kickdown problem
 

I have a 240C with 91,000 miles on the clock. Most of the time I have no problems, but this one is starting to be an issue for me.

Day-to-day it drives OK. But I've noticed that it does not seem to accelerate as well as it used to - but maybe that's just me. The major issue is the kickdown. If I put my foot on the gas pedal, down to the first 'stop' (ie just before the kickdown switch), it seems to accelerate OK (though maybe a little lethargically, and a bit jerkily too). When I push down further and activate the kickdown, the car changes down a gear or two, but seems to 'stick' in that low gear, and won't change up in order to continue the accelleration. I might, for example, be doing 60mph and it will 'stick' at 60, at about 4,500 revs or so. If you keep your foot pressed down, eventually it will change up, and acceleration continues. If you back off the kickdown, it will change down and accelerate beyond 60. Same problem at other speeds too, though the problem seems less at high speed.

If you're overtaking this is disconcerting. And even if you don't use kickdown, it seems to hesitate before accelerating, changing down with a bit of a jerk. Hesitation is sometimes enough to loose your chance to overtake, if there's a lot of traffic.

I don't drive it hard, by the way.

It's serviced regularly at the Dealer's and last time I asked them to check out the hesitation (I hadn't noticed the kickdown problem then). They told me that they couldn't find anything. Thought I'd ask you guys before I go back and expose my ignorance again...

Many thanks in anticipation

Richard