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Vehicle 221 gearbox issues

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2026 10:06 am
by IMINGAR55
I occasionally experience issues with the gearbox not kicking down in my 2006 W221 S320, despite the fact that it has been operating perfectly. With little over 95,000 miles on the odometer, I had the gearbox serviced by a highly regarded Mercedes expert; afterward, everything seemed to be running well again, but now it's happening again. It continues to hover in seventh gear even after floor-shifting, and it seems to fly into fifth gear independent of throttle input. It returns to its normal gearing when you reduce speed, albeit with a noticeable harshness in the third gear and down. Any advice would be greatly appreciated; I've tried resetting the gearbox, and while it works for a few days, it comes again suddenly.

Thank you ahead of time

Re: Vehicle 221 gearbox issues

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2026 10:06 am
by RIVERPLAZAAA
Where is the kickdown switch located under the throttle pedal?

Re: Vehicle 221 gearbox issues

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2026 10:07 am
by IMINGAR55
Would be great, but it grinds along at a snail's pace until you press the accelerator all the way to your desired speed—from the standard 50/55 mph to whatever you can imagine.

Re: Vehicle 221 gearbox issues

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2026 10:07 am
by GoodWillHunt
Is the electroplate being removed? See if MB STAR diagnostics can interpret the codes.

Re: Vehicle 221 gearbox issues

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2026 10:08 am
by davejacobs
have you made sure that the throttle pedal assembly's kickdown switch is operational?

Underneath some of these, you might find a switch for the brake lights and another for crank down. To remove the pedal and check the switch(es) on my 2006 MB, all you have to do is unscrew one plug and bolt.