PHML

Guys,

I need your help.

My gearbox is stuck in PARK.....also BAS/ESP light was on. Had the ML320 towed to a shop....and left it there.

Any ideas what's causing it to stay in PARK? This might be a protective mechanism like Limp Mode imo.

Thanks in advance.

Pete

loubapache

What year is your model? If it is 2002 or older, my bet is the brake pedal switch. That does not mean there could not be other causes but the brake pedal switch is often the cause. You have to depress the brake pedal in order to shift out of park. With a bad pedal switch, the system cannot tell if the pedal is depressed so you cannot shift out of park. Also the bad pedal switch will also cause the warning lights for BAS/EPS, etc.

You can shift it into gear by sticking a pen into the opening on the shifter. See pic. Your shifter may look slightly different but the opening is there for all shifters.

Edit, I see your is 2002 in your sig.

PHML

loubapache...

Thanks for the quick reply....I have a 2002.

I'd like to add...that when the key is in the ON position (engine off)...and depressing the brake pedal...it felt really tight....meaning it didn't move much.

When the engine started...brake pedal feel was back to normal.

I later found out the pen/key trick at the lower gear to shift it temporarily. When you turn off the engine...and restart it again...its stuck in Park again.

Does anyone have the part # for the brake pedal switch?

Pete

loubapache

That is normal because the power brake is not working without engine on.

That switch is not expensive. However it is more dependent on the production date of your 2002. I think the cut off is Sept 2002. After that, there is no such switch, IIRC.

PHML

OK...thanks.

What's IIRC?

Pete

PHML

If anyone has a diagram of the ML320...and the location of the brake pedal switch...please post up. thanks!!!

loubapache

IIRC = If I Remember Correctly?

0015452009 for Chassis to A145272 or X707755

0015456409 for Chassis from A145273 or X707756

PHML

Thanks bro...got it fixed myself with your invaluable help.

Pete

trinhin

I just want to send a super thanks. I just had the same problem and I read the post and found a ink pen, put in the hole and the car shifted in gear. Now, I will work on the brake pedal switch.

SOSLady

sosh

Yes there is a switch all the way thru the W163 series and on most other MB's. Symptoms are in my mind almost a defininte brake light switch. You could have been a bit proactive and had the BAS/ESP light diagnosed and repaired and then not had the stuck in park situation. Maybe you learned something from this but mot likely not.

diamund8

Hello,

I am having the same problem with my 2001 ML320. My gear shift does not look like the one in the picture, but I will tell my mechanic the advice given on this site...thank you. However in response to the last quote made, there was no other warning sign for me to see. I just had my car services 3 weeks ago and then this morning, I went to work out and the BAS/ESP light came on when I started the car and the problem began. So if I were to learn a lesson, what would it be? Thank you all again for this forum and the great knowledge that is shared!

PHML

Yes...the gear box is a bit different than that posted above.

When you are in park....there should be a transition at the lowest end of the gear box...gear 1 or gear 2....stick a spare key, chopstick, or a skinny pen in there....this will allow you to shift out of park and drive you to the shop or home.

My brake pedal switch costed me about $28....and I did the install myself...very easy.

anltee

Hi there:
i am came from Hong Kong, my ML 320 was 1999, same problem with my stuff weeks agao and slove it only cost $200HK-dollars about 20-us labour charge included, five mins only. thanks for all of your guys sharing the useful information in this forums.... VERY VERY GOOD

vettdvr

CAUTION. I had a non-MB that had the same problem. I was able to bypass the system to drive the car as you do. But remember if the stop light switch fails you might not have stop tail lights, and the Cruise Control might NOT disengage when you step on the brake. I found this out when driving on the interstate and stepped on the brake with the cruise on,, it would NOT disengate.

tqt22

My car's gear box could not be shipped after the BAS came on, and I did use a pen to help to shift the gear.
I feel much better after i found your post today. It was scared a bit this morning because i thought it was a serious problem.
I will try to communicate to my machenic to have it fix this week.
Thank you very much for your post.

henrifd

thanks for the pen trick !!

smulaw4

Thanks a bunch! I was worried until I saw this post.

rogerkhartman

Is the car safe to drive.....the abs works and I do not see a problem while driving it.....

nnguye00

My condition is a little difference from all your posts above. It is my 2001 ML320 that locked in park, engines starts smooth but can not shift. My brake lights work fine when brake is pressed, meaning brake switch should be ok. Took it to mechanic, he thinks it is the shifter problem, would not communicate with TCU. But not 100% sure and charged me $125 for looked at it, suggest me to contact dealer. Called dealer, they quote from $5000 to $7000. This is robbery, any help would be deeply appreciated.

SoCal208

" The brake lights work fine when brake is pressed " DOES NOT mean the brake switch is OK. The brake switch is less than $20 with 15 minutes to replace. Have you try the pencil as pictures ?. If insert the pencil in the hole & you can be able to shift out of park, definitely IT HAS THE BAD BRAKE SWITCH, then have your mechanic replace the brake switch ?. $125 to look at it, is a " highway robbery " without doing NOTHING. Quote from your stealership 5-7 thousands without seeing the truck for diagnostic is another robbery. AMMCO may rebuild the whole transmission for 1/2 of that amount. Good luck.

SeaCoupe

The dealer would love to get a job like this.

If your shift surrond bezel is damaged, you may have a coin that has the gear shift physically stuck.

In my case, I had a stuck shifter. I couldn't even use the pen trick. I took off the center console, unhooked all the connections to the shifter box and unhooked it from the trans connector. I breathed a huge sigh of releif when I was able to get all of my gears still. I honestly can't diagnose what caused it, but some 10 minutes after having no power applied to the shifter mechanism it unlocked and I was back in business. Ohh, I also shook the hell out of it too. Haven't had a problem since.

So, don't let them say you have a bum trans. They can unhook the connector under the car and insure you can physically get all the gears. You may just get lucky and your unit will simply have a physical obstruction that you can clear out.

Good luck,

Ed

JAGH

1. Thanks this was a life saver.

2. 3 screws and the lower panel pulls out. (slide the top edge of computer interface clip on back side to then easy pull it out to remove panel) Front seat moved back for more room , flashlight for more lite.

3. click a prong and twist out the sensor switch (it is plastic) while pushing the brake pedal down so you can get it out.

4. small screwdriver or two, can carefully take apart the two plastic pieces of the sensor.

5. Was easy to fix. Piece of plastic rubbed off and stuck the plunger.

6. about 10 minutes of work, and *presto* thanks to this forum car can drive...


cool.

GusMorel

Hi Guys,

I need some help with the same issue. I got the ABS/BAS lights last summer. Every time it happened, a fuse on the side of the dash, by the driver's side door would be blown. I would change the fuse, but it would blow again a short time later. This never locked my shifter, so I just lived with it for a little while.

Then I changed the brake light switch (My car is a 2003 CLK320 convertible). It worked fine for 3 weeks and then it happened again. At that time I took out the switch, cleaned it and put it back on. It worked great for a month.

Now I got the ABS/BAS light issue again, only this time the fuse is never blown. I can re-start the car and it goes away for about a day or two.

Here's my emergency: Yesterday I got the ABS/BAS and this time it locked my shifter. I was sitting there sweating bullets at the McDonalds drive-thu until a good samaritan approached me and told me about the lock-release trick with the pen/key.

Is this still a case of the brake light switch or is it something else?

NickDubai

Awesome advice,

Got the car moving using the pen trick. Drove to garage. Very grateful to the thread.

N

tcesario

there is a recall coming out for this issue ask your local dealer if it is now or next month i read about it and cant remember which month it is