Anyone Have This Stuck In Park Problem?
08-30-2016, 09:30 PM
#277
Super Member
Well, it got stuck in park yesterday. After some encouragement with a mallet, I got it out of park and disassembled. The selector lever wasn't completely broken but it had a big crack in it allowing it to bend and preventing it from moving enough to disengage the interlock. I ordered the part and am waiting for it so I can get it back together.
09-07-2016, 06:11 PM
#278
Super Member
After getting everything reassembled and back to being nice and pretty, it no longer feels at all hesitant to get out of park. Not hesitant enough, in fact. Now the interlock holding it in park no longer functions at all, it goes in and out of park freely, with no regard to whether or not the brake is being pressed. I have a couple theories, but honestly I'm not terribly sure for this one. New spring not strong enough? I had to do a little drilling and machining on the part to make it work, maybe the hinge point is providing too much resistance? The other lever needs to be lubed up? I don't know, at this point.
09-07-2016, 10:23 PM
#279
I would just leave the interlock out
As long as you don't have kids who would play with the gearshift and sit unattended in the car , it's no different than old cars which used to allow the gearshift to be moved even when parked with the keys out
It's just a nanny feature to protect people from their own inattentiveness
As long as you don't have kids who would play with the gearshift and sit unattended in the car , it's no different than old cars which used to allow the gearshift to be moved even when parked with the keys out
It's just a nanny feature to protect people from their own inattentiveness
09-08-2016, 05:49 AM
#280
Super Member
It seems that shifting it when it's not running doesn't actually change gear anyway. It's only a concern when the car is on. Even so, if I get bored, I might disassemble it to see if I can fix it.
03-12-2017, 12:18 AM
#281
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2003 S55 AMG
Just wanted to say THANKS for the posters in the first few pages of this thread, especially the guy who did the video. Just removed my failing plastic clip, took about 2 hrs. I didn't get stranded but I could tell I would have very soon ... clip was still in one piece but hanging on by a thread.
Note to anyone who comes here for this issue ... read the first few pages, plenty of info about the various options you have.
Note to anyone who comes here for this issue ... read the first few pages, plenty of info about the various options you have.
04-19-2017, 01:11 PM
#282
10-13-2017, 11:11 AM
#283
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W140 W126 W220
Wanted to bring this thread back, as I was wondering if anyone in SoCal has a shop they could recommend who has done this for them, or if there is a MBWorld member who would be help me tackle this job on my W220. Please PM if interested
06-20-2018, 05:52 PM
#284
Stuck in Park
My 2001 S500 got stuck in park, so I looked at this forum for suggestions as I always do. There were no answers other than call roadside assistance and let them hammer the shifter out of park and take it to the dealer to have it repaired. The price tag was high and my curiousity got the best of me. As it always does, so I again looked at my WIS program for help in fixing the problem. There was no real help other than how to remove the shifter box.
So...I removed the shifter box. This entailed removing the center console to get to the shifter box. I had to also unattach the linkage under the car to get the shifter box out of the car.
Once out, I proceeded to unassemble the shifter box.
What I discover was amazing. There is a small plastic part ( I estimate about 10 cents in quantity) that is responsible for allowing the shifter to be taken out of park. It is activated by a solenoid that pushes the plastic part to allow the shifter to come out of park. Most of the parts in the box were metal. This particular part is plastic and very frail. Obviously a victum of very poor engineering. It is easy to see that this part will become stressed over time and fail.
My concern is that we are all good MBZ owners and take our cars to the dealer for repair most of the time. This is certainly not a DIY normal job, but my curiousity got the best of me.
The part can be replaced ( I think) although the pin that allows the part to move is pressed into the housing of the shifter box. I was not able to press it out, as space was very restrictive. The way it was engineered I suspect MBZ never intended to replace this part. In my estimation, this is certainly a candidate for a recall. Obviously when you take your car to MBZ for repair, they replace the whole box and never tell you actually what was wrong. I read that one person paid $1,300.00 for this repair. A little high for a 10 cent part that is a very poor excuse for this kind of use.
I know what you are thinking. Maybe the other shifter boxes had something else wrong with them. Could be true. However, in looking over the entire box, not much could go wrong. The design is very simple and very low tech. If you want more information post your concerns.
I am going to contact MBZ about this problem to see what their response is. Nobody should have to pay for this problem. It is definitly an MBZ problem. Not your normal wear and tear.
Oh BTW, I removed the remainder of the broken part so I could use the car while researching this problem. Everything works fine, the only thing is that you do not have to step on the brake to take the car out of park now. Operates like the old cars before steering and park lock outs.
