Sorry this got so long. Skip to the last paragraph if you want to see my request for help.

My 05 Super V8 (114k miles) has been missing downshifts for almost a year now and it has been getting worse. It varies widely but if I ask it to perform a harsh downshift between 40-70 it either pops into neutral, or limp mode. I think it's either 2nd or 3rd that is not engaging, but it's hard to tell since ...it doesn't engage. If I never ask for power it drives normally. Strangely there are rarely ever any "gearbox errors", just a bunch of "can bus" communication errors.

Recently replaced the Mechatronic seals, the sleeve, all the solenoids and did a complete oil flush and fill with ZF Lifeguard 6 following all instructions to the letter. As the final step before really testing the transmission function I wanted to get the most up to date reflash of the TCM software and have the adaptations reset. I took to JLR in Paramus NJ which is far from home but they had done a good job getting my replacement keys programmed. I confirmed when making the appointment that they could perform TSB 72 (2009 version) which simply says to hook up the power supply to the battery, clear the adaptations, and reflash the TCM module. Clear as a bell. When I dropped it off I was very specific that they do NOTHING but the TSB including washing the car. 3 days later when they finally looked at it (?) I get a call from the Service Manager STRONGLY advising me NOT to perform the reflash OR reset the adaptations "Because on a car this old it WILL ruin your transmission". He told me there were no gearbox error codes so everything must be ok. He also told me that they checked the fluid and it was low. (GRRRR) I was pretty confident that I had filled it properly but maybe the car was 2 degrees off level or maybe it used a bit more as I had driven. (An amature mechanic doing something for the first time only has so much confidence to draw on). It would be an additional $198 to "top off" the fluid and in a weak moment that I regret I said ok. I ALSO said please go ahead and do the TSB with the reflash and I will take full responsibility. Later that day he called again to advise me against performing the TSB. 6 times he insisted that it would destroy my transmission and that he had seen it happen again and again and 6 times I told him to do it anyway. And then in a startling admission he told me that BTW his assistant had previously checked the fluid dead cold and when they did it properly it only took a "very small amount". I told him he shouldn't charge me for filling it since it was actually fine and he agreed. I told him one last time to perform the TSB at my full risk. When we were about to hang up I asked "are you going to perform the TSB as I have asked you?". He replied yes.

On day 4 I was finally told to come get my car as all work had been completed. I was charged $198 for the oil level check, $40 for a quart of fluid, and an $89 diagnostic fee. There was NOBODY in the service area I could talk to and I just wanted to get out of there and see if the reflash fixed the problem so I paid and left.

The car behaves EXACTLY as before. The only way I can prove that they did not clear the adaptations OR perform the re-flash (other than my opinion that nothing changed) is that I left a strip of cardboard wedged in the panel over the spare tire and the battery that would have fallen out if they had accessed the battery to attach the power supply. Also just to really make me crazy, they DID wash it and every inch of it is covered in swirl marks.

REQUEST FOR HELP: Can anyone in the NY metro area point me to a shop or a hobbyist who can reliably clear my adaptations and reflash the TCM with the last version that was released? I really want to have the software work done before I start looking to rebuild the valve body which I think is next.

Thanks for listening
Jeff

 

I believe ZF can help if you contact them in Germany or an USA branch.

 

Jeff,

Drop me a PM.

I have IDS, with a VCM and a power supply and we can get the adaptions cleared, and get the newest TCM flash installed.

I'm in NJ (Jersey Shore - Hazlet)

Thanks - Anthony

PS - Does sound like you may have a mechanical issue but I would have to drive it with you (with IDS running) to look at parameters.

 

Some dealers have good staff some dont, so you lucked out and got stiffed by your local dealer. An independent is def your best bet, for sure.

 

From reading your description, sounds like it may have the E-clutch failure that was somewhat common on these units. Possibly it's some valve body fault but that seems less likely.

 

All 6 upshifts occur without problems. There is no slippage or noise. I only have issues with down shifting. That seems more like valve body than clutches to me.

Jeff

 

Not sure why the solenoids would work fine on an upshift but not a downshift, to me that sounds like a clutch failing under heavy load. But I would proceed as you plan with a reset first.

There was an old thread where someone had replaced the solenoids in the Mechatronic and he claimed it restored the trans to like-new function. Apparently they control flow as well as on/off of hydraulic circuits. I don't have a link, but will try to look for it.