenario 1: I floor it from a stand still and it just runs up the gear normally from 1 to 5 with no signs of slippage
scenario 2: I shift manually down to 2nd from D at 100km/h and the car is in gear all the way - I can then accelerate 2-3-4-5 normally even if my kickdown switch button is engaged (i.e. I get my normal service as long as the transmission doesn't have to choose a gear to shift into for me).
scenario 3: I just floor the pedal at 50km/h in D and it shifts out of any drive whatsoever and let the engine rev to redline in neutral. If I then let the RPM drop from redline it will abruptly change into gear suddenly and all is resumed normally.
Let me know where to start...
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...kick-down.html
sounds a lot like my car, where:
Let's say I was driving down the road at 50km/h and I bury my foot into the carpet on the throttle and as soon as the kickdown switch is engaged, the engine would then rev up radically without any action... if I let out the throttle the car returns to normal behavior...I can do it again all the time...But at anything less than full throttle the shifts are crisp and defined so I don't think the transmission is on its last leg...
What could have caused this? Before I noticed this I did some freeway runs where I put the gear lever into 2nd manually, and then accelerated from 100km/h to 180km/h in D while the kickdown switch is engaged the whole time....it went well and then after having the car parked for a few hours this neutral kickdown phenomenon reared its ugly head
It's a 1997 C36 with the electronic 5 speed....what are the most common cause to this? The transmission has just received service at a local indy shop...
Now I call every indy shop in town they all wanted to do a transmission swap on my car ($$$$$$$ of course) but I am adamant that it's something much smaller....
scenario 1: I floor it from a stand still and it just runs up the gear normally from 1 to 5 with no signs of slippage
scenario 2: I shift manually down to 2nd from D at 100km/h and the car is in gear all the way - I can then accelerate 2-3-4-5 normally even if my kickdown switch button is engaged (i.e. I get my normal service as long as the transmission doesn't have to choose a gear to shift into for me).
scenario 3: I just floor the pedal at 50km/h in D and it shifts out of any drive whatsoever and let the engine rev to redline in neutral. If I then let the RPM drop from redline it will abruptly change into gear suddenly and all is resumed normally.
Let me know where to start...
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,437
Likes: 43
From: PDX
1999 C43, 2008 P30 E63, 2014 SQ5, 2024 Model Y Performance
Found this:
Well, my 1997 C36 began having slippage problems in the tranny at 118K miles. The clutches would slip between 2nd and 3rd, the engine happily revving... with no drive. I had to shift by releasing the throttle and let the gears engage under zero power.
So I had it rebuilt by the new Orange County shop (O.C. Benz) that was formed from the ashes of what used to be Bruce Strauss Autocare in Costa Mesa. There, Jeff and Ron bebuilt the thing. The clutch plates were worn and uneven, and the fault was of the inadequate (but now upgraded) shifting module giving all-wrong signals, eventually frying the clutches. These modules can be rebuilt to current standards and they are a specific AMG part ($220.00 cost). Now not only does the trans shifts perfectly (and very smoothly) but the engine functions that are directly related also make the car much better and quicker than before. The cost of full rebuilt was under $3K for the whole mess, not too much considering that I paid so little for the car to begin with.
What am I left with? For a total expenditure of about $16K, I basically drive what amounts to be a brand new car able to clean the clock of 90% of whatever is on the road, while being comfortable and incredibly safe due to the very good handling and brakes.
I also love one thing about this car: this is the first car I ever had (besides my actual vintage racing cars) that wears its four tires perfectly evenly, none of this Bimmer inner side wear in 8K miles! That shows perfect bump-steer geometry. I have some very quiet Kuhmo ZR tires, much quieter than the Michelin Pilot, at less than 1/2 the price of the French skins. The grip is about 95% of the Mich' and it is plenty sufficient for me, I can do with a bit of slide at the limit, I like it.
If anyone in O.C. has tranny problems with their C36/C43 with the electronic 5-speed, please pay a visit to O.C. Benz on Bristol street, those guys DO know what they are doing, and I have dealt with them for over 25 years without ever being disappointed.
PM me for more info, those cars are worth keeping until run into the ground.
Well, my 1997 C36 began having slippage problems in the tranny at 118K miles. The clutches would slip between 2nd and 3rd, the engine happily revving... with no drive. I had to shift by releasing the throttle and let the gears engage under zero power.
So I had it rebuilt by the new Orange County shop (O.C. Benz) that was formed from the ashes of what used to be Bruce Strauss Autocare in Costa Mesa. There, Jeff and Ron bebuilt the thing. The clutch plates were worn and uneven, and the fault was of the inadequate (but now upgraded) shifting module giving all-wrong signals, eventually frying the clutches. These modules can be rebuilt to current standards and they are a specific AMG part ($220.00 cost). Now not only does the trans shifts perfectly (and very smoothly) but the engine functions that are directly related also make the car much better and quicker than before. The cost of full rebuilt was under $3K for the whole mess, not too much considering that I paid so little for the car to begin with.
What am I left with? For a total expenditure of about $16K, I basically drive what amounts to be a brand new car able to clean the clock of 90% of whatever is on the road, while being comfortable and incredibly safe due to the very good handling and brakes.
