Hey guys, I need some help. Have any of you guys had this problem with your E55? The problem is that the transmission will get stuck in 3rd gear and will not up shift into 4th. This happens mainly on cold starts and will happen within 2 miles of normal driving. It usually will not happen if the car is warm, but it has done it before. The transmission is allways in "D" when this happens. And will happen 9 times out of 10 when I leave to go to work.

I have taken to the dealership three times and they can never duplicate the problem. They have put a new trans computer in, but that did not slove it and at this point they say there is nother they can do. I need some help it driving me nutts!

-Tooslow

Videotape it or leave it at the dealership overnight and then go for a test ride with the service manager when the car is cold. Limp mode is 3rd gear, so maybe there is something triggering the tCU in cold?

Yea, i have left it at the the dealership over night and have even told the head tech to take it home, he did, but could not duplicate. Video taping is a very good idea! Thanks for the input, appreciate it!

Sounds to me like there is a speed sensor on the circuit board for the valve body that is failing or has some clutch material covering it. The part is around $250 plus fluid and labor. There will be one or two fault codes for Y30/s1 or s2 implausibility in the ETC. If you restart the car, does the problem reset itself?

Nick

I haven't tryed to restart the car when the problem starts, I will just hit the gear shift over likes it's in manuel gear and then it will up shift. The tech said that there are no codes. Is the value body part of the trans computer? If so that has been replaced., The car is an 06 with 37k miles and still under factory warranty. Thanks for the help.

the valve body and conductor plate[electrical] are above the trany pan inside the trany. conductor tells valve body what to do and is the conductor[brain] of the trany. tcu is in fuse box pass side engine bay.

Same thing was happening to me a little while ago. I suggest buying the MB Trans Kit (Filter, gasket, pilot bushing, connector, lock pin) as well as the electric plate. Have it installed and then do a BG Trans Flush- with the shift adaptations reset and TCU programmed for new plate, and codes cleared, that should take care of it.

Haveu tried sneaky EGS reset? ... could be traction control sensor / EGS etc ... sounds like a dry connection if it only happens when engine cold ... too much oil in tranny?

Mine was a bit different. At higher revs would cut me over to neutral which I could not get out of. Had to pull over and restart / reset. Replaced valve body under CPO and it fixed the issue.

Yr, mileage, and location? Just a shot in the dark, being that there are no codes stored and it happens on cold starts, it could be that the ecm thinks the cats are not up to temp. It would be worthwhile to check if the car is open or closed loop when this happens.

I had the same thing happen to my car. Dealer changed the valve body. It was getting stuck in all different gears though, sometimes first sometimes 5th and rarely 6th. It still pulled in 6th

Go to a different dealer.

Has anyone figured out the solution to this problem? My car is doing the exact same thing, driving me nuts...THanks guys.

This might be a dumb question, but I have to ask.
Have you tried shifting gears, with the shift lever instead of the paddles?

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I would say this is a Valve Body issue. A trans flush may help, but the VB might be alittel more thuroughly clogged in the tiny fluid passages. Worst case I would split the VB and replace electrical contact plate/ O rings

i may be having this problem right now.

I may be late to this thread but I just had this happen to me today. 1st time its ever happened. Oddly enough it was on a cold start within a couple miles of my house. Could not upshift with buttons. Had to pull over and turn car off. Its an 04 E55 with 54k miles. Anyone get this figured out by now?

Check your engine oil level sensor with STAR.