SL/R231: Transmission Issue?
Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
s320cdi /SL350/Slk 230
Wouldn't bank on it as they have been concealing the problem I'm told since 1996. It will take some tragic or fatal accident to occur, such as happened in the Ford Pinto case in the US. In that case Ford had a serious problem with their Ford Pinto in that if the car was rear ended the car would explode( as did happen in fact) because the gas tank in the rear was not properly either constructed or positioned, the net affect of which was an impact would lead to an explosion . It cost Ford hundreds of millions of dollars as they knew of the problem yet they did nothing about it - i believe that case was back in the 1970s. Here we go again with MB and a similar situation.
Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 192
Likes: 1
From: Central Texas
2022 AMG SL63
Does the R230 have the same transmission as the R231? My symptom was similar to what you describe. I was going out onto an access road and it acted like it was in neutral. I tried changing modes and tried changing gears with the paddle shifters and no change. Then it finally went out of 1st and has behaved ever since. There was no error message that I saw and I did not have to turn the car off in order to get it to continue on. This happened at about 15-20 miles.
Last edited by Centexhokie; Feb 3, 2014 at 11:48 AM.
Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
s320cdi /SL350/Slk 230
No, I believe the R231 does not have the same transmission but it certainly appears to have inherited all the problems of the R230. Sorry to hear of your problems but do be careful because it appears to have the same symptoms as those in the R230. If so be careful as it is potentially fatal.
My advice is not to accept this from MB- insist on having the matter resolved or your money back. If they can't fix the problem, which is clearly the case, as they have been having this problem with their automatic transmissions since 1996.
Should you require any help as regards what problem has existed with the R230 I will gladly give you documents which will show that this problem has been there since 1996. This Company has to be dealt with as someone is going to get killed. They have know of this very serious defect over all these years and yet they try and convince people that it s they that are fault in the way they drive their cars. That is nothing short of criminal when they know very well that they are at fault. I am planning on bringing this to the European Commission's attention as it has to be addressed.
My advice is not to accept this from MB- insist on having the matter resolved or your money back. If they can't fix the problem, which is clearly the case, as they have been having this problem with their automatic transmissions since 1996.
Should you require any help as regards what problem has existed with the R230 I will gladly give you documents which will show that this problem has been there since 1996. This Company has to be dealt with as someone is going to get killed. They have know of this very serious defect over all these years and yet they try and convince people that it s they that are fault in the way they drive their cars. That is nothing short of criminal when they know very well that they are at fault. I am planning on bringing this to the European Commission's attention as it has to be addressed.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,838
Likes: 19
From: U.K.
SL 63 W/B AMG , S600,C220
Please! please, you are treating this like a life or death problem. 
The op said a MINOR problem, and seems to be complaining about how
smooth the gear change is. Why look at your tacho
I only look at it in
manual using paddles. You get a certain jerk when slowing down especially
in sport plus when slowing fast.
SL55, and 65 have auto box to handle the torque and are nothing like the
63 or new 550 box, they work completely different.
IMO MB gearboxes of all types are superb, try some competitors if you want
to experience a bad gearbox.
The op said a MINOR problem, and seems to be complaining about how
smooth the gear change is. Why look at your tacho
I only look at it inmanual using paddles. You get a certain jerk when slowing down especially
in sport plus when slowing fast.
SL55, and 65 have auto box to handle the torque and are nothing like the
63 or new 550 box, they work completely different.
IMO MB gearboxes of all types are superb, try some competitors if you want
to experience a bad gearbox.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,838
Likes: 19
From: U.K.
SL 63 W/B AMG , S600,C220
No, I believe the R231 does not have the same transmission but it certainly appears to have inherited all the problems of the R230. Sorry to hear of your problems but do be careful because it appears to have the same symptoms as those in the R230. If so be careful as it is potentially fatal.
My advice is not to accept this from MB- insist on having the matter resolved or your money back. If they can't fix the problem, which is clearly the case, as they have been having this problem with their automatic transmissions since 1996.
Should you require any help as regards what problem has existed with the R230 I will gladly give you documents which will show that this problem has been there since 1996. This Company has to be dealt with as someone is going to get killed. They have know of this very serious defect over all these years and yet they try and convince people that it s they that are fault in the way they drive their cars. That is nothing short of criminal when they know very well that they are at fault. I am planning on bringing this to the European Commission's attention as it has to be addressed.
My advice is not to accept this from MB- insist on having the matter resolved or your money back. If they can't fix the problem, which is clearly the case, as they have been having this problem with their automatic transmissions since 1996.
Should you require any help as regards what problem has existed with the R230 I will gladly give you documents which will show that this problem has been there since 1996. This Company has to be dealt with as someone is going to get killed. They have know of this very serious defect over all these years and yet they try and convince people that it s they that are fault in the way they drive their cars. That is nothing short of criminal when they know very well that they are at fault. I am planning on bringing this to the European Commission's attention as it has to be addressed.
completely different gearboxes.
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Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 192
Likes: 1
From: Central Texas
2022 AMG SL63
Just an FYI. My problem which had the same symptoms as Phillip described on the R230 appears to have been resolved with the software change. The new software seems to be somewhat more aggressive than the original. My car while an R231 was a very early example (a 2013 manufactured in December of 2012).
Member
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 165
Likes: 33
From: Stockport UK
SL 350 R231
Here's a question that I cant find an answer to. I have a 2013 350 SL The gearbox code is 722906 04 302635 Is it 7G or 7G+ Before anyone says if it's has stop/start it's a 7G+ Apparently that isn't the case, it could still be a 7G I've asked this question on other forums but haven't had a definitive answer. Before I pull the rest of my hair out can somebody please help.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 8
Likes: 3
SL500
Hi Peter
I take your point but remember as your car has shown up this kind of problem that what has happened to my friends and I are likely to happen to you also . It is simply a latent defect. What happens in my car is the car simply fails 'to take off' and there is total loss of power and can compromise you when you will least expect it. It happened to me as I was entering a roadway with a car coming and I was almost taken out. Not good for the blood pressure! My engineer says that this happens if you apply your accelerator sharply and it appears what can happen then is that selector , on occasions, ( ie intermittently) gets confused and the selector selects what is described as a false neutral but rather interestingly is that the only way you can get the car to function then is to turn off the engine and allow the system to 'reset'. You can't therefore apply manual mode without turning off the engine and this is what makes the whole problem a most serious issue. So be careful particularly when overtaking , entering motorways or making a quick getaway from the kerb as you could let yourself in for a serious drop
So be careful
Philip
I take your point but remember as your car has shown up this kind of problem that what has happened to my friends and I are likely to happen to you also . It is simply a latent defect. What happens in my car is the car simply fails 'to take off' and there is total loss of power and can compromise you when you will least expect it. It happened to me as I was entering a roadway with a car coming and I was almost taken out. Not good for the blood pressure! My engineer says that this happens if you apply your accelerator sharply and it appears what can happen then is that selector , on occasions, ( ie intermittently) gets confused and the selector selects what is described as a false neutral but rather interestingly is that the only way you can get the car to function then is to turn off the engine and allow the system to 'reset'. You can't therefore apply manual mode without turning off the engine and this is what makes the whole problem a most serious issue. So be careful particularly when overtaking , entering motorways or making a quick getaway from the kerb as you could let yourself in for a serious drop
So be careful
Philip
Graham
