Sorry for being long winded on this one!!
At about 25K miles on our 2014 THOR 24SA, we had just stopped at a stop sign, turned right up a slight incline. Just as the transmission was about to shift out of 2nd gear, we heard a very loud “BANG” as if a sledge hammer had hit the transmission.
The engine started racing – as I was still trying to accelerate. The RV began to slow down as if the transmission was in neutral. I checked the gear shifter – figured I must have bumped it into neutral. Nope, still in “D”. Coasted to the side of the road. Engine still running, no warning lights on the display, gear shifter in “D”, I could race the engine but RV would not move. (Almost as if the drive shaft had fallen off.)
I killed the engine. Darn!!!!!! What to do? What to do? Looked under the RV. Everything looked good.
Started the engine, put ‘er in drive and away we went. Everything working ok. No lights. Babied the RV for the next few 1000 of miles. No problem.
Next oil change at Mercedes of Chandler, I asked them to check the transmission. All diags showed everything to be ok. No issues.
At about 37K+ miles, we were heading out on a two-month long trip. Driving from Phoenix to Flagstaff up I17 to 7000+ feet elevation, no problems.
Pulled into Flagstaff, stopped at a stop light, turned right up a slight incline. As the RV was about to shift out of second gear, another “BANG”.
The RV started coasting – while I was trying to pump the accelerator to see if anything would happen. Nope! RV just coasted to the side of the road. Everything looked good. Changed shifter to Park, back to Drive. RV would not move. Darn!!!
Killed the engine. Scratched my head!!! Started the engine, shifted in to Drive and away we go. Everything worked fine.
Slowly drove the RV to the Flagstaff Mercedes dealership and asked them to check the transmission. They could find nothing wrong.
I called my ACE Service guy in Chandler and discussed the issue. He suggested continuing on with our trip.
At about 42K miles in the mountains near Chattanooga, I pulled over at a beautiful lookout. Killed the engine. Everything was going great.
Pulled back out on to the road, heading up a slight incline and just as the RV was shifting out of 2nd gear, another “BANG”. Same thing. About to lose my temper now!! : (
Killed the engine, started it back up, and away we went.
At about 44K+ miles, driving through Amarillo, all traffic was moved off of I40 to a single lane of traffic on the access road. Driving at about 5 miles per hour for about a half hour, finally were about to pull back onto I40.
UP a slight incline with the RV about to shift out of 2nd gear, another “BANG”. Coasted to a stop in the middle of the one lane road – with about 5 miles of cars lined up behind me.
Killed the engine. Started it back up and finished the trip.
Mercedes of Chandler had the RV for over a week trying to determine the issue. They called Mercedes in Germany to see if they knew what to check. All diags checked out. Darn!!
After much discussion, the decision was made to change out the Transmission Control module. Transmission oil looked great. Filter had no metal particles. Control module replaced.
Of course, Mercedes would not warrant the module replacement because nothing showed up on the diags. That SUCKS. (I would figure the control module was part of the drive train. RV sure would not work without it.)
So, $1500 later, with the new transmission module, we have now driven the RV about 2000 miles and have had no more issues.
Transmission does seem to shift a bit better than before the module was changed out.
Keeping our fingers crossed.
At about 25K miles on our 2014 THOR 24SA, we had just stopped at a stop sign, turned right up a slight incline. Just as the transmission was about to shift out of 2nd gear, we heard a very loud “BANG” as if a sledge hammer had hit the transmission.
The engine started racing – as I was still trying to accelerate. The RV began to slow down as if the transmission was in neutral. I checked the gear shifter – figured I must have bumped it into neutral. Nope, still in “D”. Coasted to the side of the road. Engine still running, no warning lights on the display, gear shifter in “D”, I could race the engine but RV would not move. (Almost as if the drive shaft had fallen off.)
I killed the engine. Darn!!!!!! What to do? What to do? Looked under the RV. Everything looked good.
Started the engine, put ‘er in drive and away we went. Everything working ok. No lights. Babied the RV for the next few 1000 of miles. No problem.
Next oil change at Mercedes of Chandler, I asked them to check the transmission. All diags showed everything to be ok. No issues.
At about 37K+ miles, we were heading out on a two-month long trip. Driving from Phoenix to Flagstaff up I17 to 7000+ feet elevation, no problems.
Pulled into Flagstaff, stopped at a stop light, turned right up a slight incline. As the RV was about to shift out of second gear, another “BANG”.
The RV started coasting – while I was trying to pump the accelerator to see if anything would happen. Nope! RV just coasted to the side of the road. Everything looked good. Changed shifter to Park, back to Drive. RV would not move. Darn!!!
Killed the engine. Scratched my head!!! Started the engine, shifted in to Drive and away we go. Everything worked fine.
Slowly drove the RV to the Flagstaff Mercedes dealership and asked them to check the transmission. They could find nothing wrong.
I called my ACE Service guy in Chandler and discussed the issue. He suggested continuing on with our trip.
At about 42K miles in the mountains near Chattanooga, I pulled over at a beautiful lookout. Killed the engine. Everything was going great.
Pulled back out on to the road, heading up a slight incline and just as the RV was shifting out of 2nd gear, another “BANG”. Same thing. About to lose my temper now!! : (
Killed the engine, started it back up, and away we went.
At about 44K+ miles, driving through Amarillo, all traffic was moved off of I40 to a single lane of traffic on the access road. Driving at about 5 miles per hour for about a half hour, finally were about to pull back onto I40.
UP a slight incline with the RV about to shift out of 2nd gear, another “BANG”. Coasted to a stop in the middle of the one lane road – with about 5 miles of cars lined up behind me.
Killed the engine. Started it back up and finished the trip.
Mercedes of Chandler had the RV for over a week trying to determine the issue. They called Mercedes in Germany to see if they knew what to check. All diags checked out. Darn!!
After much discussion, the decision was made to change out the Transmission Control module. Transmission oil looked great. Filter had no metal particles. Control module replaced.
Of course, Mercedes would not warrant the module replacement because nothing showed up on the diags. That SUCKS. (I would figure the control module was part of the drive train. RV sure would not work without it.)
So, $1500 later, with the new transmission module, we have now driven the RV about 2000 miles and have had no more issues.
Transmission does seem to shift a bit better than before the module was changed out.
Keeping our fingers crossed.