Kickdown Switch part 2
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,042
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From: Bellevue, NE
1995 E320 SE, 162,000 Miles (Sold) 2007 CLK350 Cabriolet 2014 ML550
Kickdown Switch part 2
I've been disappointed with my transmission and I know some others have been, too. I've been playing with the Bowden cable adjustment trying to get the trans to kick down decently without holding on to the gears until 3500 rpm. It's ridiculous that once it comes out of 1st there's no way to get it back in 1st until coming to a complete stop. But wait...on a hunch, I searched for "kickdown switch". My BMW has this little device and that was what gave me the idea. On that car I push the pedal until it bottoms out, then apply just a bit more pressure and thunk, the tranny kicks down and we're gone. Matt Witter showed a pic of this little device in another thread and mentioned it was under the accelerator. I looked and sure enough, it is. What I didn't know is that you have to STAND ON IT TO ACTIVATE IT!! It takes a lot of pressure, probably 30 lbs. to make it activate and then OMG HANG ON!!! Now I'm going to need new tires and a radar detector for sure. If you think your E3 is slow, stomp on it and see what happens. 
