Manual shifting
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Joined: Jun 2017
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E550
Manual shifting
After decades of having cars with a manual transmission, one of the things missed is the ability to have full control of what gear you want to be in with this car.
I've noticed that when you're at full throttle, you can't have a shift occur prior to redline with the paddles. Even if you wanted to shift 500-750 (or whatever) rpm before redline, you can't force the upshift. Looking to have more control in the higher gears..
Is it just my car, or is it by design by Mercedes.
I've noticed that when you're at full throttle, you can't have a shift occur prior to redline with the paddles. Even if you wanted to shift 500-750 (or whatever) rpm before redline, you can't force the upshift. Looking to have more control in the higher gears..
Is it just my car, or is it by design by Mercedes.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Apr 2019
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From: Silicon Valley
W212 MY'14 M276-3.5NA @75kMi
TRANNY SHIFT LIMITATIONS
After decades of having cars with a manual transmission, one of the things missed is the ability to have full control of what gear you want to be in with this car.
I've noticed that when you're at full throttle, you can't have a shift occur prior to redline with the paddles. Even if you wanted to shift 500-750 (or whatever) rpm before redline, you can't force the upshift. Looking to have more control in the higher gears..
Is it just my car, or is it by design by Mercedes.
I've noticed that when you're at full throttle, you can't have a shift occur prior to redline with the paddles. Even if you wanted to shift 500-750 (or whatever) rpm before redline, you can't force the upshift. Looking to have more control in the higher gears..
Is it just my car, or is it by design by Mercedes.
Have you noticed when ATF is super heated TCU has an increasingly difficulties controlling its precise shifts pressures?
The tranny can still perform best-effort extreme shifts under marginal conditions for sometimes.
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Apr 6, 2026 at 07:11 PM.
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E550
The clutch packs are going to wear... sooner or later.
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W212 FL
You should also be able to see suggested gear with an arrow as well when you want to manually shift down just like I do . It's also related to fuel efficiency too .
Have you tried S Mode ? I believe whatever you do with a stock program , the tranny is programmed to keep everything under control to protect wear and tear
Have you tried S Mode ? I believe whatever you do with a stock program , the tranny is programmed to keep everything under control to protect wear and tear
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From: Jakarta-Indonesia
2014 - W212.065 - E400 ( M276.820, 3 liter Turbo) RWD not Hybrid
After decades of having cars with a manual transmission, one of the things missed is the ability to have full control of what gear you want to be in with this car.
I've noticed that when you're at full throttle, you can't have a shift occur prior to redline with the paddles. Even if you wanted to shift 500-750 (or whatever) rpm before redline, you can't force the upshift. Looking to have more control in the higher gears..
Is it just my car, or is it by design by Mercedes.
I've noticed that when you're at full throttle, you can't have a shift occur prior to redline with the paddles. Even if you wanted to shift 500-750 (or whatever) rpm before redline, you can't force the upshift. Looking to have more control in the higher gears..
Is it just my car, or is it by design by Mercedes.
Even in M mode, redline will cause upshift.
I rarely use M, at best I use S and very frequent tranny oil change in my case... like max 3 years or 20,000KM, whichever comes first.
This always VERY clean tranny oil made my tranny very eager to drop to lower or lowest gear, depending on my foot throttle on the accelerator pedal.
My car at best was 5,000KM a year you see, so 20,000KM = 4 years. Therefore 3 years is maximum, when mileage not reached.
Now 7th April 2026 at max at 44,000KM only.
I meant to say that my tranny is very very responsive, better than when I bought the car in May 2018 at 10,000KM but 4 years old tranny fluid.
By Aug 2023, new oxygen sensors all 4 is the final goodness making my tranny since then perform the best to date.
Its not about how easy it can drop to lower gear nearing redline, it is about how easy it is to drop gear by 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 gears simply by throttle
modulation. Hard kickdown is easy, but to choose only to drop 2 or 1 gear down is not so easy and repeatable ( by throttle modulation) back then when I just bought the car pre-owned in May 2018.
Therefore learning that a mere 10,000KM tranny oil ( and 1st time oil fill for sure, which is worst condition usually ) , but being 4 years old , is not good enough.
All my other cars when bought new, tranny oil get first oil change at 5,000KM and engine oil change at first 1,000KM.
I still practice old fashion "running-in" oil
.
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E550
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From: Fleriduh
W212 E63S Wagon - GSL580 - E63 - E350 - C300
I waited to reply to this thread....till I did it.
Now, in my E63 it is far snappier (in M mode) than it is if I am in C or S. If I am in C and want to go down I can tap the lever - slight hesitation and I get a lower gear -OR- trick I learned on this site - pull back on the left paddle and hold it. It goes to the lowest gear it can (with out in theory blowing up the engine).
In the 350...it is SO SO SO agrivating to use in C or S. Slower than in the AMG is an understatement. The only time I have ever used it for real is when I was bored - as in super bored and wanted to see if it would help me pass a car....it didnt. For me, in the regular E it is a gimick at best.
Now, in my E63 it is far snappier (in M mode) than it is if I am in C or S. If I am in C and want to go down I can tap the lever - slight hesitation and I get a lower gear -OR- trick I learned on this site - pull back on the left paddle and hold it. It goes to the lowest gear it can (with out in theory blowing up the engine).
In the 350...it is SO SO SO agrivating to use in C or S. Slower than in the AMG is an understatement. The only time I have ever used it for real is when I was bored - as in super bored and wanted to see if it would help me pass a car....it didnt. For me, in the regular E it is a gimick at best.
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From: Spain UTC/GMT +2 hours
W213 All-terrain
After decades of having cars with a manual transmission, one of the things missed is the ability to have full control of what gear you want to be in with this car.
I've noticed that when you're at full throttle, you can't have a shift occur prior to redline with the paddles. Even if you wanted to shift 500-750 (or whatever) rpm before redline, you can't force the upshift. Looking to have more control in the higher gears..
Is it just my car, or is it by design by Mercedes.
I've noticed that when you're at full throttle, you can't have a shift occur prior to redline with the paddles. Even if you wanted to shift 500-750 (or whatever) rpm before redline, you can't force the upshift. Looking to have more control in the higher gears..
Is it just my car, or is it by design by Mercedes.
Simulate your old driving style and this will respond much faster than you have time to think, it will change even when you will discharge the request from 100% to 75%, for example.
I would start worrying if the full throttle did not sync with the redline,
Last edited by trigital; Apr 12, 2026 at 07:23 AM.
