Against the advice of someone here to have the professionals to it (the problem is there are no professionals around here) I've been trying to figure out why my 240D throttle pedal never contacts the kickdown switch.

I've taken the entire linkage system out twice, and have tried adjusting various rod lengths. Nothing seems to work. I understand that you have to be careful or you can get the linkage to bind/stick. There just seems to be no way to make it work with the adjustment that is available.

Any help is appreciated.

Joe

It could be that the cam which actuates the vacuum switches is worn. It also could be a bad vacuum switch.

Good luck,

Joe,
Did you ever figure this one out? I have a similar situation in my 93 300e-2.8. I can't get the gas pedal to activate the kickdown switch and can't figure out where there are adjustments. I finally wedged a piece of cardboard under there to make it engage but it still doesn't do anything. I'm going to check the switch out electrically first to see if it's busted before I spring for a new one, but I still can't figure out how to make the pedal reach back there.

That is interesting...
So the switch might be active, but the petal just physically won't reach the kickdown switch? Must be something with the throttle linkage...

(JSmith, have you tried lubing it??)

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

The kick down switch is behind the accelerator pedal. There is no adjustment you just mash the pedal to engage it. Check to make sure the floor mat isn't it the way.

floormat's not in the way

believe me i've been under there studying the mechanics of it. the pedal mechanism has plastic and has a lot of give but that's not it. it just won't make the switch go *CLICK-CLICK* (you know what i mean). if anything it sort of makes it halfway when i mash it to the floor with all my weight - by hand it's just no go. i haven't checked the throttle linkage yet because i don't know what adjustments there are. i'm waiting for my cd manual to come in to be on the safe side. FWIW i was able to make it reach by taping a shim underneath the pedal temporarily. that made it activate the switch but didn't do anything - so it could be that the switch is busted but it could also be that the throttle has to be wide open(?) and it's not, i don't have enough to go on. right now it's in the body shop getting a couple of little dents taken cared of so i have time to ponder this...

We just purchased a 95 300D -- we have a very steep hill that leads to our house. We've always put all our cars in 1/L just prior to hitting the steep section.

In the 300D, pedal all the way to the floor...no kick down. Reach behind the throttle pedal (car off, in park, keys out...) and I can depress the switch and it clicks. It seems to be exaclty as described above...any "normal" use whereby the pedal is pushed to the floor simply does not activate the switch. I ordered the CD too...it's on the way.

There has to be an adjustment for this...

I have the same problem. I depress the petal all the way down and it's about 1/4" clearence to the kickdown switch. Is it possible that there is something missing on the shaft (some sort of pad)

It’s been a while, If I remember.

Fellow the gas pedal rod up and under the dash to a return lever with a spring, loosen the bolt on that lever and then turn the pedal to adjust, after you unbolt it from the floor. On other early models the kick down switch is adjustable, loosen the lock nut on the engine fire wall and turn the switch.

__________________
Steve Cattaneo www.mastertechtrans.com


03 SL500
02 MB AMG
87 560 SEC
87 300D
928S 83
85 928 S2 EURO

I've been lookind at my kickdown sw and I think there is some sort of cap that is missing so that the petal shaft won't hit the switch (I've been looking at a picture of one online) I'm going to glue something onto the switch to take up the clearence unless someone has a better idea