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Old 06-24-2019, 05:49 PM   #1
KSB
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2018 Sprinter 4x4 transmission clunk?!

I have a 2018 SMB 4x4 that I took possession of last October. I was wondering if anyone had this experience? I have a call in with my local MB dealer but they keep blowing me off.

The issue is on very rare occasions it feels like the transmission misses/slips, I hear and feel a "klunk" when I am going around 30 mph from one gear to the next. Its like the gear is not engaging smoothly when switching to a higher gear. I have felt this only like 4 or 5 times but it makes me feel like my vans transmission is defective. I have not had a lot of free time to use the van so I have only been on 4 or 5 trips and only have I think a 4k miles on it. But basically its like a "ka-klunck" from one gear to the next where the van will momentarily slow down then engage into the next gear, again quite rare but alarming.

I have to keep harassing my local MB dealer and I just dont think they are going to be able to recreate the problem.

I am sure the tranny will go belly up when I am in the middle of no where because of this.

KB

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Old 06-24-2019, 06:12 PM   #2
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Is it a factory 4x4, or a conversion?

I don't know anything about MB's transfer case, or if it even has one, but I'm wondering if it's the t/c rather than the transmission.


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Old 06-24-2019, 06:34 PM   #3
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It is a factory 4x4 MB.

Kb
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Old 08-05-2019, 12:36 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KSB View Post
I have a 2018 SMB 4x4 that I took possession of last October. I was wondering if anyone had this experience? I have a call in with my local MB dealer but they keep blowing me off.

The issue is on very rare occasions it feels like the transmission misses/slips, I hear and feel a "klunk" when I am going around 30 mph from one gear to the next. Its like the gear is not engaging smoothly when switching to a higher gear. I have felt this only like 4 or 5 times but it makes me feel like my vans transmission is defective. I have not had a lot of free time to use the van so I have only been on 4 or 5 trips and only have I think a 4k miles on it. But basically its like a "ka-klunck" from one gear to the next where the van will momentarily slow down then engage into the next gear, again quite rare but alarming.

I have to keep harassing my local MB dealer and I just dont think they are going to be able to recreate the problem.

I am sure the tranny will go belly up when I am in the middle of no where because of this.

KB
So I don't have a 4x4 sprinter and I am not sure how much this will help but I have a 2017 Tacoma 4x4 and around 10k miles it developed a small clunk especially downshifting from 3rd to 2nd and 2nd to first. This happens when the truck is in 2WD. So the issue could be a 4x4 specific thing that is normal.
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Old 08-15-2019, 11:20 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KSB View Post
I have a 2018 SMB 4x4 that I took possession of last October. I was wondering if anyone had this experience? I have a call in with my local MB dealer but they keep blowing me off.

The issue is on very rare occasions it feels like the transmission misses/slips, I hear and feel a "klunk" when I am going around 30 mph from one gear to the next. Its like the gear is not engaging smoothly when switching to a higher gear. I have felt this only like 4 or 5 times but it makes me feel like my vans transmission is defective. I have not had a lot of free time to use the van so I have only been on 4 or 5 trips and only have I think a 4k miles on it. But basically its like a "ka-klunck" from one gear to the next where the van will momentarily slow down then engage into the next gear, again quite rare but alarming.

I have to keep harassing my local MB dealer and I just dont think they are going to be able to recreate the problem.

I am sure the tranny will go belly up when I am in the middle of no where because of this.

KB
I think I'm feeling the same thing in my 2018 144 4x4. It's very inconsistent, and seems to happen between 35-45 mph when under soft acceleration. It's like the transmission was going to change gears, but then changed it's mind. Doesn't happen when I'm on the gas and gear change needs to happen. I'm going to bring it up to my dealer this Friday, but have slim hopes of them recreating it because it's so random.
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Old 08-15-2019, 01:30 PM   #6
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I'm not sure this super unusual. It seems like all of the modern 5+ speed autos, which generally require at least one "swap-shift", are susceptible to this. On the Ford 5R110 torque-shift, when this starts, it just means it's a good time for fluid service.

Older autos never had to swap-shift. They just would overlap the gears during shift, and and the one-way clutch would handle the shaft-speed difference. But with more ratios means more creative gear combinations, to avoid too many planetaries. Now, that "swap-shift" means one planetary has to disengage at the precisely the same time the next one engages.
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Old 08-15-2019, 03:33 PM   #7
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I'm not sure this super unusual. It seems like all of the modern 5+ speed autos, which generally require at least one "swap-shift", are susceptible to this. On the Ford 5R110 torque-shift, when this starts, it just means it's a good time for fluid service.

Older autos never had to swap-shift. They just would overlap the gears during shift, and and the one-way clutch would handle the shaft-speed difference. But with more ratios means more creative gear combinations, to avoid too many planetaries. Now, that "swap-shift" means one planetary disengages at the precisely the next on engages.
I like that opinion!
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Old 08-15-2019, 05:53 PM   #8
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I have a 2018 4x4 and experience same on the order of once a month. Somewhat reassuring to hear that I'm not alone.
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Old 09-09-2019, 11:57 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by whwv View Post
I think I'm feeling the same thing in my 2018 144 4x4. It's very inconsistent, and seems to happen between 35-45 mph when under soft acceleration. It's like the transmission was going to change gears, but then changed it's mind. Doesn't happen when I'm on the gas and gear change needs to happen. I'm going to bring it up to my dealer this Friday, but have slim hopes of them recreating it because it's so random.
Yep totally same here, also I called the MB dealer to get it looked at and they were suppose to call me back but never did. I too think there is no way they will be able to re create this issue in the wild because it happens so infrequently. I took it out last labor day on a 3 day short trip into the bush and it happened like 4 - 5 times but that was like a 400 mile trip.

Also yes I am in 2wd when this is happening.

Anyhow if you can please let us know what your dealer said about it that would be cool. I am hoping its just a normal qurk of this tranny? I just want want a defect getting worse and worse with mileage to the point that the something snaps outside of my warranty or gets me stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Thanks

Kb
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Old 09-09-2019, 12:02 PM   #10
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Dealer couldn't replicate it, and I didn't feel it on the drive there and back. I'll keep an eye on it, but I'm hoping it's just how this thing shifts.

On an unrelated note, they did replace the power steering hose clamps. I checked them at about 12,000 miles and the hoses were close to coming off. I pushed them back into position to hold me over, and would check them before long trips so it's nice to have one less thing to worry about.
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