Rough 1-2 Shift
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 477
Likes: 30
From: Maricopa, AZ
2012 S63, 2013 E350 Bluetec
Rough 1-2 Shift
I have a 2013 E350 Bluetec. When I first drive it when the engine/transmission is cold the shift from first to second is rough. This will happen until the car has warmed up, then it shifts smoothly. All other shifts into the higher gears are smooth. It is only the 1-2 shift. I had the transmission serviced with new fluid and filter at my local dealership, but the problem is still there. The car has 87,000 miles on it, and according to the service records, this is the first fluid change, even though one was supposed to have been every 40,000 miles. I have only owned the car for a couple of months. Any ideas?
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Joined: Apr 2019
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From: Silicon Valley
W212 MY'14 M276-3.5NA @75kMi
I have a 2013 E350 Bluetec. When I first drive it when the engine/transmission is cold the shift from first to second is rough. This will happen until the car has warmed up, then it shifts smoothly. All other shifts into the higher gears are smooth. It is only the 1-2 shift. I had the transmission serviced with new fluid and filter at my local dealership, but the problem is still there. The car has 87,000 miles on it, and according to the service records, this is the first fluid change, even though one was supposed to have been every 40,000 miles. I have only owned the car for a couple of months. Any ideas?
Your rough 1st-2nd shift is not common. Doesn't you car pick-up in 2nd gear already?
How many miles ago was that ATF service: over 5kMi already ? (adaptations)
When the ATF is still cold it is more viscous than at operating temperature. The valve body solenoid have a harder time delivering a smooth gear shift. (pressure difference)
Have you noticed if the low rpm shifts are very predictable or a little bit random rpm than they should? (PCV leak)
Be curious and indulge in car scans to check there are no faults on the ECU-TCU CAN-C bus.
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Sep 30, 2022 at 08:59 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,695
Likes: 1,830
From: Dallas-Ft.Worth,TX
2016 E350 Sport
You have done all the right things to stay ahead of the ball. No one can question dealer service.
Your rough 1st-2nd shift is not common. Doesn't you car pick-up in 2nd gear already?
How many miles ago was that ATF service: over 5kMi already ? (adaptations)
When the ATF is still cold it is more viscous than at operating temperature. The valve body solenoid have a harder time delivering a smooth gear shift. (pressure difference)
Have you noticed if the low rpm shifts are very predictable or a little bit random rpm than they should? (PCV leak)
Be curious and indulge in car scans to check there are no faults on the ECU-TCU CAN-C bus.
Your rough 1st-2nd shift is not common. Doesn't you car pick-up in 2nd gear already?
How many miles ago was that ATF service: over 5kMi already ? (adaptations)
When the ATF is still cold it is more viscous than at operating temperature. The valve body solenoid have a harder time delivering a smooth gear shift. (pressure difference)
Have you noticed if the low rpm shifts are very predictable or a little bit random rpm than they should? (PCV leak)
Be curious and indulge in car scans to check there are no faults on the ECU-TCU CAN-C bus.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 12,002
Likes: 6,827
From: Silicon Valley
W212 MY'14 M276-3.5NA @75kMi
pain threshold....
I think the rougher than normal initial shifting is normal. My 2001 C-Class has done this all it's life... after this initial cold shift 1-2, all the rest are normal. My 2016 E350 is the same, although less pronounced. So, an initial rough shift when cold wouldn't concern me. Rough shifting when warmed-up would concern me.
It's a bit low mileage to be banging already - My tranny shifts on its good days are seemless like a CVT
You can simply let your car warm up 5mn while cleaning your windshield and checking emails
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Oct 1, 2022 at 12:04 AM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 477
Likes: 30
From: Maricopa, AZ
2012 S63, 2013 E350 Bluetec
You have done all the right things to stay ahead of the ball. No one can question dealer service.
Your rough 1st-2nd shift is not common. Doesn't you car pick-up in 2nd gear already?
How many miles ago was that ATF service: over 5kMi already ? (adaptations)
When the ATF is still cold it is more viscous than at operating temperature. The valve body solenoid have a harder time delivering a smooth gear shift. (pressure difference)
Have you noticed if the low rpm shifts are very predictable or a little bit random rpm than they should? (PCV leak)
Be curious and indulge in car scans to check there are no faults on the ECU-TCU CAN-C bus.
Your rough 1st-2nd shift is not common. Doesn't you car pick-up in 2nd gear already?
How many miles ago was that ATF service: over 5kMi already ? (adaptations)
When the ATF is still cold it is more viscous than at operating temperature. The valve body solenoid have a harder time delivering a smooth gear shift. (pressure difference)
Have you noticed if the low rpm shifts are very predictable or a little bit random rpm than they should? (PCV leak)
Be curious and indulge in car scans to check there are no faults on the ECU-TCU CAN-C bus.
Member
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 144
Likes: 72
From: Calverton MD 20705
2013 W212 E350 RWD
You're right, I can see ignoring cold shifts to some extent... if it stays limited to 2nd clutch and not progressing
It's a bit low mileage to be banging already - My tranny shifts on its good days are seemless like a CVT
You can simply let your car warm up 5mn while cleaning your windshield and checking emails
It's a bit low mileage to be banging already - My tranny shifts on its good days are seemless like a CVT
You can simply let your car warm up 5mn while cleaning your windshield and checking emails
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 12,002
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From: Silicon Valley
W212 MY'14 M276-3.5NA @75kMi
interesting remark
You're saying that idling these cold engines to warm-up tranny ATF promotes bore scoring.
It could really well be that idle is bad!
