I own an '05 B180CDI with CVT and about 80k km (60k miles) and I'm facing several issues. I'm not sure how important they are, I might just be too picky but maybe some of you have had the same problems:
1. when the engine is running but the car is not moving (doesn't matter if it's in P, N or Drive), I feel shacking in the weel and floor. It's not big but it is a bit annoying. I changed all 4 motor rubber holders and the shacking has reduced but it's still there. I didn't experience this with other diesel cars before. Is this normal for the B class?
2. when driving, I sometimes (not always) feel the engine as being bumpy (like a bigger shacking) around 1500-1600rpm, you can barely feel it but if you're trying to climb a hill it's felt really good. But as I said, it doesn't always happen, more like once in a while. I also noticed it runs just fine in lower revs and if I'm just reving it in N I never feel it. The dealership said I should change the CVT oil but I don't think that would fix it.
3. the gear shift is a bit rigid when going from one shift to another, I mean it's not really smooth (in comparson to a Grand Cherokee auto transmission for example). Is this normal?
It might be time to change the CVT oil (seeing as the gearshift is somewhat rigid)... as some in our forum have done so with similar mileage to yours.
Vibration through the floor had also been an earlier complaint quite a while back in some diesel B's.
I don't have the CVT but others here will help you out.
Welcome tony I seem to remember this problem being reported in the early days of the forum so it may pay you to go back to the early posts for more information on this issue.
Welcome & what is your location presumably Europe somewhere ??
Yes, you for it right, I'm from Europe, Romania more exactly.
The thing is, I've been paying visits to several auto repairs including the dealership and they all came with ideas to fix these issues and none helped. So far I did the following: changing filters and oil, cleaning the injectors, changing the motor rubber supports, chanding two discs from the transmission belt. So you can imagine my frustration.
The CVT oil would be next but I've head several folks (including on this forum) saying that it's not supposed to EVER be changed (unless something goes really wrong). About the gearbox stiffness, I can't say it feels like you have to force it but it is a bit rough. Changing gears manually is really easy in comparison, but I think that's normal because manual change on CVT is simulated.
There is something else I forgot to mention, which AGAIN, only happens sometimes, I hear a noise (something like pressurised air going thru a valve) and it's proportional to the acceleration, but it can't be heard at very low revs - like 800, yet it can over 1000. I don't mind it as you can barely hear it but I'm worried it's not something serious. At the Benz dealership they said it's caused by those belt discs but it obviously wasn't.
Oh, and about that bumpy feeling when driving, it acutally happends at lower revs, like 1400rpm and only if I don't press the pedal to hard (as would increase revs and dissapear). It's the same effect I would feel on a manual gearbox when being under-reved. So I would say that's it, but normally this shouldn't happen with an automatic. Especially a CVT. Does this make sense?
There is something else I forgot to mention, which AGAIN, only happens sometimes, I hear a noise (something like pressurised air going thru a valve) and it's proportional to the acceleration, but it can't be heard at very low revs - like 800, yet it can over 1000. I don't mind it as you can barely hear it but I'm worried it's not something serious. At the Benz dealership they said it's caused by those belt discs but it obviously wasn't.
The air sounds like your turbo venting to the atmosphere.
The CVT is smooth and you should never feel any "shifts" unless you are using the manual selector. I have read in German road tests that the CDI is a quite rough engine, but I've never been in one myself.
I don't think it's the turbo, it happens at low revs too, turbo runs only above 1700-1800rpm.
Just to recap, here are the issues I'm facing:
- permanent vibrations in the steering weel at idle (can also feel them in the floor). If I rev up just a bit (from 790rpm to 820 or so) the vibrations are almost gone completly. I asked MB stuff to increase my idle rpm but they said it can't be done. Since I changed the motor rubber mounts vibrations are smaller but still annoying.
- I sometimes hear a wisle (something like air going thru a vent) which goes up with acceleration, but it's present at low revs too, although it can't be heard at idle, usually goes away in few seconds or so. Looks like it acts only when the engine has reached the steady temp (80C or so) but I can't see any other pattern. In a 10km jurney thru town I hear it once or twice.
- I sometimes feel the car is shaking (under-reved) when in load at low rpm (1400-1500). If I set it on S (sport) it happens only rarely as it usually keeps the engine around 1800-1900. I never experienced it when the engine was cold yet I almost always feel it when it's at 80C and driving at low rpm. Feels worse when going up a hill at low rpm.
- my CVT seems rough when changing state (P/R/N/D) but it's not forced though, just a bit tough. Runs very smooth and easily when changing gears in manual.
I have checked previews posts but couldn't find the exact same issues so if any of you have dealed with the same problems I will appreciate your feedback.
I had jerkiness on my last B but it was I think at about 2-2.500 revs I seem to remember that they had to replace something in the autobox and this did cure the problem. It was almost like a misfire (like you get with a faulty spark plug) but as the car was the 200cdi it was obviously not that
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