The CLS Class C219 was Mercedes-Benz’s attempt to return to the executive size coupe market. Combining the best of the sedan world with the best of the coupe, MB provided a small range of high-power engine options to potential consumers. During the run of the C219, many owners experienced problems with jerky transmission shifting.
Issues with the transmission are scary, especially because many different things, ranging from relatively innocuous to tremendously dangerous, can cause them. Most commonly, C219 owners experience a difficulty in shifting from the higher to lower gears, with the greatest turbulence occurring between 3-2 and 2-1. Very often the shifting issues will present themselves when the driver’s foot is not on the break, and the car is coasting gradually to a stop.
On the more manageable end of things, it could be that your C219 needs a generic software update. Because the car’s computer runs most every system imaginable, an old program—or a faulty program—could lead to muddled information being conveyed from the sensors to the transmission. It is also possible the ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) needs to be changed or replaced. The fluid is what makes sure that all shifts happen seamlessly and gently, and if it is old or runs out, your transmission could freeze or break. In the worst possible scenario, there is something wrong with the transmission itself, and work on the entire system will need to be performed.
These are only a few of the possible solutions to why a transmission could be jerky. Taking your car to a specialized Mercedes-Benz repair technician is your best bet for finding and resolving the precise malfunction occurring inside of your C219. From there, you can get back to enjoying your Mercedes instead of worrying about it.
Search for a local, independent Mercedes-Benz repair shop with Mercedes-Benz mechanics that have dealer-level expertise at a fraction of the expense.