rake55

I just figured 2 things out.

1. When I was putting my car into reverse it kept stalling and I though there was a problem. There was and the problem was me, as I kept pushing the push-to-start button on top of the gear selector.

2. Acceleration from a dead stop seemed sub-par, and it was as the car was starting out in second gear all of the time even in the S (Sport) mode. I fixed this by changing the gear range mode in the AMG menu and it seems to have made a big difference.

jangy

It starts off in second even in Sport? Hmm, that is a definite difference from the E55. I wonder if anyone has considered that for the lacking 1/4 mile times? It doesn't explain the hp difference noted, though.

zdkdeeier493

Woooaahhh, that could be HUGE. When I test drove the E63 I was blown away by the acceleration but I was manually selecting my gears....Maybe this is why I was so confused when it was fast as &*#@(*$

BlkE63AMG

How did you get into the AMG menu on your car? I can'tfind said menu on my E63. I want to go in and change the welcome from MB to AMG. Obviously would also like to change the gear ratio so as to start out in first. Let me know. Thanks.

amgme

great find. now you have more ommph from a stop. what exactly is this gear range mode?

rake55

Instructions are on page 153 of the owner’s manual. If you keep pressing the menu button the AMG menu is the menu that has the number on top, a line and a temperature gauge below the line. I didn't know what it was until today as it doesn’t specify AMG on the menu. Basically once your in the menu you have to select the gear range for "C" or "S". Apparently by default they both start out in 2nd gear. Once you change the range to start out in first it makes a big difference.

zdkdeeier493

Does the owners manual in the E55 have anything like this? Ive paroozed it before but maybe I missed something...

BlkE63AMG

I found the menu and cannot access the info as you stated. Maybe it needs to be in motion to be done. It just scrolls thru the oil temp, battery voltage and the race timer. Had the car in park though so maybe I need to have it moving. Wound be strange though that you would need to adjust this while moving..... I must be missing something here. Suggestions.....

Jrocket

You sure on this? Doesnt seem right that MB would make you search for your other gear? Atleast you finally have a 7spd now.

rake55

I think you do need to be moving. I just figured this out today so I'm no expert yet. I need to play with it a little longer. You select the gear range by moving the gear shift to the left and right. I noticed on the AMG menu that every time I stopped it never went below 2 (Second gear) so I kept moving the gear selector to the left to start out in 1st when I did this the car would not up shift automatically even in "C" and "S". After playing around a little more I learned that the gear range can be programmed by the driver. My car is new so I'm guessing that other E63's are set up the same way. After I set the gear range and engage the AMG menu I can see the gears that are engaged displayed on the AMG menu. Now the gears move between 1 and 7 whereas before they were moving between 2 and 7. I never would have seen this unless I was in the AMG menu watching the gears displayed as they changed. The car now does a great job of up shifting and downshifting on it's own.

rake55

BTW my 2005 E55 did not have this function. As far as I know the 2007 63's are the first AMG vehicles to offer the AMG menu.

BlkE63AMG

Mine is the same. Playing around in the garage in D and engaing AMG menu does indeed show that C and S are starting out in 2nd gear. My car is 2 days old, that's also how it came!! Now shifting w/ either the gear knob or the left paddle will bring it into 1 but each time I put it back into park it wants to start out in 2nd. How did you get it to stay in 1st gear a.k.a reprogram it?

I'm sure my neighbors are loving me firing up this monstrosity at 2AM but it is all in the name of discovery. If all you say is true, which it certainly appears to be 'cause my car is setup the same, you my friend are a genius. Unless everyone who has been racing these things has been using manual mode, they have all been missing 1st gear. Interesting.......

rake55

To be honest I don’t know if it defaults back to 2nd gear each time the car is started. That would really be annoying. I’ll play around more with it tomorrow. Thanks for the compliment but I’m as far from a genius as one could possibly be. It would be interesting to learn if the people who have been racing their E63’s were starting out in 1st or 2nd and if they knew about this feature.

