I'm not sure if I'm explaining this the right way but when you take off from a complete stop it sometimes doesn't want to shift into second. It feels like it's loading up or something. It's always had a hesitation when you first take off, but now it sometimes won't shift into second. You have to let off the gas in order for it to shift. If you keep it floored it just keeps reving but won't go into gear.

Your car actually starts off in second gear, not first, so I think it's not shifting into 3rd.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

As suginami said, it will certainly not shift to 2nd gear as it is already in 2nd gear.
Up to what RPM have you "floored-it?
At full throtle, it won't shift until you hit close to 6,000RPM
JAckd

I could be wrong but I thought at normal accelatortion it starts in 2nd gear but if you nail it to the floor from a dead stop it will drop down into 1st.
anyway it usually shifts into the next geararound 4000 or 4500 rpm. But lately it just seems to get there and just won't shift. It won't climb any higher in rpm's and it won't shift to the next gear unless yu back off the gas a little bit

fuel pump relay hanging up?

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currently just 1989 300SE 185k miles

how do I test the fuel pump relay

If the car starts in second then what's first gear for? and when and how does first gear engage? Thanks.

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Riadh
'89 560SL Rauchsilber
And what is good, Phaedrus, and what is not good -- Need we ask anyone to tell us these things?

Check the kickdown switch under the gas pedal. Try unplugging it. I have never seen the fuel pump relay cause this but it could. It will be disconnected by unplugging the KD switch anyway so thats the simple way to test. If the problem goes away one will probably find the switch bad; sticking usually.

BTW, 1st gear is to go fast... MB made the car start in 2nd gear for various US emissions and fuel consumption rules. The early cars started in first. After 90 (I think ) the 300e started in 2nd and had to be floored to get first (like passing gear).

MB has done this for other reasons, the old klunk boxes used in 6.3s. In this case they did it to keep the tires from burning every time one took off.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Check for a stuck Kick down switch under the gas pedal by pushing on it with your hand. If it does not click it’s stuck. The Bowden cable could also be stuck or binding. Other possible causes are low governor pressure, a bad governor or worn bore. Checking the pressure with a gauge is the right way too diagnose any transmission problem



To command a 1st gear start there must be a differential between kick down and throttle (Bowden cable) pressures. From a stop floor the gas pedal to activate kick down, the transmission should start in 1ST.

1986-1990 300E cars started in 2nd gear, but in 1991 this was changed to a first gear start with a higher-ratio rear end (2.87:1 vs. the previous 3.27:1).

You can engage first gear start in the early cars by either flooring it and activating the kick down switch, or by moving the shift lever to "2" and then back to "D".

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".