In my 300SE, the tranny has been acting kinda funny lately. If you are to accelerate hard normally, at around 40 mph before kickdown, it will downshift into 3rd and if you go into kickdown into 2nd. Now I have no shift before kickdown and when I go into kickdown I only go into 3rd. Second gear works fine if I work it manually. Any ideas about this? I just had some tranny hoses replaced lately as they were starting to leak.

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currently just 1989 300SE 185k miles

you might want to check and or adjust the tranny cable. and check the fluid level.

I wanted to bump this and add that first gear kickdown and third gear kickdown work fine as well as second below approximately 35 mph. any ideas on this?
Thanks

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currently just 1989 300SE 185k miles

If you only have up shifts at full throttle; it sounds like the Bowden cable or the throttle valve is stuck. Pull the Bowden cable by hand it should feel springy. Another possibly is no governor pressure, you will need a gauge to check it.

no the problem is downshifts not upshifts. my upshifts are totally fine.

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currently just 1989 300SE 185k miles