So...I removed the shifter box. This entailed removing the center console to get to the shifter box. I had to also unattach the linkage under the car to get the shifter box out of the car.
Once out, I proceeded to unassemble the shifter box.
What I discover was amazing. There is a small plastic part ( I estimate about 10 cents in quantity) that is responsible for allowing the shifter to be taken out of park. It is activated by a solenoid that pushes the plastic part to allow the shifter to come out of park. Most of the parts in the box were metal. This particular part is plastic and very frail. Obviously a victum of very poor engineering. It is easy to see that this part will become stressed over time and fail.
My concern is that we are all good MBZ owners and take our cars to the dealer for repair most of the time. This is certainly not a DIY normal job, but my curiousity got the best of me.
The part can be replaced ( I think) although the pin that allows the part to move is pressed into the housing of the shifter box. I was not able to press it out, as space was very restrictive. The way it was engineered I suspect MBZ never intended to replace this part. In my estimation, this is certainly a candidate for a recall. Obviously when you take your car to MBZ for repair, they replace the whole box and never tell you actually what was wrong. I read that one person paid $1,300.00 for this repair. A little high for a 10 cent part that is a very poor excuse for this kind of use.
I know what you are thinking. Maybe the other shifter boxes had something else wrong with them. Could be true. However, in looking over the entire box, not much could go wrong. The design is very simple and very low tech. If you want more information post your concerns.
I am going to contact MBZ about this problem to see what their response is. Nobody should have to pay for this problem. It is definitly an MBZ problem. Not your normal wear and tear.
Oh BTW, I removed the remainder of the broken part so I could use the car while researching this problem. Everything works fine, the only thing is that you do not have to step on the brake to take the car out of park now. Operates like the old cars before steering and park lock outs.
06-20-2018, 11:25 PM
#285
MBWorld Fanatic!
The shifter is a theft-control part, and would be very expensive to have replaced by itself. The most common way for replacement is to purchase a complete set of the theft-control parts from one vehicle and install all of them.
You can "fix" the stuck in park problem by simply removing the broken part, which means that the car can be moved out of park without pressing the brake. For a few dollars, you can buy a kit with a couple of metal parts that can be installed in the shifter to restore normal operation.
You can "fix" the stuck in park problem by simply removing the broken part, which means that the car can be moved out of park without pressing the brake. For a few dollars, you can buy a kit with a couple of metal parts that can be installed in the shifter to restore normal operation.
06-21-2018, 09:40 AM
#286
Super Member
So the consensus is just remove this stupid little plastic dingy thing?
06-21-2018, 12:38 PM
#288
MBWorld Fanatic!
For over fifty years, there was no requirement to step on the brake pedal to move the transmission from PARK. Then, we had the famous "Unintended Acceleration", where a very few vehicles were accused of accelerating violently as soon as the shifter was moved to DRIVE or REVERSE, even though the drivers were "certain" that they were pressing firmly on the brake pedal, and the power of the run-away engine simply overpowered the brakes...
Now, Big Brother has decided that the best way to make really, really certain that the driver is actually pressing the brake pedal is to link the brake to the transmission shifter.
Your car, your choice. Replacing the link is safer, especially if you don't always, every time apply the parking brake firmly, just in case your child or your dog knocks the lever out of PARK.
Now, Big Brother has decided that the best way to make really, really certain that the driver is actually pressing the brake pedal is to link the brake to the transmission shifter.
Your car, your choice. Replacing the link is safer, especially if you don't always, every time apply the parking brake firmly, just in case your child or your dog knocks the lever out of PARK.
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Fried Chicken (06-21-2018)
06-21-2018, 01:00 PM
#289
Super Member
For over fifty years, there was no requirement to step on the brake pedal to move the transmission from PARK. Then, we had the famous "Unintended Acceleration", where a very few vehicles were accused of accelerating violently as soon as the shifter was moved to DRIVE or REVERSE, even though the drivers were "certain" that they were pressing firmly on the brake pedal, and the power of the run-away engine simply overpowered the brakes...
Now, Big Brother has decided that the best way to make really, really certain that the driver is actually pressing the brake pedal is to link the brake to the transmission shifter.
Your car, your choice. Replacing the link is safer, especially if you don't always, every time apply the parking brake firmly, just in case your child or your dog knocks the lever out of PARK.
Now, Big Brother has decided that the best way to make really, really certain that the driver is actually pressing the brake pedal is to link the brake to the transmission shifter.
