New shift button feature
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 482
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From: Northern California
Mercedes C400, BMW X3
New shift button feature
I recently picked up a 2005 E55 wagon and noticed that the shift buttons on the back of the steering wheel function differently than on my 2003 E55. In the older model, you had to place the transmission into manual mode before the buttons functioned at all. In the 2005 model, I can use the buttons at any time regardless of transmission mode. I like this a lot, but when my wife drove the car, she accidentally touched and held the left shift button, which of course placed her in the lowest possible gear. Listening placidly to opera, she wondered why she was bouncing off the rev limiter.
No need to state the moral of this story, but when did they make this change?
No need to state the moral of this story, but when did they make this change?
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 913
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From: Soulcal
///E63V10 ///F80CS ///Can-Am X3 XRS
I don't know about the previous 03-04 model but when you're in Manual mode, the gear will stay red line until you shift to the next, it won't automatically do it for you. It is very annoying when I accidently tapped the shift button on the steering wheel during normal driving, they should make that active only when you're in M mode.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,559
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From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by shoes
I recently picked up a 2005 E55 wagon and noticed that the shift buttons on the back of the steering wheel function differently than on my 2003 E55. In the older model, you had to place the transmission into manual mode before the buttons functioned at all. In the 2005 model, I can use the buttons at any time regardless of transmission mode. I like this a lot, but when my wife drove the car, she accidentally touched and held the left shift button, which of course placed her in the lowest possible gear. Listening placidly to opera, she wondered why she was bouncing off the rev limiter.
No need to state the moral of this story, but when did they make this change?
No need to state the moral of this story, but when did they make this change?
-s-
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 399
Likes: 1
From: Honolulu
Yup...when I purchased my car last year, I test drove an '03 before ordering my '04. Like others said, the change took place on the '04 MY. Now, I hardly need to be in manual mode.
For '05, hitting the downshift button downshifts the car one gear from it's current gear position, instead on going down 5-4-3-2-1.
For '05, hitting the downshift button downshifts the car one gear from it's current gear position, instead on going down 5-4-3-2-1.
