There is no change to the transmission gear from the W position to the S position on my 2005 LTD roadster. Any ideas?

 

Put it in "W", start off and get up to 60 counting the number of shifts, it should be 4.
In "S" it should be 5.
"W" makes it start out in second gear.

 

Thank you but I know that it is supposed to start in second gear when the W is depressed. My problem is that it is the same gear (first) weather the switch is in the W or S position.

 

Not doubting what you're saying, just trying to better understand how you determined that there was no change so that we can put our heads together and come up with an answer. When you are engaging or disengaging the switch is your traction control on or off?

 

redline is lower with W also, can you confirm redline is the same with both button positions on yours?

 

Traction control is on. I'll check the red line to see if there is a difference. From the driver's seat, the car's response to the pedal feels exactly the same with the switch in either position.

 

I have an 05 limited Roadster myself, and I can't feel any difference either, the gear ratio between first and second is so close that could be why you can't tell any difference.
First gear ratio is 3.932. And second gear is 2.408 .heck for all I know mine may not be working either 🤔 now I'm going to have to go check. I'm out of town at the moment and won't be back to my car until after 5 p.m.. So if I find out anything I'll let you know.

 

When I got back to Charlotte I checked the W & S switch and sure enough it works, in standard mode it shifts 4 times in wet mode it shifts 3 times and you can definitely tell a difference from a stop between standard and wet mode.

 

Yep, that's how mine works.

 

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the input.

 

BTW, the W/S "switch" is not a contact type switch, it moves a plastic vane in, or out of the path of a photocell pair. ( I think, at least that's how it looks to me, I have a disassembled shifter assembly )
SO, if there is something else blocking the photocell, then the switch would be ineffective.
( Leave it to the Germans to over-engineer a simple function )

 

Thanks for the info about the photocell. I will see if I can get to it easily. This is not a big problem because the car does not leave the garage in bad weather but I would like it to be working properly.

 

These Germans must be doing something better overall than the US and European auto makers, I do not remember them getting government bailouts. They purchased most of the UKs auto industry, or at least that which was worth saving.
We will not even mention rocket science in its early days etc. All over engineered I guess.