W205C43PFL

I see, guess the only way to not have to deal with MB's transmission without switching brands is to get an electric vehicle, but even that EVs technically has some sort of transmission. I am not sure if this is why it jerks https://mbworld.org/forums/eqs/85477...t-driving.html

S_W222

Same exact experience with my first W222 which I witnessed it going that route all the way up to high 70K miles step by step... My 2nd W222 was pre-owned and already came with about 30K miles so it had "some" level of sloppiness that I can tell was just starting... as I drove it another 8-9K I can tell it was just getting more sloppy (nothing like it was broken, but just a typical Mbenz trashy geabox). Our GL transmission was always sloppy. Renting the W223 for a few days confirmed to me that the drivetrain drives exactly just like my W222s and I can tell it was going to develop the same with time. It's probably time for Mbenz to get out of the transmissions business and just get a proper one, or maybe just switch to full EVs once and for all. Frankly they haven't even had good luck with their engines either (W222 pre-facelift M278 engine issues started to appear on the web with higher mileage cars... and now with the M176 on the facelift I can see some trend of oil leaks and stuff like that coming up .. obviously am seeing some W223s getting into service for engine issues on this forum even sooner than W222. Not trying to be overly critical, but it's truly sad to see Mbenz almost perfecting the driving experience and comfort on their high end cars but failing miserably as far as drivetrains! I admit that am a BMW fan and can be biased, but the facts nowadays tell me that BMW has the upper hand these days as far as drivetrains (besides glitches and electronics, I hardly see any oil leaks or engine failures, transmission issues on BMW forums "at least not as much as what an seeing for Mbenz").

W205C43PFL

You reminded me of your thread, https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...ting-w222.html

Did the transmission shifting issue ever come back a few months or years after the "Forced Adaptation" or it was fixed for good?

RJC

OMG these above stories have completely turned me off, plus there's these just from today Smooth Shifting? - MBWorld.org Forums

SW20S

If it shifts great initially and gets sloppy over time you would think that would be programming related

RJC

My S Coupes were a new at the time '16 and '17 so it was well before 2020, seems like it's hit or miss with these things, but more miss than hit. WTF MB?!!!!

S_W222

The “downshifting” issue was fixed for good. I didn’t keep (or drive) the car long enough after the fix to know if the problem returned after a few thousands of miles or not, but am 100% certain the downshifting problem was addressed. The sloppy nature of the gearbox anyway isn’t something that I even tried to fix. I mean am sure the car shifts better than most other cars and I can’t just tell them, hey look, my other german cars shift better, so this part is a design flaw issue than something that can be fixed anyway.

S_W222

I think the answer is both, yes and no… it CAN be fixed for a short period of time via programming.. but then as the gearbox wears out again, the calibration points seem to become off again or whatever. The info we heard that there were two teams within Mbenz in Germany pointing fingers at each other, the design team and emissions control team. We had a member here on this forum internal to Mbenz who also reported the same in one of his posts/comments. It was (and still) a problem that Mbenz knowledges internally. They just don’t seem to be able to figure it out, period. In fact, during the time I escalated things to MBENZ USA for my W222, manager line from MBENZ USA confirmed that the engineering design team in germany is aware of the problem and that time and are trying to come up with a fix. It’s been years now and I am yet to hear a formal remedy (or see a recall or service bulletin related to it). I bet it’s also a design issue all around. They just don’t know how to make good transmissions in my view.

W205C43PFL

I see. Thank you.

Streamliner

The harsh shifting plagues most every class of MB. There really should be a class action lawsuit. Any lawyers here?

RJC

I'm tired of making/listening to rationalizations of products (especially high level one's) that don't deliver and/or are highly inconsistent in their operation. If Rolex as an example, had ~50% of their customers say their brand-new watch is mostly inaccurate in keeping time, people wouldn't buy, or pay the high-level premium for them (aside from perhaps the precious metal content), let alone making/accepting excuses blaming the wearer. There are too many complaints about MB transmissions here (for years) and people can make all the excuses/rationalizations they want but it is what it is. Seems like just as many have/had problems than don't, and I for one don't like those #'s/odds; no one should, especially MB.

places

Just about every recent Mercedes we owned had the infamous harsh downshift. I learned to live with it. As for the Rolex analogy, they keep it simple. Perfect your craft, don't try and re-invent the wheel. Something MB could learn from but choose not to.

