Hoping to get some help in prioritizing this list. I'd like it to flow in one direction and not back and forth, I imagine some of these fixes will take care of others and that's where I am looking for help.

#1. Air suspension controller unit needs replacement. (I've gotten around this for a year by pulling the fuse out, I have to adjust manually once a month)

#2. Shifting from 3rd to 4th is wonky, way more computer feeling than mechanical. It's as if it doesn't know when to drop into gear. I can manipulate by getting to 3k rpms and let off gas and then it shifts into gear.

#3. keyless entry. (how simple is this and how silly should I feel for not taking care of sooner)

#4. initial power in 1st and 2nd gear feel extremely sluggish compared to starting off in 3rd. (this one i've yet to come to any conclusions on).

That about sums it up. 155k miles, daily driver, has never left me stranded, I'd like to pay the same respect to her.

 

Has the transmission ever been serviced?

 

1. Reset adaptations, 2. Get suspension fixed, 3. Get a new key FOB and have it programmed.

 

Be careful resetting adaptations for the transmission though. It sounds like yours might be on the way out given the behaviors listed. If it is, resetting the adaptations has a strong chance of being the final nail in the coffin. Especially the sluggishness in 1st and 2nd seem to point to it just being worn out and slipping. Resetting adaptations means the transmission has to relearn how to shift and is pretty hard on it. It learns as it wears, so it can gradually adjust to wear, but if you reset, it erases that learning.

Same with changing the fluid. If it has never been changed, and your clutches are worn, all that clutch material is in the fluid, helping it to not slip. Change the fluid, and it might start slipping a lot worse.

Neither of these will help a dying transmission, so first step is to try to figure out if it is indeed on its way out. You may need a new one pretty soon and that's a big expense. If you do either of the above, it'll hasten that death, so be prepared. You might be able to get more miles out of it as is just living with the issues. It's a gamble you'll have to take. Pull the faults to see if there are any listed for the transmission and that might give you a better idea of what is going on.

No use spending the $$ on the suspension if you can't afford a new transmission.

 

This is the type of advice I was looking for. It's a dart at the wall really, save for the fact it shifts perfectly fine in all other gears and never abruptly down shifts on its on expect for that quirky area between 3rd and 4th gear.

Thanks,

 

djkronik, by "reset adaptations" I am referring to the trick with the key and holding down the accelerator for X seconds. Are you referring to the same? If so, I have a hard time believing an action like that could be a tranny-killer. I wonder if there is any hard data on that.

Agree that if your tranny is toast then the EAS is not a worthy expense.

 

I'm not familiar with that method. The only method listed in ZF manuals for the 6HP26 is through a diagnostic tool, like the IID tool. There are also prolific warnings in manuals for both the IID tool and 6HP26 manual not to do it on a whim, in many more words. Maybe the method you are describing is a reset of adaptations for the throttle or other sensors?

My understanding is that resetting the adaptations on a transmission with worn clutches and components means that the transmission attempts to shift as if it is not worn using default brand new values, meaning it slips the worn components a lot until it learns the wear levels, potentially causing lots of wear in a short time period on already worn components.

There is also a very specific "re-learning" procedure once you reset adaptations that involves coasting to a stop without braking several times in a row from 6th gear. Not easy to perform.

I'll find the warning from the IID manual and post here. You should only really do it if you have changed something that might screw up the learned values, like replacing old fluid with new or replacing parts of the transmission.

 

From the IID tool manual:

Transmission ECU
-Clear Adaption Values (L322-06, L322-10, L319, 6 speed)
Gear shifting time tends to increase as internal components of a transmission wear out. This has a
negative effect on the brake clutches. The transmission ECU will adapt to counteract the effect of wear
and improve shifting.
This routine resets the adaption statistics back to factory default. After the adaptions are cleared, the
transmission ECU will analyze shifting behaviors using sensors readings and compensate accordingly.
Use
The adaption reset routine is necessary when one of the following components is replaced:
• Transmission oil.
• Any component inside the transmission.
• The transmission ECU is replaced.
CAUTION
The clear adaption routine may cause the transmission to behave
erratically over a period of time. It will need a few drive cycles to get
back to normal. Drive the vehicle normally and make sure that the
transmission shifts all gears.
Clearing adaption shall only be performed if an oil change, fi rmware
refl ash or if the transmission was repaired. Clearing adaption
for no reasons on a transmission that is working correctly
may worsen its behavior. In fact any non needed work made on
a transmission that is working correctly may worsen its behavior.

 

I would have to really dig to find the procedure I am talking about but it was kind of like: put the key in position II, hold throttle down to floor for >10 seconds. Remove key and let the dash go to sleep (roughly 2 minutes). End of Procedure.

It seemed silly but it made a difference in the tranny, or at least that was my perception. Maybe it was placebo. Anyway, you could see how/why I might be like "how the heck could that kill a tranny?"

The procedure you cite is much more involved, I'm sure.

 

Yeah nothing that easy to do would come with all those warnings. I think what that procedure is actually doing, based on what I know it does on my Volvo and some web sleuthing, is resetting the throttle adaptations. So yes, it is resetting something, but it's resetting 100% throttle calibration in case somehow it gets off. It will likely feel a little different, but I don't think it is actually resetting the transmission adaptations.

Might be worth it for the OP to try, since it seems relatively risk-free. Most places say to hold down the gas pedal for at least 30 seconds, but it varies based on make and model.