New car jerks when downshifting to 2nd
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2026 Mercedes CLE53A4 AMG Cabriolet and 2025 MAYBACH EQS680V4
New car jerks when downshifting to 2nd
My car has less than 100 miles on it.
The other day I started playing with the paddle shifters and found that when you downshift from 3rd to 2nd the car jerks.
Downshifting from the other gears produces a smooth transition.
The dealer is telling me this is because the car is so new and it needs a few thousand miles and that it will learn to do a smooth downshift from 3rd to 2nd as well as learn my driving habits.
When I say the car jerks, it is not a little jerk. You can really feel it.
Don't remember any of my cars ever doing this but the dealer says it is perfectly normal. He also says it isn't a good idea to do this for the first few thousand miles.
Thoughts?
The other day I started playing with the paddle shifters and found that when you downshift from 3rd to 2nd the car jerks.
Downshifting from the other gears produces a smooth transition.
The dealer is telling me this is because the car is so new and it needs a few thousand miles and that it will learn to do a smooth downshift from 3rd to 2nd as well as learn my driving habits.
When I say the car jerks, it is not a little jerk. You can really feel it.
Don't remember any of my cars ever doing this but the dealer says it is perfectly normal. He also says it isn't a good idea to do this for the first few thousand miles.
Thoughts?
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Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Ohio
'10 S550 4Matic, '06 BMW M5
He's probably telling you not to use the paddle shifters in the first period (when the car is breaking in) because you have more control over the RPM of the engine, which means you can abuse it when it is "weak." I don't like the argument, but that's essentially what they told me when I bought my M5 new. The break in period was graduated, and spanned the first 1,500 miles, I think. My 2002 M3 before it was like that too.
IMHO, paddle shifters are out of place in an S550 anyway... But, since I'm a nice guy, while I'm out in mine today, I'll try the 3-2 shift when coming to a stop to see if I can decipher anything. My 2010 car has about 17,000 miles on it.
IMHO, paddle shifters are out of place in an S550 anyway... But, since I'm a nice guy, while I'm out in mine today, I'll try the 3-2 shift when coming to a stop to see if I can decipher anything. My 2010 car has about 17,000 miles on it.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,605
Likes: 125
2026 Mercedes CLE53A4 AMG Cabriolet and 2025 MAYBACH EQS680V4
He's probably telling you not to use the paddle shifters in the first period (when the car is breaking in) because you have more control over the RPM of the engine, which means you can abuse it when it is "weak." I don't like the argument, but that's essentially what they told me when I bought my M5 new. The break in period was graduated, and spanned the first 1,500 miles, I think. My 2002 M3 before it was like that too.
IMHO, paddle shifters are out of place in an S550 anyway... But, since I'm a nice guy, while I'm out in mine today, I'll try the 3-2 shift when coming to a stop to see if I can decipher anything. My 2010 car has about 17,000 miles on it.
IMHO, paddle shifters are out of place in an S550 anyway... But, since I'm a nice guy, while I'm out in mine today, I'll try the 3-2 shift when coming to a stop to see if I can decipher anything. My 2010 car has about 17,000 miles on it.
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From: Boston
S-class
I wouldnt mess with down shifts with the paddles during the ' break-in' period. I would just drive the car for a few thousand miles first. And it all depends of how fast the car is going before you down shifted to a lower gear. If you down shift to a low gear (2nd) at high speed. The rpm will bounce of the limiter, and that's what cause the car to jerk?
Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 241
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From: Ohio
'10 S550 4Matic, '06 BMW M5
Tried it at lunch today. My 3-2 shift is as smooth as glass. The only one that seemed a little bit jerkey was the 2-1, but I guess that's sort of expected. All of the shifts were at reasonably low RPM ranges, vehicle speed never exceeded 45 miles an hour while I was doing this.
That said, I won't be using the paddles again, ever... There's no feel to them, it is just an electronic switch. I realize it is the same on my M5, but at least my paddles there are hefty, with rubberized backs and lit up + / - icons. And they move with a satisfying "whump" LOL.
That said, I won't be using the paddles again, ever... There's no feel to them, it is just an electronic switch. I realize it is the same on my M5, but at least my paddles there are hefty, with rubberized backs and lit up + / - icons. And they move with a satisfying "whump" LOL.
