FormerC32Owner

I brought my car into the dealership for it's 1st inspection. I complained about a weird 1st to 2nd shift after startup, and a transmission 'kick' when creeping along in bumper to bumper traffic.

They found that I was low on transmission fluid, and needed a SW update. This is a 'paste' of the technician's notes:

"CHECKED AND CORRECTED FLUID LEVEL. PERFORMED ADAPTATION AND FOUND IT DIDN'T FIX 2-1 DOWN SHIFT. CK FOR SOFTWRE AND FOUND OLDER SOFTWARE IN BOTH ME AND ETC. ATTEMPTED TO FLUSH AND SEN CODE BOTH CONTROL UNITS AND FOUND THRANS CONTROL UNIT DIDN'T TAKE THE CODING AND IT WS SHIFTING INTO 1ST GEAR VERY HARD. ATTEMPTED TO RESEN CODE 5 TIMES AND IT FINALLY TOOK AND IT STARTED TO SHIFT SMOOTHLY. TEST DROVE TO VERIFY SHIFTING AND SHIFTED VERY SMOOTH THRU ALL GEARS. FLUSHED ME AND ETC CONTROL UNITS AND PERFORMED ADAPTATION. CLEARED ALL CODES AFTER REPAIR."

If you're having a weird transmission issue, you might want to check for this. It's strange how my '07 ended up with older software....

csumt76

Ha, that guy's not very intelligent. I wouldn't call it older software, just that a newer version was available in the DAS version. Flush both control units? Doesn't make sense... It's called S C N(software calibration number) coding. Occasionally you have to repeat it while doing it online to get it to set properly.. when it doesn't go through both control units will store "event" codes stating that the coding is not correct. Then you would "erase" the fault codes and perform the shift adaptation for the complained shift operation.

Kar don

Hilarious the service advisor wrote all that on the R/O. Shows how lousy the techs there are. At least they kept trying till it was fixed.

dtrentr

I've got the same problem on my Bluetec, very rough when downshifting at slow speed. I'm due for the first oil change so will have them check it out. Thanks!

FormerC32Owner

The transmission shifts really smoothly now, in both 'S' and 'C' mode. This really made a big difference.

I also tested driving very slowly - and no jerking anymore.

Barry45RPM

What's really amazing is that since 2004's introduction of the 7 speed, MB has been constantly revising the programming for this transmission. It must really be a dog of a transmission design if they are still tinkering with it.

Its just not the smoothest transmission out there in 1-2 & 2-1 shifts, particularly in winter temperatures, but when I want silky smooth, I drive around in the C mode for month or 2. As a 6 speed, is IS ALWAYS smooth as silk, in any outside temperature and quite luxurious. Its a better 6 speed than a 7 speed & I'm not gonna let any techs update it... been there, done that in the '04 & was never happy with the tranny.

dtrentr

C or S, it's still rough as a cob at low speed. I was thinking it was just the diesel, but obviously that's not the case.

konigstiger

Mention DTB P-B-27.60/61h (all passenger models with 7G transmission) addresses rough shift quality that may be due to gear not being fully adapted or mechanical cause.

Also DTB P-B-27.00/87b – specific to the 211.022 (e320 Bluetec) and although it actually addresses transmission flare while performing 1-2 and/or upshift in cold condition this CDI control unit software update (Flashware CD 0054488540_001) has been known to solve a number of problems.