Ice Cold Weather Downshift Clunk
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,017
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From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
Late/Abrupt Ice Cold Weather Downshift to 1st (7 Spd)
I noticed this week, with the temperature in the single digits overnight, and only in the teens by 9:30AM when I leave for work, when I drive away from the house & come to a stop at stop signs, the last downshift into 1st is late, very late... (almost when I'm ready to lift my foot off the brake & hit the gas again to go), and accompanied by a solid "bump" as if the car was gently tapped in the rear bumper by a car following too closely behind. Once or twice I have actually lifted my foot off the brake & stepped on the gas to go and the transmission was just preparing to downshift into 1st, and by my pressing on the gas, it slammed it into whatever gear it had chosen. This happens repeatedly until the transmission obviously has had a chance to reach a warm operating temperature. Transmission is always kept in the "S" , not "C" program mode. Anyone else? Comments?
Last edited by Barry45RPM; Jan 21, 2005 at 04:26 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,281
Likes: 8
From: Longmont, CO
04 E320 4 Matic, 95 Audi S6, 99 Carrera 4 Cabrio, 12 Fiat 500 Sport, 00 BMW R1200C 10, BMW R1200R
Originally Posted by Barry45RPM
I noticed this week, with the temperature in the single digits overnight, and only in the teens by 9:30AM when I leave for work, when I drive away from the house & come to a stop at stop signs, the last downshift into 1st is late, very late... (almost when I'm ready to lift my foot off the brake & hit the gas again to go), and accompanied by a solid "clunk" as if the car was gently tapped in the rear bumper by a car following too closely behind. Once or twice I have actually lifted my foot off the brake & stepped on the gas to go and the transmission was just preparing to downshift into 1st, and pressing on the gas, slammed it into whatever gear it then chose. This happens repeatedly until the transmission obviously has had a chance to reach a warm operating temperature. Transmission is always kept in the "S" , not "C" program mode. Anyone else? Comments?
Steve
Almost a Member!
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 46
Likes: 1
From: Orange County, CA
2005 E500
My 05 E500 has done the same thing several times in the last few days, but it is not very cold where i live in So. Cal. The next time it does it, i will keep track of how long it had been since starting up, as i seem to recall that it was just after a cold start. However, a cold start is not very cold here - about 50 degrees. My car only has about 1400 miles on it.