I also love one thing about this car: this is the first car I ever had (besides my actual vintage racing cars) that wears its four tires perfectly evenly, none of this Bimmer inner side wear in 8K miles! That shows perfect bump-steer geometry. I have some very quiet Kuhmo ZR tires, much quieter than the Michelin Pilot, at less than 1/2 the price of the French skins. The grip is about 95% of the Mich' and it is plenty sufficient for me, I can do with a bit of slide at the limit, I like it.
If anyone in O.C. has tranny problems with their C36/C43 with the electronic 5-speed, please pay a visit to O.C. Benz on Bristol street, those guys DO know what they are doing, and I have dealt with them for over 25 years without ever being disappointed.
PM me for more info, those cars are worth keeping until run into the ground.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
C36 AMG
Thanks for the info but oc is a tad far for me I am in canada. The back and forth shipping cost would cost more than having the indy shop swap a rebuilt transmission already ready in a warehouse.
Now my friend is suggesting that there is a separate circuit in the transmission that runs the kickdown solenoid, which in my case has malfunctioned....seeing how the gearbox shifts all gears correctly otherwise (solenoid a and b working correctly)
How much truth is there in that insight?
Now my friend is suggesting that there is a separate circuit in the transmission that runs the kickdown solenoid, which in my case has malfunctioned....seeing how the gearbox shifts all gears correctly otherwise (solenoid a and b working correctly)
How much truth is there in that insight?
Found this:
Well, my 1997 C36 began having slippage problems in the tranny at 118K miles. The clutches would slip between 2nd and 3rd, the engine happily revving... with no drive. I had to shift by releasing the throttle and let the gears engage under zero power.
So I had it rebuilt by the new Orange County shop (O.C. Benz) that was formed from the ashes of what used to be Bruce Strauss Autocare in Costa Mesa. There, Jeff and Ron bebuilt the thing. The clutch plates were worn and uneven, and the fault was of the inadequate (but now upgraded) shifting module giving all-wrong signals, eventually frying the clutches. These modules can be rebuilt to current standards and they are a specific AMG part ($220.00 cost). Now not only does the trans shifts perfectly (and very smoothly) but the engine functions that are directly related also make the car much better and quicker than before. The cost of full rebuilt was under $3K for the whole mess, not too much considering that I paid so little for the car to begin with.
What am I left with? For a total expenditure of about $16K, I basically drive what amounts to be a brand new car able to clean the clock of 90% of whatever is on the road, while being comfortable and incredibly safe due to the very good handling and brakes.
I also love one thing about this car: this is the first car I ever had (besides my actual vintage racing cars) that wears its four tires perfectly evenly, none of this Bimmer inner side wear in 8K miles! That shows perfect bump-steer geometry. I have some very quiet Kuhmo ZR tires, much quieter than the Michelin Pilot, at less than 1/2 the price of the French skins. The grip is about 95% of the Mich' and it is plenty sufficient for me, I can do with a bit of slide at the limit, I like it.
If anyone in O.C. has tranny problems with their C36/C43 with the electronic 5-speed, please pay a visit to O.C. Benz on Bristol street, those guys DO know what they are doing, and I have dealt with them for over 25 years without ever being disappointed.
PM me for more info, those cars are worth keeping until run into the ground.
Well, my 1997 C36 began having slippage problems in the tranny at 118K miles. The clutches would slip between 2nd and 3rd, the engine happily revving... with no drive. I had to shift by releasing the throttle and let the gears engage under zero power.
So I had it rebuilt by the new Orange County shop (O.C. Benz) that was formed from the ashes of what used to be Bruce Strauss Autocare in Costa Mesa. There, Jeff and Ron bebuilt the thing. The clutch plates were worn and uneven, and the fault was of the inadequate (but now upgraded) shifting module giving all-wrong signals, eventually frying the clutches. These modules can be rebuilt to current standards and they are a specific AMG part ($220.00 cost). Now not only does the trans shifts perfectly (and very smoothly) but the engine functions that are directly related also make the car much better and quicker than before. The cost of full rebuilt was under $3K for the whole mess, not too much considering that I paid so little for the car to begin with.
What am I left with? For a total expenditure of about $16K, I basically drive what amounts to be a brand new car able to clean the clock of 90% of whatever is on the road, while being comfortable and incredibly safe due to the very good handling and brakes.
I also love one thing about this car: this is the first car I ever had (besides my actual vintage racing cars) that wears its four tires perfectly evenly, none of this Bimmer inner side wear in 8K miles! That shows perfect bump-steer geometry. I have some very quiet Kuhmo ZR tires, much quieter than the Michelin Pilot, at less than 1/2 the price of the French skins. The grip is about 95% of the Mich' and it is plenty sufficient for me, I can do with a bit of slide at the limit, I like it.
If anyone in O.C. has tranny problems with their C36/C43 with the electronic 5-speed, please pay a visit to O.C. Benz on Bristol street, those guys DO know what they are doing, and I have dealt with them for over 25 years without ever being disappointed.
PM me for more info, those cars are worth keeping until run into the ground.
