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Cold Transmission Shifting Issue

1442 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  atif7x7
My 97 E420 with 158k on the odometer has issues shifting normally/smoothly when cold. Works fine when it warms up. By cold I mean Arizona cold not Green Bay cold. The shifting is a little jerky primarily for the 1-2 upshift and surges a bit until warm. I've started placing it in winter mode to avoid 1st until it warms up.

I am also wondering if the issue is maybe related to the e-throttle, but that is an electronic device and so doesn't warm up like the transmission does.

The fluid is correct and recent [less than 2k miles]. I haven't checked the level too recently though and plan to do that when I get home from work this evening. That's 18 miles traffic so it ought to be warmed up to 80c. I'll check the temp with my IR thermometer and see where it is level wise.

Odd? Common?

thanks
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if at operating temp fluid barely touches dipstick than you are low by at least 1 liter. but make sure you are inserting the dipstick tool all the way to the bottom, sometimes you think you have it all the way in, but actually it;s not. so check it 2-3 times. also do you have the car running and tranny in park (p) on leveled surface when you checked it?
if you checked it correctly and fluid barely touches the bottom of dipstick tube then i would add 1 bottle, get fluid to 80C and then check again and fill til you have it close to max level at 80C on dipstick. also make sure you don't have a leak, check around connector plug or cooling lines.
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