Hi, I have a 190E 2.3 8V with 98,000 miles. My trans was shifting hard between gears and giving a jolt when it did shift. The gears only shift when you take your foot off the gas. I took it in to a shop and had them test drive it and was told that it was a minor problem. They only needed to possibly make adjustments to the throttle, the linkage,the modulator or possibly a vacuum adjustment. While I had it there I had a new filter and gasket put on and the oil changed. I still have the same problem. I was told after the service that they adjusted all they could and there was nothing they could do. I took my car right out of there!! I gave the guy enough money to cover the filter gasket oil change and what I thought his diagnosis was worth, (total $60 bucks!) He didn't give me an argument either cause I was pissed!! Anyone know what this problem is? Tomorrow I am going to another Benz shop. Any help appreciated as I need to know tonight so I can be armed with the correct info. Thank you.

I drove a 190E for 4 years (my personal car) and the whole time I drove it it shifted hard between 2nd and 3rd gear and I did everything I knew of to correct it. By the way it starts in 2nd gear unless you floor it. I work at a Mercedes shop and every 190 that I've ever driven shifted just like mine. As I understand your transmission is shifting hard at every shift and if that's the case it sounds to me that there's no vacuum to the modulator valve or the valve is defective.

the 1985 190e 2.3 my brother had used to shift hard between the first shift the rest of the gears were smooth.

He drove the car for 3 years with the tranny like that, then the tranny broke one day.

Alon

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Hi and thanks for your response. I took my car in toady to a Mercedes specialist, the diagnosis is this: The bang is caused by the drive shaft mount or bracket being worn, both front and rear flex disk on the drive shaft are bad. When the transmission changes gears this causes the drive shaft to hit the bottom of the car causing the loud banging noise. As far as the transmission is concerned, none of the things that cause the gears to shift are burned out but he suspects that either the vacuum is not functioning or the modulator is not functioning properly. He will try to fix it hopefully without having to rebuild it. So we shall see. Thanks again!