Dear all
This is my first post here and first time Mercedes ownership experience. I have picked up a 04 S55 (black on java & walnut) earlier this week and discovered that it doesn't have the AMG steering wheel with shift buttons on the back. Instead, it has the regular W220 steering wheel with wood inlay. I have tried to shift with the gear selector and it was not responsing to my input. I have read a thread on W211 E55 forum that the upshift button is a normally closed switch and is in the same circuit with the gear selector. So when it breaks, or in this case, nonexistence, the car will always think that it should upshift. According to the owners manual and information online, it seems that S55 should come with shift buttons as standard since 2002. However, after looking at pictures of S55s listed for sale on the internet, it seems that all pre-facelift cars don't have this feature and AMG steering wheels that are listed for sale on the internet are mostly black without wood inlay. I'm wondering if the steering wheel on my car have been swapped out at some time or shift paddles were simply not available for my interior color? Thank you all very much.

 

Yes you have the wrong steering wheel. See here... https://www.ebay.com/itm/03-06-Merce....m46890.l49286

This guy has a few of them, depending upon the color of your interior. Great seller, I've used them multiple times. If you also need an ECU and / or TCU, he has those too. I think there were some guys in the E55 forum who would make a steering wheel with the wood and paddle shifters. If you search this forum for "steering wheel" you may find them, if you want the wood one you have retrofitted. Sorry that happened to you.

GL

maw

 

Thanks for the info. I'm wondering where that little white connector plugs into if I take my current wheel off? Assuming the shift paddle wires are still there.

 

I’d start by figuring out if the airbags are interchangeable, and move from there. Likely the people who can confirm that for you can confirm all other questions and do the swap for you.

maw

 

Those shift buttons on the steering wheel are clumsy. If you are turning the steering wheel, it's difficult to actuate the paddle. You can bump them when you're turning and accidently down shift and stress the transmission, over rev the engine. I just use the slap stick if I want to manually shift. It's just easier and more precise. The trans does not respond quickly, even though the trans is call a "speed shift "transmission .. it is not a quick shifting trans. I notice that after you nail the gas {kick down the trans} and pass a car it does not shift back back up quickly. The only time I use those paddle shifters is to bring the trans back up to high gear after passing some one. The previous owner probably decided he liked the wood look over the paddle shifter function, since it is cumbersome and the slap stick does the same thing only better. You can get a AMG steering wheel with the paddles pretty cheap on ebay if you want. In my opinion the paddles are a pia to use. I like the AMG styling of the steering wheel. I also like the wood look. I just bought a AMG style steering wheel with wood {and paddles} for only $150 on Facebook market place. It's contoured like the AMG wheel, with the paddles, but has wood on the top and bottom. I have never seen a steering wheel like that for under $500, but I happen to see the one I bought 5 minutes after the seller posted it. I jumped on it right away. You have to act/buy right away when you find a deal like that, and I got lucky. I'll share a pic in the w220 and S55amg forum when I install it. You might not like the AMG steering wheel if you change yours. It is awkward, but it looks good. So does the wood. The paddles are a trendy gimmick and not very practical. If you want a manual trans like feel, you won't get it out of the cumbersome paddles and the 722.6 "speed shift" trans in our cars.

 

The air bags are interchangeable. So are the left and right menu and up and down arrow switches.

 

I'm aware about the fact that streering wheel back paddles never really work and the transmission in this car is not the most responsive. However, since the paddles are in series with the gear selector, my car always thinks that I'm executing an upshift with the absent of the paddle, which renders my gear selector control inoperative. I'm planning on actually tracking this barge of a car during summer (just for some fun), gaining at least partial control over the transmission is always helpful.

 

I'm aware that steering wheel mounted shift paddles never really work and the transmission in this car is not the most responsive unit. However, since the absence of the shift paddle creates an open circuit for the gear selector switch, the car always thinks that I want to upshift. This caused my gear selector control to be inoperative. I'm panning on tracking this barge later this year so gaining at least partial control over the transmission is always helpful.

 

Whoever told you the paddles don't work has a malfunctioning car. I've driven mine almost exclusively in M mode for almost 12 years and never had a problem. Sure, it's not a double clutch and skipping gears is nigh impossible, so I'd never consider it a race car. Buy a different car for that -- my hooligan of choice is an E46M -- where double shifts are easy. We are all aware that these are S Classes I presume.

But (1) they DO work; (2) they CAN be improved with a TCU tune and "firmer" fluid -- Redline Type F; (3) you SHOULD get the proper steering wheel into the car; and (4) with this engine and transmission you'll run out of ROAD before you run out of gears. Everything else is noise.

I've seen 135mph in 3rd...4th and 5th are pretty much extra. Beware the uninitiated and uninformed when dealing with these cars. If you're going to track the car, a Quaife LSD should be next right AFTER the proper steering wheel and airbag.

@hvacdude is correct that the shifter works quicker and better than the paddles, especially when maneuvering aggressively. I've never been able to figure out why that is... maybe travel time for the signal. But most of the time I'm hustling this car around I like both hands on the wheel. Your results may vary. He also got a STEAL on his wood and paddles steering wheel. I've given up on that because the Chestnut wood in my car is all but unobtainable these days.

maw

 

Sounds like a prior owner swapped your steering wheel for an S600 or a lesser S500 or S430 “wood” accent steering wheel.

get back to stock and enjoy the S55 experience.

You can use the shifter to do anything equivalent to the steering wheel buttons.

 

As for slow upshift after a kickdown to pass, that happens in DS mode. The transmission holds the lower gear on the assumption that in "sporty" driving, you might not be done with that ratio. That keeps the transmission from hunting up and down based on throttle alone. In DC mode, I found that the upshift after an auto kickdown happens as expected.