1) A few weeks after a transmission repair (plastic spindle at the governor broke and was replaced), out of nowhere on just a 1 mile trip to the grocery store, my car was reluctant to upshift, but would at higher rpm's.

I thought the previous problem was back at first, when the spindle broke. Since I was only driving 1 mile to the store, I continued on, went shopping for 15 minutes, came out, started the car, and it drove fine the whole way home. This evening, I drove it 30 miles each way to a NYE party and it drove fine.

My guess is that it was just some freak accident that the SHIFTER wasn't 100% in the right place when it wouldn't shift right, because the shifter has the regulator in it; it regulates when the car shifts. Any guesses?

2) My brake ABS dash light went on a few times today for maybe 15 seconds each time. What is that telling me?

Thanks,

1991 300d 197k

You may have dirty ABS sensors which is causing the light. There is a how-to floating around somewhere on the procedure for cleaning them.

Your ABS (non-4matic) has 3 sensors, 2 in the front wheels and 1 in the differential.

The ones in the front are the only ones that can get dirty, the rear one's business end is inside the differential.

To check/clean the sensors jack up the corner of the car, support, remove tire. You might be able to turn the wheel sufficiently to reach the sensor mounting without having to take off the caliper and rotor. The sensor is bolted to the spindle assembly with two 5 mm (?) Allen head bolts. The sensor is a tube with a wire coming out the back end, and a metal tab on the front end.

Pull the sensor out and carefully clean the end and reinstall.

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both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Abs issues can also be a sign of a failing ovp relay.... As for your transmission, I would start by checking the fluid level.

__________________
2004 F150 4.6L -My Daily
2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
1998 Ford F150 -Rear ended
1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
1982 BMW 733i -fixed and traded for the 420SEL
2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed -scrapped
1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above
1992 BMW 525i -traded in
1990 Silver 300TE -hated the M103
1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold

+1 OVP relay is often the cause of stray ABS light...but this is often accompanied by an erratic tach. My first guess on the transmission would be the downshift switch, which is under the gas pedal. Down there on the floor, it's vulnerable to dirt and carpet fuzz. Pull up the carpet, undo the switch and see if the problem changes. The downshift switch gets power through the Klima relay, which may also be sensitive to the OVP, so there's another indication.

The fact that the transmission only shifted funny for 1 mile, then after I parked to go shopping, started it up and drove it back home and it shifted fine would negate any vac problem, or any downshift switch, or low fluid.

It just shifted funny on that 1 mile trip to the store, then it's been shifting fine since. My guess is the shifter didn't sit in the right spot somehow, causing it to shift funny. Then I had to put it into park when I got to the store, and put it in drive again when I left.

Strange.

shot in the dark....bowden cable issue/movement?

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