A160 Dreaded F mode!!

[Podgorny]

Hi all,

new user to the forum. I have just bought an A class 160 auto for my girlfriend. T reg '99, 85K. What a lovely car I thought, it drives beautifully, looks good and loaded with extras.

However! It has started with the dreaded F mode, a fault I suspect that it came with (sold as seen). The fault is intermittent and ONLY occurs during the first 5-10 mins of running when the engine/transmission is cold. Hence it did not occur during my prolonged test drives.

I have read Lofty's excellent site on the A class and heided the information therein. I suspect the fault isn't the selector or the infra-red sensors though.

This is why: It is definitely temperature related. It is accompanied by a slight difficulty in the box selecting second. As the first gear disengages the engine runs away without loss of drive and with a delay until second engages fully. The only time I have been driving when the F popped up it happened after the box had 3 missed attempts to select 2nd.

After pulling over and turning the car off/on, it pulls away and changes gear perfectly without the F.

I personally suspect the oil, otherwise, why would it be solely temperature related? I took the car to work the other night and tried and tried to make it fail, driving it crazy, shifting up and down with tiptronic between 1st and 2nd at sorts of rev ranges, but when it's warm it just drives perfectly.

I've booked it into my local auto specialists to interogate the OBD and check the oil level. The first thing he suspected was the internal clutch housing (?) which I've seen mentioned on here, but he said that didn't tie up with the temperature related fault. Otherwise maybe a g/box ECU? Has anyone had one of those done?

I will of course feed back my findings after it's been in on tuesday, but for now I'd appreciate any thoughts from anyone with more experience.

I fear if I'm quoted £1500 it'll be going back in Autotrader with a nice cheap price to sell it!!

Mick

(I must make clear after reading several other posts, the car is a fully automatic version and unfortunately I don't have code reader)

[lofty]

I'm no mechanic and I know nothing or little about autos nor do I want to BUT
when you start the car it's cold Battery takes a bashing starting everthing up on the car including air con blowers wipers lights ete etc so battery power is low or lowered
go on a run everthing warms alternators running well and charging battery as well as servicing all the electonics on the car including the gearbox in your case .

So is you problem down to battery? Have you had it tested? its certainly worth a try and it could cost a lot of money if it is a gearbox problem even if depretation when you sell the car.
My first stop would be Halfords Good Service, good batteries, and they will fit them as well, but don't expect them to now about re-setting windows and ABS/ESP after connection.
And remember my tip put the lights to at least side light to dampen the serge of power when you connect the terminals. No I don't have shares!

[Peterx4]

Hi there
I bought my A160 2 years ago for my wife which was at 67K now its 89K i have similar problem which started 4 weeks ago.
Podgorny, did you fix it ?
P

[gerold]

I have seen this problem rear its ugly head a couple times and always just as the weather gets colder. The oil is thicker now on start up and will give you gip untill it warms up and thins out and everything works at correct pressure. If it was summer you probably have no problem ...i would change oil and filter for now of course as Bert says check battery!!!!....good luck.