[TwoAlpha]

2500 miles into my GLA ownership, I'm starting to experience some transmission issues and wondering if anyone else has had this happen?

Often when I shift into reverse, it seems like it doesn't engage right away so I'll wait a moment, slowly apply throttle (we're talking maybe another 300-500rpm), and then the tranny will violently engage, spilling coffee and snapping everyone's necks in the vehicle. Seems to happen mostly when the car has been fully brought up to temp, parked, and started before it is completely cool again.

At first I thought it was me, but the same thing happened to my wife on Sunday when she was driving. And then this morning, I was trying to parallel park, and when shifting from reverse to drive the same thing happened; didn't appear to engage, so I went to neutral and back to drive again, waited a second or so, applied a small amount of throttle, and then there was a violent shift into 1st that almost put me into the back bumper of the car I was parking behind.

Anyone else experienced an issue similar to this before I bring it in to have it looked at?

 

[Boris_Balkan]

Anyone else experienced an issue similar to this before I bring it in to have it looked at?

The DCT should have a little 'play' in it because it is an automated 'manual' utilizing clutch-packs, however, that sounds like EXCESSIVE play. I would have the dealer check into it. I have not heard of this issue in the CLA forums, so I don't think it's a widespread issue with this particular transmission.

Hopefully it just needs a software update

 

[Tiger]

I would take in straight back to the dealer right away. Transmission problems can only get worse if you continue to drive. Sounds like an electronic timing issue with the computer linked to the transmission.

 

[nightscar]

The DCT should have a little 'play' in it because it is an automated 'manual' utilizing clutch-packs, however, that sounds like EXCESSIVE play. I would have the dealer check into it. I have not heard of this issue in the CLA forums, so I don't think it's a widespread issue with this particular transmission.

Hopefully it just needs a software update

Has there been a case where Benz has done this before? Where they simply update a software to fix such a problem? Because it has been an ongoing issue with the CLA from the beginning and it's been more than a year and they haven't done anything.

MB has mentioned that they fixed the quick shifts from the CLA to the GLA but they didn't seem to address the issue when the car is from a stand still.

 

[Tiger]

Anyone else experienced an issue similar to this before I bring it in to have it looked at?

Were you able to find out the transmission problem with you GLA? I'm still curious to what could cause transmission problems at such a young age.

 

[TwoAlpha]

Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been traveling a ton for work and haven't had the time to bring it in yet. Going to be another week at least before I can get it in.

 

[Artsycur]

I am experiencing a similar issue with my 2015 GLA45 AMG. When the vehicle is cold and I reverse, drive forward, then reverse again with a little acceleration as in a two-point turn the transmission bangs and the car reacts as though it backed into a wall. The car is at the dealer, but they are unable to duplicate the problem. I am heading in this am to see if I can demonstrate the issue to the dealer.

 

[NTT]

Engine and gearbox software update cured my problem.
Dealer said the update took a long time to complete.

 

[nightscar]

So a software update is available on MB dealerships?

 

[NTT]

That's correct. And sorry for late reply. The update completely transformed the car.

 

[Angloman]

What do you mean by completely transformed your car?

 

[nightscar]

Yeah I need some details too, like what specific update is it? I would like to bring it to my dealership and be able to tell them exactly which update it is.


I would be pretty happy just to get a quicker launch off a stop. I see these reviews getting better than 4.8sec on 0-60 MB states on the GLA45 but just imagine how much better that time would be if the take off wasn't so sluggish/hesitant?

 

[olmate]

Yeah I need some details too, like what specific update is it? I would like to bring it to my dealership and be able to tell them exactly which update it is.


I would be pretty happy just to get a quicker launch off a stop. I see these reviews getting better than 4.8sec on 0-60 MB states on the GLA45 but just imagine how much better that time would be if the take off wasn't so sluggish/hesitant?

Hello nightstar, do you mean just tramping it or launching race start mode
PIC 1-Here's my race start but it was wet when i did this

PIC-2 Also a Rebellion stage 1 tune in the dry

 

[nightscar]

I am actually talking about day to day driving, sometimes from a red alert, it feel like I step on the gas pedal and it takes a second before the car moves. And in Sports Mode, at times it feels more sluggish where you step on the gas and it does nothing and you kind of have to push further and the car just jumps forward.

I am not quite sure why MB doesn't fix it if it is a simple software calibration?

 

[olmate]

ahhh...ok, i have noticed the same thing on occasions
You have me thinking now, does it happen all the time or first thing when the car is cold, i dont drive the car much but im pretty sure when it happened to me the engine was cold
just a thought....

 

[nightscar]

Yah happens often even after the engine gets a proper warm up. I tend to drive in stop and go traffic for about 45-60 minutes each way per day and I experience it almost daily. Tranny is just erratic though, there are time where it rolls smoothly but sometimes it's just hesitant but that might be dependent on the roads incline/decline?

I am really used to it by now though but I still know it's there.

 

[olmate]

Yah happens often even after the engine gets a proper warm up. I tend to drive in stop and go traffic for about 45-60 minutes each way per day and I experience it almost daily. Tranny is just erratic though, there are time where it rolls smoothly but sometimes it's just hesitant but that might be dependent on the roads incline/decline?

I am really used to it by now though but I still know it's there.

we dont drive in stop start traffic so its not a real problem to me
It would be interesting to see what your dealer says though...good luck!!!!

 

[nightscar]

I think it is normal. Almost every review on the GLA and CLA has the same complaint.

 

[TwoAlpha]

Finally getting around to sharing an update on my original issue.

Now that the MN weather is getting warmer, I am unable to reproduce the hard/violent shifting from P to R, R to D, and P to D. The dealer had it over the weekend (and only put about 10 miles on it) and were not able to reproduce the issue.

There was no mention of a software update, but I also hadn't read this thread to know there was one to ask while I was there.

HOWEVER, I am noticing some of the symptoms of a laggy engagement from a stop, and my shifts from D to R (i.e. when parking) seem to take forever. Now that I'm not traveling for work over the next few weeks I'm going to grab some video and bring the GLA back into the dealer for another look.

 

[Artsycur]

I had the same result with my GLA 45 AMG - the Dealer was not able to reproduce the problem. But the problem has not recurred. I will drop by the dealer next week and ask about the software update.