Mmick

Hey guys new to the forum. Just bought an 05 clk 320 with 49k on it. Coming from a 3 series Bmw this car drives way different.

The question is are you guys experiencing what feels like drag under acceleration? I literally feel like I’m dragging a parachute especially in first gear. Also when coming to a complete stop I feel like the car is breaking with the transmission.

is this how these cars drive?

Merc Mania

If the vehicle had been sitting out in the elements for a while before you purchased it, the brakes could have become rusty enough to bind, perhaps not enough to stop the car entirely, but still noticeable in its effect.

After driving for a while, you could disembark and place your hand on each wheel rim in turn. Any wheel rims that feel significantly hotter to the touch, might be indicative of binding brakes that need looking at.

MachNone

Agree with the possibility of dragging brakes and the quick check for it. 49K in 15 years isn't much usage, and a 320 isn't a slow car. You're right, something needs to be looked at.

FYI, I had a 1968 280SL which had dragging brakes. It went through a set of front pads in TWENTY MILES. Turned out the insides of the flex hoses had swelled almost shut, and while you could put on the brakes because the master cylinder could push the fluid down, the calipers couldn't push the brake fluid back up through the internally swollen lines and didn't release. This isn't a M-B specific problem, I've seen it on other, low usage cars too, but the 280SL was the worst.

Fix it/get it fixed and you'll really like the car. It flies!

Best regards,

Mike/Florida
08 350CLK cabrio, and it puts a smile on my face and my license at risk every time I drive it.

storm10

I used to have 05 CLK back in a days. Transmission is reluctant to shift and feels very different from most other cars. The car was designed to safely stop as soon as possible. So to overcome, you need to push gas pedal harder. Don't be afraid to step on it. If you don't step on gas - the car will be hesitant to speed up.
The advantage of this model - it's very easy to control this car when cornering or braking, just using gas 1 pedal operation (more/less pressure).
To check if you don't have any problems with transmission: Put your car on straight line, make sure no other cars interfere, then STEP and HOLD gas pedal all the way. Floor it! Don't release it for 5 - 10 sec. Hold it to the floor. If your car accelerates instantly and keep raising the speed, and you feel the power inside your seat - then you have no problems. Don't release the pedal. As soon as you drop pedal, the car will slow down before you even touch brakes.
By the way you should push your car at least once a year to keep performance at the top.
This model you have to get used to, but once you do - you'll enjoy it.

Mmick

Thank you for the info guys. I’ll definitely get the brakes checked out just to be sure. I also read in the manual about the differences between the comfort and sport driving modes as I’ve been driving in comfort the whole time. It mentioned that comfort will always take off from 2nd gear and sport will actually down shift to 1st at a complete stop.

12inSubs

I know the feeling you are talking about, sometimes when I cold start it the car feels like it is being pulled back or dragging. When you accelerate it feels like the car is resisting in some way. This happens whether or not I'm in comfort or sport mode, and has happened since I got the car. It always goes away for me when the car warms up though. I think it's just the way the car is as mine has always been like this, even before and after I had work done on the transmission. The advice about not being afraid to give it gas is good and you should be pushing it fairly regularly to keep up the performance, but I would NOT recommend doing it when the car is cold and you are having this dragging feeling. When I have it usually exacerbates it and hard shifts. That's been my experience with it, but if your feeling persists all the time when you drive the car even after long drives when it is warm then I'm not sure what's happening, but it shouldn't always feel like that.

Glyn M Ruck

These cars run with the torque converter fully locked most of the time for gas economy so if you lift off you will immediately feel engine braking. ~ no free wheeling.
In the warm up cycle the transmission purposely holds revs for longer to heat the Cats quickly for emissions.
To prevent a jerk as you draw up to a stop the software was changed for the transmission so it does not change down to 1st gear & cause a jerk due to the huge ratio change. The car with latest software will come to a halt in 2nd gear. Unlock the converter & change down to first for pull away.

Make sure your TCU has the latest software flash.

Also ~ this is a learning transmission. If you drive like an old women it will learn to change that way. To maintain sporty gearshift don't be shy to use WOT (wide open throttle) fairly often.

Mmick

Where can I get a TCU flash done?

COOPERDB

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I got a tune for both my TCU and ECU from Eurocharged

Very fast turnaround -

Really changed the dynamics of the car -

Contact solomon@eurocharged.com.

He will answer all your questions -


Thank-You
D.B.


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