I have an E-550 Sport 4-matic with 2,300 mi. When I tap the shift knob for downshift to 4th it goes to either 3 or 4. When I was at a stop sign it went all the way to first gear with just a tap. I've tried different style taps to the left and it always bypasses 4th or 3rd regardless how I do it. My 01 never had a problem in this regard and on some steeper hills I often tapped for either 4th or 3rd gear w/o problems. Has anyone seen this? I will have a dealer look at it when I go in for the 3,000 mi check but he's 100 mi away so will be a few weeks. When it downshifts below 4th then tapping it back up to 5th works normally.

 

It would seem that the logic is for the car to downshift to a speed/engine RPM appropriate gear.

 

Well, you have a point although this would be a change from the 01 and I've never read that it would work as you describe. I can say that when I've downshifted it has gone to a gear that corresponds more to my speed than just fourth gear. Not sure I prefer this method if you are correct. I would rather tap once and get 4th, twice and 3rd, etc. and therefore choose my own gear for the circumstances. I will try this again next time I drive and try to confirm your theory. Maybe I do not have a malfunction.

 

i had a similar issue. when i downshifted from a stop to 1 gear it and started to shift up to 2, 3, 4 it would skip 2 gear and go straight to 3 gear. what i did was very easy and not harmful to the car. just take the shift knob and hold it in the downshift postition for about 45 seconds. this should reset something in the car (forgot what it was). as soon as i did that the car was fine again. also i dont remember if there is a sign or something to tell u if it worked but i think that my instrument cluster light flashed on and off once. thats my 2 cents hope it works

 

01 was the 5 speed and yours is the 7 speed, i.e. completely different transmission.

It works as you describe in my GL, too, although it's steering wheel buttons.

It's really pretty logical, i.e. if you're going slow enough for 3rd, what good is 4th going to do for you? Plus, you often don't know what gear you're in anyway.

 

Not sure where it would be in your operator's manual, but on Page 159 in the one for my '04 it says, "Press and hold the gear selector lever in the D- direction. The transmission will automatically select the gear range suited for optimal acceleration and deceleration. This will involve shifting down one or more gears."

So as Barry says, it picks the gear appropriate to the situation. When you're stopped, the gear for optimal acceleration is obviously first gear.

It may be a little confusing you're doing doing the shifting yourself, but the first time your wife accidentally nudges the shifter at a stop light it gets a lot worse.

 

He has a 4-matic which still uses the 5 speed.

 

Yes, I do have the 5 speed but it sounds like things have changed a bit and I just need to get used to it. It's snowing and I don't want to get the beast dirty right now but will re-read the manual and try this out later. Guess I should consider this an improvement.

 

I thought the downshift was to select the highest gear, not the actual gear. So, if you downshift to 3 while stationary, as you drive off, you would still begin at 1 (or 2 if in comfort mode). As you gain speed the automatic transmission would go up through the gears, but no higher than 3rd. In this example.

I love to downshift to slow me down - trying to save brake dust as well. The other day I downshifted to 1. Once I had stopped I moved the lever to the right and held it there. The gear display went straight to D. But if I "tap" it, it goes up through the numbers. (I know..."D" is not a number...you know what I mean).

I guess just mention it when it goes in for service. Maybe take the SA out for a wee ride to show him?

Good luck!

 

I thought downshifting/engine braking is NOT recommended.