We know the 2-stage oil pressure is lowered to a minimum and pistons are only get oil sprayed above 3500Rpm.
I am not surprised that poor lubrication can kill these engines, not sure if low emission mixtures washing down cylinder walls are part of this.
Where do you say we should look?
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 6,633
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From: Jakarta-Indonesia
2014 - W212.065 - E400 ( M276.820, 3 liter Turbo) RWD not Hybrid
87K miles, how many years oil life that is ? Not 2013 to today .....right ? If so 9 years is way too long.
The dirt of 87K miles and 9 years could have provided good clutch traction when oil cold as extra FRICTION MATERIAL.
Now the oil is new, so clean, the clutch slips a bit and that jerky 1 to 2nd gear is what you feel.
Give it time for clutch to equalize, perhaps it will improve.
Honestly, pass 5 years and 40K miles if for my kind of traffic jam and hot ambient temp = BAD
My 1st tranny oil change was 10,000KM but at 4 years old, 2014 car, 2018 tranny oil change when I bought it. MB Indonesia told me its okey for 6 years and like 75,000KM ...now way.
The tranny response was so improved after 1st oil change.
Also : I hope you do not mistaken immediate reponse as JERKY/ROUGH.
Fresh new oil gives you faster response / gear change.
1st and 2nd gear are very low gear and lots of torque, it will have the most "jerk" when you apply enough accelerator pedal.
My tranny cold ( 30C / 88F not any colder ) is always OK. Your cold is how cold ?
Second – 2.85
Third – 1.92
Fourth – 1.36
Fifth – 1.00
Sixth – 0.82
Seventh – 0.72
Reverse 1 – 3.41
Reverse 2 – 2.23
Source : https://www.transmissionrepaircostguide.com/722-9/
The dirt of 87K miles and 9 years could have provided good clutch traction when oil cold as extra FRICTION MATERIAL.
Now the oil is new, so clean, the clutch slips a bit and that jerky 1 to 2nd gear is what you feel.
Give it time for clutch to equalize, perhaps it will improve.
Honestly, pass 5 years and 40K miles if for my kind of traffic jam and hot ambient temp = BAD
My 1st tranny oil change was 10,000KM but at 4 years old, 2014 car, 2018 tranny oil change when I bought it. MB Indonesia told me its okey for 6 years and like 75,000KM ...now way.
The tranny response was so improved after 1st oil change.
Also : I hope you do not mistaken immediate reponse as JERKY/ROUGH.
Fresh new oil gives you faster response / gear change.
1st and 2nd gear are very low gear and lots of torque, it will have the most "jerk" when you apply enough accelerator pedal.
My tranny cold ( 30C / 88F not any colder
) is always OK. Your cold is how cold ?722.9 Transmission Gear Ratios
First – 4.37Second – 2.85
Third – 1.92
Fourth – 1.36
Fifth – 1.00
Sixth – 0.82
Seventh – 0.72
Reverse 1 – 3.41
Reverse 2 – 2.23
Source : https://www.transmissionrepaircostguide.com/722-9/
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From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
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2008 CL550
FWIW, my 2014 ML350, 2016 GLE400 and even the newer 2020-2022 GLEs that I rent on Turo (and one brand new GLS450 that I test drove) ALL do this. The smart thing to do are is to replace the fluid and have the service people reset the transmission presets to relearn your style (this DOES offer a 50% improvement). That has worked many times for me. But, the VERY BEST fix I've found yet (my experience that I'm sharing with you out of love for our collaborative enjoyment) is to actually run the car in "Sport or Individual (with Sport on engine)" drive setting. While you'd think the car would rev way up all nasty high in the RPM range and dog itself out like a 3cyl rental, it actually doesn't do that at all.... It seems to have about 4-5 different pressure-based (as in how hard you press the pedal) programs that it can run in throttle response in just the one Sport setting (it's adaptive)... So if you are gentle on the throttle (in SPORT) it will actually shift gears around 2,000 RPMs instead of the usual Comfort 1200 RPMs, and it completely skips over the crappy rough 1.5 gear that you feel jerking as you slow or just pull away. It works every single time for me now and it's become muscle memory... Put on seatbelt, start cooled seat, put car in sport, turn off STEWPID auto start button, put in drive and go! 
Best wishes
Joel
Best wishes
Joel
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 477
Likes: 30
From: Maricopa, AZ
2012 S63, 2013 E350 Bluetec
FWIW, my 2014 ML350, 2016 GLE400 and even the newer 2020-2022 GLEs that I rent on Turo (and one brand new GLS450 that I test drove) ALL do this. The smart thing to do are is to replace the fluid and have the service people reset the transmission presets to relearn your style (this DOES offer a 50% improvement). That has worked many times for me. But, the VERY BEST fix I've found yet (my experience that I'm sharing with you out of love for our collaborative enjoyment) is to actually run the car in "Sport or Individual (with Sport on engine)" drive setting. While you'd think the car would rev way up all nasty high in the RPM range and dog itself out like a 3cyl rental, it actually doesn't do that at all.... It seems to have about 4-5 different pressure-based (as in how hard you press the pedal) programs that it can run in throttle response in just the one Sport setting (it's adaptive)... So if you are gentle on the throttle (in SPORT) it will actually shift gears around 2,000 RPMs instead of the usual Comfort 1200 RPMs, and it completely skips over the crappy rough 1.5 gear that you feel jerking as you slow or just pull away. It works every single time for me now and it's become muscle memory... Put on seatbelt, start cooled seat, put car in sport, turn off STEWPID auto start button, put in drive and go!
Best wishes
Joel
Best wishes
Joel