NbyNW

Living with it here too. They make terrible transmissions. At least the rest of the car is fantastic (W222). And excellent for long miles. It just sucks every time I stop it bangs down through the last few gears before I stop.

And our W222 is likely our last Benz. So I’ll live with it for a few more years and move on to something else. Sad their cars are missing on so many levels.

To the point of this thread I’m thinking a refresh won’t help anything other than aesthetics.

W205C43PFL

Add me to the list of just living with it.

places

They need a W224!

SW20S

I for one am not making an excuse or rationalization, I just don't really feel the issue you are having in the cars I have and have driven. I feel the strong downshift, but it doesn't "bang" or "clunk" and the transmissions shift fine from my experience. Not amazing, but fine.

At the end of the day you're shopping for one of these, sounds like you should get an X7.

I will say, there are several bitter and very loud posters here, and they drown out those who are happy with the car unfortunately. You have people who don't own the car or no longer own the car who are some of the loudest detractors. To these people this car can't do anything right. Not to say those people haven't had bad experiences and that I don't understand why they are bitter, I have had cars that were always broken too and its infuriating. I can tell you though, I have had the W223 a month and had a W222 for 4 years, this car is awesome. I don't get where people are coming from about their negatives compared to the 222, it rides better and its quieter, the tech is great and the user interface works very well. I'm able to close the doors lol. The door handles are stupid, but like it or not everybody is doing these pop out door handles now. The tech is a little glitchy at times, but it is with BMW etc too. My transmission shifts fine and the transmission in my 222 shifted fine and all the loaners I have driven all also shifted fine. So, take what you read with a grain of salt.

Hopefully my experience will continue to be positive, I feel confident it will.

Bubba1

I still own the car and I’ve been a huge supporter of it. However, I’ve also had significant issues with it.

There have been a lot of people on this forum (both current and past owners) who have had significant issues. I still love the car, drives like a dream, when it works.

With all due respect, you’ve just spent a lot of money and are in the honeymoon phase. I hope the 24 is more reliable and you have no material issues. However, we as current and past owners have every right (and almost a duty) to voice our concerns. This ownership experience has been and continues to be very frustrating. MB does not care and does not give a f**k!

SW20S

No doubt there are a lot of people on the forum who have had issues, like I said I get it...I would be just as vocal (and I have been in forums for cars that I have had that are problematic) if I were one of them. My point was to the poster who I quoted that you have to realize that the drumbeat here is negative on the car, and voices that are positive are drowned out...so you have to take that into account when you decide whether or not you want to purchase this car. I thought long and hard before I did, and I used the information from this forum as well as discussions with the techs and staff at my dealer etc before I decided to give it a whirl.

Also with all due respect, right in your last line you are drowning out my positive experience by explaining it away as me being in the honeymoon phase. I'm a very objective person, if I had issues I would tell you. I also never had the issues others have had with shifting etc in my S560 and I was well out of the honeymoon phase there too.

Its one thing to share your experience, but at some point it becomes about having an axe to grind. Not talking about you specifically.

RJC

I hope it does for you as well
Seems to be hit or miss with these things and that's not good for us, nor MB.

RJC

Speaking of EV's...

EV owners around the world want to go back to buying gas cars (cnbc.com)

W205C43PFL

Haha, I saw that coming : )

RJC

Do you mean the trend, article, or both? Article was just published on cnbc yesterday lol

W205C43PFL

The trend. That is also what I am personally witnessing among my friends but that is Canada.

RJC

My bmw dealer in FL and CA are desperate to move their EV’s according to them and apparently there’s robust incentives. I for one am a fan of MHEV’s or pure hybrids, but not as much of EV’s.

W205C43PFL

Fair fair : )