1987 190E shifting problems
 

My transmission shifts into drive immediately upon acceleration. It will shift properly if you manually shift from 2 to 3 to D. It also does not kick down when accelerating. Any ideas as to the problem?

did u check the tranny fluid????

yes, fluid is fine
 

Yes, fluids are fine. I should have said that in my original statement.

Sounds like a possible vacuum leak.

Could be bad kickdown switch or kickdown solenoid. Also the bowden cable could need to be re-adjusted. Mine had the wire going to the solenoid broken at the connector. To test you would need to pull the plug at the solenoid and have someone engage the kickdown switch and test for 12V at the connector. A test light works here no need for a VOM. I have a spare solenoid if that is bad.... Give me a few bucks and I will dig it out of my pill in the garage and ship it to you. I replaced mine only to find the wire was broken. A couple minutes of my time and a soldering iron fixed that as the connector is serviceable.....

There are two different kick down shift strategies, part throttle, no kick down solenoid activation, full throttle kick down, with the kick down solenoid activated. In Both strategies the pressure control valve, Bowden cable moves. AJUST the Bowden cable make it tighter, no slack in it.



An easy and quick method for checking the KD solenoid electronics; open the passengers side door, floor the gas pedal, you should hear a click in the back of the car, if you do; the kick down electric and Mechanical system are working.

If you don’t, the kick down switch under the gas pedal is bad or you need to adjust the activation lever behind the pedal, or no voltage to the solenoid. The KD solenoid can still be mechanically bad, it’s only a plunger.