Shift Anomaly
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From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
Shift Anomaly
Took my 2005 S500 4-Matic in for "A" service and minor symptoms. 25,600 miles.
1) Slight roughness at idle - intermittent.
2) Delay in transmission engagement from stop during first 2-3 minutes of driving after not driving overnight. At stops, engine accelerates slightly when I try to proceed, but transmission delays, very slightly, then catches a little harder than usual. No problem shifting to higher gears, and symptom disappears after driving about 1/2 mile. Does not recur during short trips during the day, but recurs every morning after being parked overnight.
Service writer says cannot duplicate roughness at idle, and cannot duplicate transmission problem (idiot didn't read my writeup - didn't let car sit overnight). No codes. I am going in a 7 in the morning to show the tech what I am talking about, after car is first started.
Service writer says car should be idled for 2-3 minutes (though morning temperature here is about 80 degrees) before driving off. I have never had such advice for warm weather driving (have heard it for extreme cold - below zero). Operator's manual certainly provides no such advice.
This symptom is new to my car after nearly 2 years driving it, and never occurred in my '00 (traded at 60K). Never occurred in any Audi I ever drove, either (20+ years).
I understand their not catching the idle problem, because it is intermittent.
But the off-the-cuff advice to "let the car idle for 2-3 minutes before driving" tells me the service writer is trying to blow smoke, nothing more.
Ideas? (Besides different dealership; that's a very likely outcome of this).
1) Slight roughness at idle - intermittent.
2) Delay in transmission engagement from stop during first 2-3 minutes of driving after not driving overnight. At stops, engine accelerates slightly when I try to proceed, but transmission delays, very slightly, then catches a little harder than usual. No problem shifting to higher gears, and symptom disappears after driving about 1/2 mile. Does not recur during short trips during the day, but recurs every morning after being parked overnight.
Service writer says cannot duplicate roughness at idle, and cannot duplicate transmission problem (idiot didn't read my writeup - didn't let car sit overnight). No codes. I am going in a 7 in the morning to show the tech what I am talking about, after car is first started.
Service writer says car should be idled for 2-3 minutes (though morning temperature here is about 80 degrees) before driving off. I have never had such advice for warm weather driving (have heard it for extreme cold - below zero). Operator's manual certainly provides no such advice.
This symptom is new to my car after nearly 2 years driving it, and never occurred in my '00 (traded at 60K). Never occurred in any Audi I ever drove, either (20+ years).
I understand their not catching the idle problem, because it is intermittent.
But the off-the-cuff advice to "let the car idle for 2-3 minutes before driving" tells me the service writer is trying to blow smoke, nothing more.
Ideas? (Besides different dealership; that's a very likely outcome of this).
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From: Philadelphia area
2010 ML550, 2010 E350 4M, 1966 Corvette Convt C2
I never let my 05 idle before starting out and the trans does not delay going into gear or shift rough. As for the idle, could be lots of stuff that is not yet pulling a code but is on the cusp of doing so such as a MAF sensor, or an O2 sensor as an example. Tech should examine each component with the Star system and see if any are marginal.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,063
Likes: 26
From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
I never let my 05 idle before starting out and the trans does not delay going into gear or shift rough. As for the idle, could be lots of stuff that is not yet pulling a code but is on the cusp of doing so such as a MAF sensor, or an O2 sensor as an example. Tech should examine each component with the Star system and see if any are marginal.
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04 S430 (sold),05 X5 4.4i, 02 325i, 87 560SL, 85 Alfa Romeo
I have not been so hyped on any brand new cars sense then... sense it's under warranty, I'd press for an exchange. that problem is with many 7 speed tranny's. There is a bulletin about changing the valve body to correct this, but my service writer told me that they usually don't correct the problem, and they still have to go inside the tranny to do that.
Your service writer is an *** for trying to tell you how to drive a car like its your fault its not working.( let it idle..) You should be offended because I was just by reading it.
