Well, didn't take long to start having fun with the new (to me) car. Around 10F this morning and the '99 E300td started fine but wanted to stay in first gear for a good 1/4 mile or so. Finally started shifting and worked fine but it tripped the check engine light.

I use VAG-COM adapter and my laptop to read and clear codes on my VW's. What do I need to do the same on the Benz and where will I find the connection point?

...one benefit of the 617's...no Codes!

Appreciate any help while I get familiar with this car.

Regards all,

Fred

You need an OBDII scanner and the port is on the left side of the lower dash, just by the e-brake and hood releases. I don't know if your VW scanner will work or not but any standard OBDII scanner should work. Once you have the codes read you can procede to figure out what caused your trouble.

Has your transmission ever been serviced?

__________________
Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

You may have a faulty MAF. Get the codes read before you consider resetting them.

Thanks. I think my VAGCom set up is OBDII compliant. If not I'll just get a scanner. Only had the car for a week and still have to go through the service records to see if the trans has been serviced or not. Just driving it around some to see what needs attention.

If it was a trans code OBDII wont pull it up. Dont know about your other scanner; a few can, most can't.

__________________
Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

No problem. Stopped by an Advance Auto store and borrowed their code reader. Code was "EGR flow". It was about 10F the other morning and the trans wanted to stay in first gear. So I crawled down the street a ways while things warmed up. Finally shifted at much higher than normal RPM and that's when it threw the code. Has been fine since. So, cleared the code and will do trans service just in case. Only had the car for a week so still just looking for issues to be sorted out. Thanks for pointing me to the connecter. I didn't see it under it's black cover.

You might have a bad EGR vacuum control solenoid or clogged bleed filter, or the EGR itself is sticky. I found those little filters act up when it is cold...that is the only time I ever got the CEL for the turbo wastegate solenoid, which is the identical part to the EGR solenoid. If it throws the same code again try replacing both of those little filters on those vacuum solenoids. Then you can try swapping solenoids if that doesn't cure it.

__________________
Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

Have you cleanded the EGR out? It could be a lot of sludge built up combined with the cold temperature that crud is like a solid sludge. Could have been holding things up. I remember when cleaning the sludge in normal weather it was rather solid....

__________________
#dieselFLEET
---------------
'97 E300
'99 E300

Fred,

York County PA here. Not far from Susquehanna.. I had the same issue last December. I had left it out and it was 9 degrees when I went to start it, which was fine, but like you even after warming it a bit it was having problems shifting from first. It finally shifted down the road aways, and didnt pitch a CEL. Usually if its going into LIMP mode it RPMS wont go over 1000 and it will stay in 1st gear. It might have been coincidence with the CEL and hard shifting. I think with these electronic transmissions it might have been a stuck solenoid causing the bad shifting.

Also, I have purchased the fan clutch tools, if you ever need to borrow them let me know, its much easier to remove the fan clutch with the proper tools. I just did a waterpump on mine. I also have the MB DVD, but if you can I would purchase a subscription to AllData.com it has paid for itself a few times already

__________________
Dennis
2006 E320 CDI Black/Black Leather. Nav, HTD Seats HK stereo 32000 miles.
2000 VW Passat 1.8t 300,000 miles as of Dec 09, 2009 original owner
1997 E300d Silver 300,000 miles As of Jan 05, 2010
3rd owner SOLD

Does it actaully show you some of the repairs? Did you purchase or download it?

__________________
#dieselFLEET
---------------
'97 E300
'99 E300

I did purchase it from MBUSA, I think it was around 150.00. There are some videos on how to fix sunroof (very helpful), remove dash, remove trim etc. I find the Alldata site as helpful. I dont think I have used the DVD in the last few repairs.

__________________
Dennis
2006 E320 CDI Black/Black Leather. Nav, HTD Seats HK stereo 32000 miles.
2000 VW Passat 1.8t 300,000 miles as of Dec 09, 2009 original owner
1997 E300d Silver 300,000 miles As of Jan 05, 2010
3rd owner SOLD

You might find this post useful...sounds like the same "not shifting out of first when cold" syndrome.

99 E300 W210 transmission shifting problems

__________________
Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

Thanks all. As noted I've only had the car for a week or so. CEL has not come back on and I have had zero shift problems since, despite equally cold morning starts. I've now been through the records (from original purchase to date) and find no references to any shifting or transmission problems but also no indication of transmission service. Will probably have the local MB dealer do transmission service this once just to get off on the right foot with this car. I'll be going through things under the hood when I get into the WVO conversion. Might rebuild the driver's seat and add a seat heater first, though. Heated seats and adjustable lumber support in the Passat have spoiled me!

This ended up being a sticking EGR valve. Removed and cleaned it, problem went away for a year. No resolved as EGR has been deleted using diode/resistor post from this site. Thanks, all!

I had a Bmw 525tds 1994 and this would hold onto 1st gear and 2nd on cold mornings,if drove a bit to hard the changes would be long and slurred almost as if the box had a problem.

Let the engine warm up a bit before driving and it did not do it,its considered to be normal as the ecu will keep the box in gear longer to let it warm up quicker.

The colder it gets the longer you drive before normal service is resumed,at first you think the box has gone bad as when you try to drive normally the shifts are as above slurred,but take it steady and after around a mile or so it is normal.

My Bmw had the 5 speed learning box (ecu) and it could be confused if you drove it hard for ten minutes and then slowed down and cruised,it was not sure what was wanted of it.

Here in the UK a lot of owners reset the ecu learning function by disconnecting the battery every 3 or 4 months.

But let the engine warm up for around 4 minutes before driving and it will not do it.