Jrocket

Car enthusiast at its best!

Jakpro1

Could we be onto something here. Perhaps the car really is just like the M5, in that to get to 510 hp, you have to go through the whole computer program setting thing.

Seriously, is this perhaps why everyone is tanking on speed numbers or something.

Trying to throw this thing a bone everywhere I can.

BlkE63AMG

Can't quite figure this out yet..... Starts off in 2nd as we mentioned but after a while I noticed that it went to 1st. Reminds me of the M3 needing to 'warm' up before you can really get it's performance. Very strange that everytime you turn off the ignition you have a reset where the car starts in 2nd for sport or comfort. Technically the car is warmed up so it should continue in 1st. By this I mean I jumped out of the car, went into the supermarket and it defaulted to 2nd until I was almost home 5 miles later where I noticed it went to 1st as I was making my turn at the light. Hopefully someone with contacts can help us out.

oblax4

Is this anything like the old "3-5-7 trick"? I changed to the AMG display through this on my '05. Does anyone know if you can access the gear settings on the W211s this way? Do our E55s start off in 2nd unless we manually put it in 1st? I have no idea - does anyone here know? Thanks!

rake55

This AMG menu and the gear selection process are really strange. It looks like the E63 will always start in 2nd gear by default and it takes awhile for the computer to allow the gear range to start out in 1st. It may have something to do with the temperature of the car. This morning I could not get the car to start in 1st unless it was in "Manual mode". It was driving me crazy. However, once the temperature hit 100 degrees c the computer allowed me to start in 1st gear in the "S" mode. It's really strange as the owners manual makes absolutely no reference to this feature. When the car finally does start in 1st it takes on a completely different characteristic. Could you imagine if people were pulling 13 second quarter miles starting out in 2nd gear? If anyone else knows more about this gear selection process please chime in.

dbasons55

I do have the same AMG menu in my S65 and use it very offten it is clear in the book that for a longer engin life you should not push the car before the oil temp. reaches 80C and you can check that by once you first start the car go to the menu and the oil temp will be blue in my case and in an E63 case it will be flashing untill it reaches 80C and then you get in and kick in as much as you want
but i have not noticed 2nd gear in my car i have the 5 trany so with the E63 it makes sence no turbo lag, anyways it states in the manual that you can use the car but not full throtle untill the temp. is reached so that should explain.
and guys why dont you scan the manual page that explains about the AMG menu, i would scan mine but it is completelly different

Jakpro1

A HA!!! We may really be onto something. I betcha all the guys are starting out in 2nd and not even knowing it. That will just slaughter you in times on the track.

Heeeeyyyyy, how DO you know it anyway. When I am in drive and S mode, I just have D on the screen. I get the gears in M mode, but never S.

Does the E63 show you the gear you are in or something while in S mode?

dbasons55

it does MORE CLEARLY with the AMG menu LOL there huge numbers man LOL

E63AMG

I am very interested in finding out if there is, in fact, a way to ensure the default gear to start in is 1st. I have noticed that my car, without rhyme or reason, sometimes starts out in 2nd. Reading the manual and trying to reset it myself this morning, I sense that something is missing in the information here. I dont think you can "fix" the issue with the AMG menu.

Regarding this being a reason for poor track times, I wish that were true, but in my case and in Derek's case, we were both very aware of the starting gear we were in. Whenever my car would want to give me 2nd gear to start in automatic S mode, I would do a quick burnout and it would grudgingly give me 1st back before I would actually launch for my run.

bfnnrgn

Way too much electronic intervention and interference in cars these days. What's next, electronically limiting speed to the posted limit? Oh wait, they have that on trial in several places already...

TopGun32

this finding is huge!

a default 2nd gear start.... AMG is starting to program cars like the M boys.

Jakpro1

Begging you not to get upset E63, but just curious as how you really knew? Was it just a feel thing and if so, how come your cars are different than the other guys who are starting in 2nd.

Again, no offense meant, just thinking we are onto something here.