Mercedes C220 Transmission

I have a 1994 C220 with 120000 miles. The transmission hangs in first gear and jerks when it advances to second. This only happens before the car warms up. It can be shifted manually without this problem. It down shifts perfectly. Any ideas why?

I have a '99 Kompressor C130 with the same problem, but mine won’t shift correctly even when shifted manually. I talked to the dealership about it and they told me that was the way the car was designed. I don’t believe it. Did you get any feedback on this…I don’t see anything posted but I was thinking that perhaps someone contacted you directly…any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

I have received no other feedback. The transmission in my c220 worked perfect until about 85,000 to 90,000 miles were put on the car. The dealers also tell me that this happens as the car gets older and that the transmission is okay. This does not sound reasonable.

How often and by whom has the tranny fluid been changed?

It’s like a patient with a cough. It could be hayfever or the result of a 30 year pack-a-day habit.

My fluid was reportedly changed most recently at about 100,000 miles. My gears only seem to hang in first gear. I can help this along by shifting manually from low to second gear. The rest of the gears change okay. This only happens until the car warms up.

The conservative approach is a fluid and filter change every 30K miles, even if the manual says longer/further.

Does your transmission have the “Sport” or “Comfort/Winter” modes?

If so, which are you using when the problem shifting occurs?

FYI, Sport mode means 1st gear start, with harsher shift point. Comfort/Winter mode starts in 2nd and has much softer shift points.

If one were to change to sport after getting used to comfort the shifts could seem quite hard in comparison.

When I first start off, first gear shift seeems to hang up. It does not change until the motor revs up higher than what seems to be normal, and then it bumps or jerks into the next gear.
I do not know if the transmission has “sport” or “comfort/winter modes”. How would I know or find out?