Remind that Moron that the keyless go cars were advertised with a guy just jumping in one press a button to start, and pressing the gas an go. No 3 minute idle there...why should yours be any different...
anyhow, have you tried to force it into aggressive shifting? this is done by turning on the key, NOT starting the car, and hold the pedal all the way to the floor a few times so that it hit's the switch. Then start the car and drive it.. it should change modes and work a little better. Oh, and put it in "S" mode when you drive off. Hopefully this corrects it but you don't want to have to d that all the time. That measn there is a problem.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
my06CLK,
I am furious, and the service writer already knows he has been stupid with the wrong guy. No matter the outcome of the little demo I'll give the tech this morning, I will bring this up with the service manager; he will know in uncertain terms that I don't like people blowing smoke. Whether I change dealers (this is my first visit to these people) will depend on the actions of the service manager after our discussion. And, if I do continue doing business with these people at all, it will not be through that service writer.
I had not tried the steps you mentioned regarding the aggressive shifting; I'll try. Thanks, I learned something. I agree that having to use the "S" mode is not a fix, and confirms something is wrong. My tranny is a 5-speed.
As for any delay at idle, no more than 10 seconds is required to get oil into the upper parts of the engine in any case. The only "delay" ever recommended is going to highway speeds immediately when the engine is cold. My owner's manual cautions that even in cold weather, saying the engine warms best when under load, and recommends against protracted idling to warm it up even then. None of that has anything to do with a shift problem. Believe me, I know the service writer is full of crap.
I am furious, and the service writer already knows he has been stupid with the wrong guy. No matter the outcome of the little demo I'll give the tech this morning, I will bring this up with the service manager; he will know in uncertain terms that I don't like people blowing smoke. Whether I change dealers (this is my first visit to these people) will depend on the actions of the service manager after our discussion. And, if I do continue doing business with these people at all, it will not be through that service writer.
I had not tried the steps you mentioned regarding the aggressive shifting; I'll try. Thanks, I learned something. I agree that having to use the "S" mode is not a fix, and confirms something is wrong. My tranny is a 5-speed.
As for any delay at idle, no more than 10 seconds is required to get oil into the upper parts of the engine in any case. The only "delay" ever recommended is going to highway speeds immediately when the engine is cold. My owner's manual cautions that even in cold weather, saying the engine warms best when under load, and recommends against protracted idling to warm it up even then. None of that has anything to do with a shift problem. Believe me, I know the service writer is full of crap.
Last edited by Skylaw; Aug 15, 2007 at 05:32 AM.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
Some followup-
The service writer was a LOT more considerate when I saw him personally. After our phone conversation, and in person, he determined I could recognize smoke, and not to blow any.
He did bring out the shop foreman. I demonstrated the problems for him (except the intermittent slight roughness at idle - of course, it wouldn't happen) - but we had an excellent discussion.
The foreman had his tech update the ME computer controlling the "lockup" point of the torque converter (I know the car doesn't have a "lock up" converter as used in some senses - by "lockup" I believe he meant the engagement point). He also reset the adaptive transmission control. Problem seems cleared but I will have to follow up.
Thorough check showed O2 Sensor, MAF, engine mounts, transmission brackets to be OK. Nothing throwing codes. Recently much of my driving has been short distance, low speed - I'll run some fuel injector cleaner through it, and see if that helps.
Thank you for your input, sosh and my06CLK. I did take the matter up with the department manager. He promised improvement. Indeed, the latter part of the visit went as I expected.
The service writer was a LOT more considerate when I saw him personally. After our phone conversation, and in person, he determined I could recognize smoke, and not to blow any.
He did bring out the shop foreman. I demonstrated the problems for him (except the intermittent slight roughness at idle - of course, it wouldn't happen) - but we had an excellent discussion.
The foreman had his tech update the ME computer controlling the "lockup" point of the torque converter (I know the car doesn't have a "lock up" converter as used in some senses - by "lockup" I believe he meant the engagement point). He also reset the adaptive transmission control. Problem seems cleared but I will have to follow up.
Thorough check showed O2 Sensor, MAF, engine mounts, transmission brackets to be OK. Nothing throwing codes. Recently much of my driving has been short distance, low speed - I'll run some fuel injector cleaner through it, and see if that helps.
Thank you for your input, sosh and my06CLK. I did take the matter up with the department manager. He promised improvement. Indeed, the latter part of the visit went as I expected.
Last edited by Skylaw; Aug 16, 2007 at 02:26 PM.
