Manual shift mode for cars w/o AMG Sports package
 

Hello,
some of you might be interested in retrofitting manual shift mode in one of the following models:

• E-class w212 / s212
• E-class Coupe / Convertible c207 / a207
• C-class w204 / s204 / c204
• GLK-class x204

and maybe a lot more.

All your car requires: the colored DIC / Speedometer.

You Tube

In order to enable the manual mode your dealer has to add two or three codes in your VeDOC. After doeing that, After doing that, he has to SCN-code your gearbox AND your Driver Information Center.

The result (acceleration from 0 to 159mph - yes, I switched my DIC to mph just for you guys - and at ~0:45min acceleration at WOT in Manual mode - 4th gear and NO downshifting even if going WOT without Kickdown).

You Tube

You are my fuc**ng hero. I need to get this done asap. I hope my dealer will do it.

Why should I want my car to display an M in my IC?
What benefit does that give me?
All W212s already have manual mode?!?

I guess to let you know the transmission won't do any of its own shifting.

It tells you to pay attention and shift your own gears. In the video, the M only shows when you explicitly select a gear.

I don't know what you are talking about here. Are you commenting/exclaimed/surprised that all W212 can be converted, or are you saying that all W212 sedans, wagons, and coupes have a full fledged manual mode? If the latter, than you are wrong. The paddle shifters in my 2012 E550 sedan only specify the maximum gear to use, not to hold a specific gear like a true manual. His 4th gear pull in the video is a great demonstration of how the transmission in true manual will function. It doesn't kick down to 3rd or 2nd as a normal W212 would after "paddle selecting" 4th. It just keeps the car in the current gear even with your foot on the floor.

If you don't believe me, read your manual as it explicitly states this "maximum" gear behavior.

Nice, I see it now.
As long as the car still cuts the fuel at red-line then this might be a cool mod for those that want it.

Please check your user manual for a detailed description of the "M"-mode. On non-AMG-cars (E63 / CLS63 / C63) this mode does:

• upshift on redline
• downshift when RPM reaches idle
• downshift when going beyond the kickdown-poin

However, it gives you 100% control over the gearbox between idle and redline without unwanted up- or downshifts and you are still able to get maximum downshift when commanding a kickdown for safety reasons.

Costs: Well, it depends. As this mod is not officially certified by Mercedes, one can not find it in any pricelist. Therefore it is up to the dealer IF they do it and how much they are going to charge. My dealer billed me less then 50 € to code "M"-Mode, code Homelink to my VeDOC (which I retrofitted) and to install an electronic vehicle log.

I am pretty sure my dealership is not going to be cooperative, but it is worth a shot.

WHat does this mean?

Every feature is documented in the VeDOC. So if Mercedes offers a software update for - let's say - the M 276, STAR Diagnosis checks IF that specific car has "M 276" in its VeDOC before it applies the patch.

My car came without homelink. So I bought a inside rear view mirror with homelink (used) and mounted it to the car. To make sure to get all updates, I made my dealer to add that code to my VeDOC.

Electronic vehicle log: In Germany we have to demonstrate, which routes were driven for business in order to make them business expenses tax wise. This is the reason why I bought an GPS based vehicle log. My dealer installed that into my right cup holder for me.

How do you switch into "M" mode? How do you switch out of "M" mode?

What does it take to get this mod on a MY2014? What does SCN-codeing the transmission and instrument cluster mean?

Hi,
unfortunately I am not sure if this is going to work on an 2014. It does work on 2012 and 2013 E-Class and all w204 Facelift. I'm afraid, but somebody has to try that out.

How do I toggle between those modes? Did you check my first video? Next to the COMAND Controller, we've got that "E/S"-transmission push button. After enabling "M"-mode you can toggle with that switch between E/S/M. Of course you could replace that button as well - however that would take approximately 130 €...so I did not do that as this is only for show and has no influence on the function.

SCN coding: For info on that one you might want to google on Software Calibration Number. It basically works like that: Mercedes goes online and gets a number. They download that number, and place it in the desired control unit (for example the gearbox). This number sets options and so on.

So by SCN coding the transmission and the cluster Mercedes just tells those computers, which options are being installed in that specific car. That means: After updating VeDOC with the mentioned codes (AMG Pakage, Sports Steering Wheel, Shift Paddles and so on) one will get another SCN for transmission and instrument cluster. These new numbers will unlock the desired features.

I hope that helps.

Resurrecting this old thread to see if anyone can help. I'm going to try and attempt this upgrade by swapping my wheel with a paddle equipped wheel. I have a 2013 W204.

From what it appears the paddles should automatically function as a gear limiter but require the above coding for manual operation. At least that is what appears to have happened for people swapping out with older models.

A local shop that can do SCN codes said this wasn't possible as it would require a new CAN gateway, steering module (isn't that in the wheel?) and some other module. They made it sound like a ton of hardware would be missing from the car.

I would still be lacking a button for full time M mode but that's not something I'm looking for.

Replying to the above, I was told the same when swapping my wheel on my 13 C250 and it swapped over just fine without additional anything and works in D and S "manual" but it's not a true manual. The TCU still works against you. I am going to see if this works on addressing it.

The shop is just not competent, sorry. In the 211, 204 and other cars with the automatic lever on the center console one can enable "M"-mode even without steering-wheel-paddles! It is just the coding! One can even enable "M"-Mode without SCN-coding. Offline-variant-coding has to be done in that case via VEDIAMO. However, this requires a tuner, that knows which variant-coding to use for your engine/transmission/vehicle-combination.

I asked my SA if they would do this for me and provided the video in the OP. I already have option 277 and 428... just need that 950 code. I looked up what it is, and it's basically all of the interior and exterior trims that make it an AMG (based on the 2017 offering of the package)... and in my Google searching, it sounds like the STAR computer looks for these codes as conditions to give the needed software... so if you have all of the codes it looks for, it gives you the updates for that functionality. Pretty neat, if anyone was interested to know. It makes sense too... finally, some German engineering that makes sense lol

Can you help me to active steering wheel paddles with VEDIAMO?
Thank you.

Great info! thankyou!

My question is I have a 2009 E550 (W211) and would love to enable the true manual M mode on it. In your post you said this might be possible for me. Do you know what settings need to be toggled in Das developer? I have offline coding.

Hi J.M.G,

Do you (or someone else) know if it is possible to somehow make the IC to display what gear you are really in while driving in C and S mode?

For me personally knowing what gear I am in would be helpful. W213 E class shows what gear you are in, but W212 doesn't.

I have a 2016 W212 that does show the gear in C and S mode. It displays 'Dx' in the console where x is the actual gear. Perhaps this is only on 2014+ facelift cars?

Oh, that is good to know. Mine is W212 2013 year and doesn't show what gear I am in. If that is available in post-facelift versions, perhaps it can be turned on using some software update? Because as much as I know the gear box in the late pre-facelift and post-facelift is the same - 7gtronic plus.

Yeah, my 2014 shows the gear.
Do the 2013s and 2014+ have the same Instrument Cluster? If not, that may need to be replaced too; if so, then it may be some coding or TCU/COMAND update needed to allow that.

No the cluster is different, although it is a color screen too. The screen is like the one on the video on the top of this thread

Do you know if this works on the 2014 e350 and what steps i would need to take to get the full manual mode?

Keep this thread alive! I need this for my 2010 E550. Anyone know if it will work?

Does anyone know how to do this either via online or in person? I'm located in Vancouver, BC, and I'm dying to enable the manual shift mode on my 2014 c350 coupe. Do you guys know any company that can do transmission tuning??