ML500 Question Transmission
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 49
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From: Long Beach, Mississippi
2012 E550 Convertible, 2009 Audi Q5 3.2
ML500 Question Transmission
Hello Everyone, I am asking this question for my friend. I've searched the web and several MB forums but can't find the answer. My friend has an 03' ML500 and suspects his transmission isn't shifting into 5th gear. His warranty is about to expire, but before it does, he'd like to have it repaired if needed. At 70mph, he is turning about 2700 rpms. He thinks it is a bit too high by perhaps 500 - 600 rpms. I can't compare my C320 numbers because obviously they are completely different animals. He also feels like the tranny isn't "coasting" when he lets off the accelerator, in other words, the engine slows the vehicle down. Any advice or information would be most appreciated. Incidently, I am so impressed with his ML500, I am likely to purchase one for myself in the next month or two (the C320 is my wife's car).
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Arizona
BMW FTW
Hello Everyone, I am asking this question for my friend. I've searched the web and several MB forums but can't find the answer. My friend has an 03' ML500 and suspects his transmission isn't shifting into 5th gear. His warranty is about to expire, but before it does, he'd like to have it repaired if needed. At 70mph, he is turning about 2700 rpms. He thinks it is a bit too high by perhaps 500 - 600 rpms. I can't compare my C320 numbers because obviously they are completely different animals. He also feels like the tranny isn't "coasting" when he lets off the accelerator, in other words, the engine slows the vehicle down. Any advice or information would be most appreciated. Incidently, I am so impressed with his ML500, I am likely to purchase one for myself in the next month or two (the C320 is my wife's car).
All he needs to do is get on the freeway click the shifter over to the left one so its in tip-tronic mode it should show a 4 and the car should downshift at the same time, then he can hit it down to 3rd gear and the RPM's will go even higher (3rd gear will take you to a tad north of 90mph so dont worry about anything the computer wont let you screw up the car). Now from 3rd gear click it over to the right and it should say 4th then click it over one more time and it will shift and say D which is 5th gear. Each time you click it to the right you should feel and see a shift.
But things sound fine to be. just below 3k rpm sounds just fine for 70mph-80 mph.
