sts15

For two days this week my car (E350 4matic 2006) was getting stuck in first gear. Could not switch between c/s or into other gears. If I turned the car off and restarted it sometimes it shifted normally and sometimes it would lock up again in 1st.

I checked the boards and found someone suggesting the transmission re-set by turning the FAB to on, pushing the accelerator for 5 seconds then turning the FAB off and ever since the car has shifted normally.

Any thoughts on why this happened and if it is now corrected? Or should I take it to have the codes read? Thanks.

jimbo1763

What it sounds like you may have done with the "fix" is to reset the intuitive learning part of the transmission, where it is supposed to get used to the way the car is driven.

If you have not had your transmission fluid changed before, you should at about 39K miles and thereafter. There may or may not be codes to be read at that time.

eatcake

Have the transmission conductor plate checked before doing a fluid change. Because if that's the issue they'll have to take it apart and change fluid in the process anyway. No sense in changing the fluids twice.

I took mine to a dealer but an indy shop should be able to do it also.

sts15

Thanks. I took it to my local Garage this morning and he is going to read the codes and check it out. The car has been running right now for three days since doing the reset, but I do not know what the reset would have done in relation to the problem of sticking in 1st. And I do not want it to happen on a long 500 mile trip to Ohio which I take periodically. I will post the outcome.

eatcake

You're probably not going to see codes for the conducter plate unless there is a check engine light on. That's what happened to me. I had issues of stuck in 2nd or 3rd gear but no codes until it really got stuck when I was on the highway.

Turning the car off then on rest it for long enough that I could drive home, check engine light came on part of the way home. Barely made it into my driveway and had to have the car towed to dealer.

Side note, if you've spent more than $100 on service at a dealer in the past 12 months you have free roadside assistance from MB which means free towing to dealer even if you're out of warranty.

http://www.mercedesroadside.com/road...-do-i-get-help
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By telephone:

CALL 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372)

Please have the following information ready:

1.Your Name
2.Vehicle Identification Number
3.Year, Model, and Color of Vehicle
4.Telephone Number Where You Can Be Reached
5.Disabled Location of Vehicle
6.Description of Problem
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Honestly, I wouldn't trust the reset and would not go on a 500 mile drive. Mine would run fine for days/weeks and act up again, until it almost left me on the side of the road. So if the garage tells you there are no codes please don't take that as good news.

Not trying to scare you but there is a reason the transmission was stuck in gear. And the conducter plate (if that's the issue) will be cheaper to replace/fix than the if the transmission gets damaged.

Good luck and keep us updated.

sts15

Thanks for the post...so far no check engine light, and my garage could not read the engine and have referred me to another. If there are no codes, how do you find the transmission plate as the problem?

Vander

Pm sent

Plutoe

Beware of the mumbo jumbo------if you have a hard fault(F) not(f) the transmission control module sends a generic message to the motor ecu that I am having troubles meeting the standards. The code usually is a low 700 code-----now you know you have an issue and you need a person who has DAS Xentry or equal to read the transmission module and make a determination as to why the fault.

The OBD reader will pick up on the P0700 code but will NOT be able to read the transmission module. That is life. Either accept it or sell the car and move on with your life!!

vettdvr

I have seen some cars PCM fail a relay that controls the solenoids in the valve body that control shifting result in a new transmission being installed to find the new transmission doesn't shift either. Then the PCM gets changed and all is well.

Plutoe

Good info, yet does not provide the final solution.

ladandrewe

There may or may not be codes to be read at that time.

sts15

Plutoe--I do not know what you are trying to say. It is going into the garage tomorrow (independent) who works on MB. What do I look for them to say? Thanks.

Plutoe

It is not what they will say--------It is what they will do vs what you want----You want a print out of the DAS Xentry quick test result to include the transmission module current and or stored faults!!

If the garage can't or will not provide that----then run don't walk away and find someone who will provide that, because without that test you and others will have their finger in the wind trying to pinpoint the cause. Good Luck!

sts15

Transmission plate was replaced...$1,200...