bboerit

Car is back from its second service trip for radio static problem and sluggish transmission. They replaced the fiber optic cable and updated the software so I'll let you know if that fixes the problem but they are saying there is "nothing wrong" with the tranny. I had a "pre-Nav" car (late Nov '02 build) that didn't do it so I know something is wrong and my guess is many of you have this problem also so please respond with your experiences.

I've posted this before but the problem can best be describe as follows: Picture you are traveling in the left lane of a highway and pull up behind a slower moving vehicle. The problem is, when you pull out into the right-hand lane to go around and you push on the gas pedal, nothing happens. So, you continue to push on the pedal until finally the car downshifts and takes off. This does not happen from 1st gear or from a complete stop.

This is extremely frustrating and not something I would expect from a $60k Mercedes. Even my $18k Ford goes when I push on the pedal. I've called MBUSA to complain and I've also emailed them the details. Not sure what will happen or where to go next. My opinion is they should either come up with a fix or buy the car back. I test drove and based my purchase decision on that "pre-nav" car that had a transmission as smooth as silk. If they changed the specs in the interim, it shouldn't be my problem.

moa4r

i still dont quite get what the problem is,,,are you saying that you need to press the gas pedal harder than you should to get the car to downshift?? Is this the problem?? I believe there is some kind of sb relating to the transmission, but I'm not sure if it addresses this problem. Try going to a different dealer if the one you are at now can't help...
good luck

Fastbuck

I had a similar problem on a brand new E320 CDI yesterday. It turned out that the kick-down switch under the gas pedal was jammed stuck to the floor. Just a little wiggle set it free and it's been fine since.

Does your tranny work normally when you use the Step mode? Mines did.

bboerit

The picture I tried to paint is really the best way to describe the problem... Picture yourself driving 65 mph in the left lane of a 3 lane highway. You are passing cars on your right because they are going slower than you until to reach the car in front of you who is going 60 and not pulling over to the right. Instead, you decide to go around him and start to pull out and accelerate. When you start to push your foot down further on the pedal, you would expect the car to respond accordingly and in relation to the movement of the pedal. On my car, instead, there is a pause, meaning I am pressing now on the pedal but there is no response until finally it catches. This didn't happen on my pre-nav car. The car accelerated, as expected, as I pushed on the pedal. The farther down I pressed the pedal, the faster it went. It was instantaneous instead of the hesitation I get with the new car.

I drove my brother's car and it does the same thing so I'm sure others out there are having the problem but not complaining about it. Silly me but this is a Mercedes (my first, I switched from BMW because I thought the new 5 was butt ugly, and still do) and for $60k, I expect it to move when I hit the gas, no hesitation, no exception!

bboerit

Fastbuck, haven't tried the step mode but I will and will let you know, thanks.

ima55r2

Don't forget the car has the adaptive transmission. It will learn to be in "granny mode" for gas saving reasons. Be a little more aggressive in 5 or more consecutive accelerations to get the kickdown to a lower gear. If enough people complained about it, maybe MB would get rid of it...I wish I could.

rdtjr

bboerit -

Have you noticed the RPM's? I have learned to avoid the slight hesitation caused by "flooring" the accelerator. However, the response was still not very impressive no matter what I did. I then started noticing that the RMP's surge upward - sometimes dramatically - when I more than casually accelerate. The most dramatic surge was over 6000 RPM when I punched it going about 45 MPH. I always let the car shift for itself.

The car is in the shop for this among many other items so I will report back if anyone is interested. Probably won't get the car back until later in the week.

Davel

This is my third Benz so I've gotten use to it. Mercedes (engineered like no other) does some things really wierd compared to the norm. If you take a close look at a mercedes accelerator you will notice that it is hinged on the bottom. So unless you square your entire foot on the accelerator you will not be applying enough pressure to make the car accelerate properly. Try this, make sure your foot covers the entire pedal and apply more pressure at the top. You should notice that the car feels more peppy, and its easier to activate the "kick down" switch. Also try moving your seat forward just a bit.