Transmission Stuck in 1st Gear
 

This is my last ditch effort before I launch my campaign against Mercedes-Benz U.S.A.

My 2007 w221 has 54,000 miles and not a scratch on it, and it decides today to fail me at wal-mart. I was sitting there thinking, "I have the nicest car at wal-mart" but it doesn't shift out of first gear.

I got home around the corner and the dealership with all their fancy scheduling won't be able to get to my car for 4 days. The more I read the threads, I see so many owners who have suffered in some way from Transmission problems.

:nix:

While there have been some trans issues this may be an isolated fault that put your car in limp home mode. If you shut it down and turn it back on you may find it operting normally again.

If you search Transmission on any of the MB Forums, you'll find that there is more material there than anything else. I have shut the car down for the entire night and the morning startup didn't resolve the problem.

I am heading to the dealership with my fingers crossed.

I had a similar problem and it ended up being the transmission valve body. Cost about $1500 I think. I'm not at home to check the invoice though. Let us know what it ends up being. Hopefully it's somthing simple.

Was that $1500 and no warranty....

Yea... it was under warranty at the time.

Have you had the car since new or CPO? Still under warranty?? I think there is a transmission service at 30K or so. Was that done? Any other problems so far or just this?
I have a cpo with 60k mi on it and so far no major things and I have warranty coverage for another year...

Keep us posted!

might be a problem for the amg edition 550s only. I don't think the regular ones have those issues.

"AMG" (later renamed to simply "Sport Package") S550 is the same car with some extra plastic and different rims. There is no difference in the transmission.

Oh, man, I just saw your post. You're dead-on when you said there's an extreme amount of chat about the 7-speed pos. There are more threads here about trans. concerns than in a cheap suit. I have an out of warr., Designo Launch 4Matic, with now 61 K miles. Four year calendar flipped two weeks ago. No CPO nor warr. extension.

Yours rear push or awd? As to trans. fluid change. Book calls for it @39000 miles. Most all I read has to do w/ faulty valve body. A forum guy pm'd me last summer about his ordeal. I see someone did the same here. Mine hasn't gone to limp, but is really "abrupt" in moving through the gaits on down shift. Smoot gait move on acceleration, tho'. Bizarre.

There's been some chat on having the ecu of the trans flashed. But, it seems that's a "band-aid" vs. a fix. I am going to stealership next Thursday for flash and fault check.

Good luck. You deserve better. We all do.

100% SOUNDS LIKE A VALVE BODY... mine went out on my old s550 with 68 k miles while i was backing out of blockbuster... i got a mercedes bens repair shop to do it for 1600 out the door...what a pain in the neck.. one day fine and next day stuck in first...

You missed my sarcasm there.

pet peeve when people call sport package cars AMGs.

The worst is here, the transmission is gone and only at 50K. I cannot tell you how much I've put into a vehicle to only have the most expensive vehicle treat me far worse than my little 14 year old sports car that I had in college. I pays to ride big.

Mercedes Benz S550 owner.

So, I never caught if this was under warranty or not?? Was the transmission service done early on? Are you saying the transmission is completely toast or is there an answer yet?

These things really suck but so far I am thankful I'm not back in my Range Rover... THAT was a breakdown nightmare and the tranny went at a little over 50K mi... Coupled with electrical gremlins and engine problems, it got to be $1000 bill at least every time in the shop!

Keep us posted...

The Transmission warranty went out at 50k, with 54k on the dash. My extended warranty is trying to not cover it because this was a known issue with the car at the time of purchase. Those are just the details.

The biggest point is that while at the dealership feeling depressed because the SA was telling me that my baby wasn't going to make it, some other guy was in there with the same milage and the same situation. He was all the way butt out because he had no extended warranty and no chance for help.

Are you seriously telling me that Mercedes Benz's flagship is this problematic? Well this isn't my first go round with luxury cars, but this is my worst go round with luxury cars.

They've offered a refurbished transmission for $5590 which I can afford, but to pay that and plan on keeping the car is retarded knowing full well that it has failed me at it's best.

:nix::nix: Wait, did you buy the car with a known problem or was it the extended warranty that you just purchased?? Did they give you an indication of what specifically went wrong with it? Any insight as to how it happened? Did it have all its services on time since new? Did you buy it new? I'm only asking cause mine is at a similar milage and so far ok, but want to do everything possible to keep it that way...
Over the life of the car is this the only major issue?

Transmission failure on a S class
 

This is what I found on the web. The question is has the problem happened to cars built after June 2010.

DTB S-B-27.19/118a
JUN10 – MY-All,
Transmission 722.9 in Models 164, 171, 203, 204, 207, 209, 211, 212, 215, 216, 219, 220, 221, 230, 251, 463 ordering notes for Electrohydraulic Control Unit

221 – Control unit 2202701406 replaced by 2202701306 replaced by current 2202702706
__________________________________________________ _____________

i registered only because i wanted to ask you guys about transmission problems.
I have 4matic,bought new MY07 and transmission is dying.

It was 5 weeks in shop and they couldnt find any flaw.They upgraded to newest software and still has problems.
Its stuck in neutral.

So do i tell in service that they should replace valve body?Will this fix problem with the car which is stuck in N?

Is the car at the dealer or an independant shop? 5 weeks!? Eeek! Is the control stalk ok? No errors on the computer? Was this a gradual progression or a sudden occurance? How many miles? Was the transmission service doone at 30K mi? Give us all the details and the things they ruled out over the 5 week stay...

Its at the authorised mercedes dealer.Computer was giving me some errors.Car has around 70000km.All service were done.They said they changed every liquid,updated to latest software which is not officialy out yet,it will be in june and still problems.

Ive read that i need to change valve body and control unit.Do i need change all these or it will be fine if i change only valve body?How much does control unit cost?

Get that bad Transmission out of your car, if you plan on keeping it; then you have no choice. Anytime you speak of Engine or Transmission failure, the vehicle trade-in value goes to spit.

You are at a crossroad, because if they document your troubles then you're immediately upside down. Hopefully the valve body work is what is needed at $1500. Cause a refurbished tranny is $6k

Re:
 

Book calls for it @39000 miles. Most all I read has to do w/ faulty valve body. A forum guy pm'd me last summer about his ordeal. I see someone did the same here. Mine hasn't gone to limp, but is really "abrupt" in moving through the gaits on down shift. I am thankful I'm not back in my Range Rover... THAT was a breakdown nightmare and the tranny went at a little over 50K mi... Coupled with electrical gremlins and engine problems.

You mentioned "abruptness" or distinctly feeling the down shift, as it moves thru the gaits to lower gears.

My 2007 4MATIC has 60 k miles, trans. Fluid & filter have been changed. Gait changes upshifting are smooth and clean. But, at about 40 mph and down, the changes feel very simillar to the distinct "feel" you get when down shifting a manual transmission, without any engine involvement.

My question is abruptness a clear indicator the "valve body" is bad and it's only a matter of when, not if, there's trans. failure?

I took to MB dealer. Mentioned DTB S-B-27.19/118a, which was posted on this thread. Got a deer in headlights stare. Tech did diagnostic. "All shifts from four on down are well within the numerical parameters called for by MB. Your transmission is fine."
Advice and/or opinions requested. Thanks.