Hello all. I recently purchased an 04 base coupe with an automatic transmission. I've had it about two weeks and I've noticed a hard shift from 2 > 3 gear. I've read over many other threads here and googled and discovered some great info about the 722.6 or NAG1 transmission on MB forums. I wanted to ask:
1) any other members have this issue and what came of it?
2) is the Sonnax kit for the valve body and spring replacement a viable solution as this one is post-1999?(we have no drain holes in the transmission pan, right? RIGHT?(I can't get underneath to see))

Anyways, hope some master technician dude comes along and throws some ideas out there. I'm going to try and reset the learning on the TCM and see if that helps. I'll do it tomorrow and actually follow up and let everyone know what's up. After that I'm going to try a transmission repair shop to diagnose it and let me know what they think.

If it's a matter of taking off the pan, draining the liquids and getting into that rear passenger side cover for the valve springs and removing the torx screws and changing that stupid spring, I'll try to do it myself and take pictures. If I do all that might as well service it too and change the fluids. Oh boy. Here we go!

 

How many kilometers are on the car? I had similar problems and solved them by having the transmission fluid changed and replacing the filter and Adapter Plug as well. BE sure to replace the Adapter Plug as they are known to cause fluid leakage. Many would also suggest replacing the Conductor Plate while you're at it.

 

There is a plug in the tranny pan.
Reset the TCM? You are liable to ruin it, I have heard of codes being reset and the TCM reprogrammed by Euro Charged.

 

Thanks. The reset I was referring to is this....

Reset Transmission Adaptive Shifting - How to Programming Instructions DIY - MB Medic

Not a flash or anything crazy. I think.

It's got around 89K kms. I just got it recently and have no idea if there has ever been a transmission service or fluid change/flush, but the Carproof I ran showed a Chrysler major service in 2010, at around 67K kms, so I imagine it(or something...) was done. Either way, doesn't hurt to just go ahead and do a fluid & filter change, as I'm sure everyone would agree with. I still think it's a valve body issue, but I'll see what a professional has to say. I'm going to go and look under it later and see if I can see anything travelling up the connector wires to indicate if there is a leak there. At least I could point at something and say "aha!".

 

Update!

so I took it in and the mechanic said there's a problem with the running clutch, and that it needs a rebuild. Whamp whamp.......

I'm going to have it done. I like the car. He quoted me $2500 Canadian. At minimum. Damn. B&N transmission in Ottawa. So yeah. That's hopefully the end of that.

 

These tranny shops always say it needs to be rebuilt, that's how they make money. Be careful and get another opinion.

 

Agree with 180.

 

You're right. They're the second transmission place, and third mechanic overall. My regular mechanic who is familiar with mostly american makes said it seemed like a slipping transmission, but he's not a tranny guy and the crossfire was a bit of an enigma to him. The first transmission place said it needed a replacement/rebuild but they were'nt familiar with it and told me to go see the third guys, who said the same thing and specialize in em. I could be getting the run around, but it's not like I've spent anything so far, and after driving it some more over the last month......yeah.

It's slipped hard on me on the highway at higher speeds when I tried to pass a trailer while another was merging, and it freaked me out that it didnt engage quickly and just revved up and up but barely sped up, then jumped hard into gear. This wasnt 2->3rd either, it was more like 3rd->4th and 4th->5th. So it's not just the one gear, it seems to be any at higher RPM's and under load. I feel like it's the right call, as I'm just not mechanically inclined enough to face-off against a transmission. I was ready to mess with the control valve sleeve and spring replacement, even a conductor plate or solenoids didn't scare me off(too much). I figured with help from the guides and people's posts I could do it. But I am not equipped to drop a bell housing.

 

Good luck, please let us know the result and solution.

 

Most tranny shops have never seen a transmission that did not need a rebuild, a few years ago tranny shops were leaders in bilking customers of their money.
Have you checked the transmission fluid level? If not I would start there, low fluid leeds to slipping trannys.

 

The MB transmissions are well designed and built, maybe a few electronic gremlins lurking but a rebuild? I doubt it! I agree, you should get a second opinion. Remember, this is your best source for info, use it.

 

Welcome to the best car forum I ever belonged to (and that has been MANY). Never ceases to amaze me that ppl would spend huge amounts of $ before doing a few simple troubleshooting steps and tasks fully outlined here in the forum. This transmission slips when a low level of fluid (mostly that pesky Trans electrical connector 'O' ring leak) is present. It takes a little time, effort, and 'getting in there and doing it' action that many are hesitant to do. If doing these things intimidate you, have the transmission rebuilt and drive on. There are a whole bunch of DIY .pdf files in the document collection AND many posts on helping the membership, brows them and see how simple you can do most of them. BTW, the TCM relearn your talking about, is the TB reset. It is a simple 2 1/2 minute procedure outlined in the document collection. This forum has proved to me many times in the past almost 8 years that the membership is extremely dedicated in helping us XF owners. Read, read, and read some more if you want to save a huge amount of your money. Get the document collection downloaded, read the DIY .pdf's (many with great pictures) and get dirty! There is a saying here about 'stealerships' and garages in general, many high priced estimates can be done by you for a pittance, it is all up to you. Good luck with your repairs, onward!

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For real. I guess I should have been more detailed in my update. I did jack it up and look underneath at the plug. It looked fine, no sign of a leak. Well I didn't check it, that was one of the things my regular mechanic checked with me. I did the reset myself and it didn't make a difference, a bit smoother(?)on the 1->2 and 2->3, but it could have been wishful thinking, and the major jump was still there at around 40-45 kmh. And I'm not mechanical. I can do like an oil change, and I was really hyped to tackle the brakes myself later this summer. I don't even know if I can get it high enough to remove the transmission. The idea of doing the valve sleeves and springs and draining the pan and doing a filter I was prepared for, if a bit intimidated. But I'd still have to drop around 150 in parts for the master sleeve overhaul kit from sonnax, and a new filter, possibly a new gasket(if I mangled the rubber one taking it off) and then the 4 or 5 dollar springs from MB. All before any fluid replacement, and it may do nothing. And I guess that's where if I was willing to go for it, I might find that's the issue. Solve the whole thing for 1/10th the cost of a rebuild....if it is the problem, of course. I still got an issue with a light that goes on and off on the rear driver side marking and parking light. And the brakes were safetied, but I want to upgrade them when I change them, maybe paint the callipers. And I might do a wrap to change the colour, fix a foggy headlight. Minor **** I'm gonna DIY. And I plan to use this forum. But transmissions just scare me off. It sucks, and if I was willing to wait I could prolly build upto doing it. I feel you guys. It kills me. But a transmission as my first major auto DIY repair? Man, why can't it be like, a new control arm or bushings or something?

 

Spend the money it's not mine and the economy needs a kick in the ar$e.
But before you do that have you or anybody else checked the tranny fluid level? The connector may have been changed before you got your hands on the car but nobody checked the fluid level.
There is no dipstick you have make something that goes down that filler tube after you remove the plug at the top.
Big Daddy, a member here, is in Ottawa, send him a PM and ask his opinion, he knows more than most and certainly more than some dumb a$$ mechanic that you seem to have asked so far. Remember he said $2,500 minimum and that will surely go up even if he finds an oil and filter change will do the trick.

 

As 180 says, always start with the easy inexpensive stuff first and usually it is something relatively inexpensive. My bet is also low fluid.