Your car, your choice. Replacing the link is safer, especially if you don't always, every time apply the parking brake firmly, just in case your child or your dog knocks the lever out of PARK.
03-11-2020, 07:22 PM
#290
Junior Member
I read all the posts from beginning and am looking for a summary.
Is the objective to remove the plastic part and then reassemble
WITHOUT the plastic part that cracks?
I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY INTERLOCK.
Just want to be able to get out of park anytime the lever is moved.
Is the objective to remove the plastic part and then reassemble
WITHOUT the plastic part that cracks?
I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY INTERLOCK.
Just want to be able to get out of park anytime the lever is moved.
03-12-2020, 09:53 AM
#291
Senior Member
a couple of months ago I purchased a very nice S2001 Carollton Version. AM I going to have the 'stuck in Park' failure? If so I am immediately 'going to fix it'.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed.
05-30-2020, 03:28 AM
#292
Newbie
Stuck in park
Please be aware that the metal parts from ebay do not fit the S500. The metal levers are 11mm whereas the plastic bit on the 2000 S500 is only 5mm.
Last edited by Rollerman; 12-18-2021 at 02:34 PM. Reason: further info added.
12-18-2021, 09:59 AM
#293
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s430
i bought a rubber mallet to use while searching for a shop that will agree to simply remove the broken plastic part on my 2004 S430.
I expect to need to use the mallet work around 40 times over the next 2-3 months while searching for a shop or finally giving up and having the dealer doing the replacement.
In the meantime what can go badly in using the mallet during this interval?
I expect to need to use the mallet work around 40 times over the next 2-3 months while searching for a shop or finally giving up and having the dealer doing the replacement.
In the meantime what can go badly in using the mallet during this interval?
12-18-2021, 12:54 PM
#295
MBWorld Fanatic!
There seems to be a consensus that the mallet trick works for a limited number of times.
"...or finally giving up and having the dealer doing the replacement."
If you have to have the dealer do your repairs, you need to reexamine the economic viability of owning an older S-Class.
"...or finally giving up and having the dealer doing the replacement."
If you have to have the dealer do your repairs, you need to reexamine the economic viability of owning an older S-Class.
12-18-2021, 01:19 PM
#296
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s430
thank you for confirming the mallet trick works for (only) a limited number of times.
more pressure to find a north chicagoland area shop willing to touch this. My guesstimates are $1k part plus $700 labor $1.7k for a dealer fix. $600 a shop to rebuild/replace just the broken part with another part and $300 to simply remove the broken part.
I only have dealer option now and will be selling how easy it is begging shops that i call to do the work and or get the part and do the work
ebay was not obvious for the part in the initial search and
This part is not compatible with this 2004 Mercedes-Benz S430 4Matic Sedan 4-Door 4.3L 4266CC V8 GAS SOHC Naturally Aspirated.
more pressure to find a north chicagoland area shop willing to touch this. My guesstimates are $1k part plus $700 labor $1.7k for a dealer fix. $600 a shop to rebuild/replace just the broken part with another part and $300 to simply remove the broken part.
I only have dealer option now and will be selling how easy it is begging shops that i call to do the work and or get the part and do the work
ebay was not obvious for the part in the initial search and
This part is not compatible with this 2004 Mercedes-Benz S430 4Matic Sedan 4-Door 4.3L 4266CC V8 GAS SOHC Naturally Aspirated.
12-18-2021, 05:05 PM
#299
MBWorld Fanatic!
Your car, your money, your choices.
But - If I correctly understand your situation (and I think that I do), then you have a failed little plastic part in the shifter. You can repair the car at no cost whatsoever, with a few hours work. You would need to search for and watch three or four of the many videos out there on "repairing the W220 shifter", then just remove the broken link. If you simply can't accept living without the Big Brother safety on taking the car out of PARK, then search eBay, Amazon other sources to find the proper little link (preferably in metal this time). There were, and should still be, vendors who offered a kit containing one each of the three different links, for perhaps $15, including shipping.
Good luck!
But - If I correctly understand your situation (and I think that I do), then you have a failed little plastic part in the shifter. You can repair the car at no cost whatsoever, with a few hours work. You would need to search for and watch three or four of the many videos out there on "repairing the W220 shifter", then just remove the broken link. If you simply can't accept living without the Big Brother safety on taking the car out of PARK, then search eBay, Amazon other sources to find the proper little link (preferably in metal this time). There were, and should still be, vendors who offered a kit containing one each of the three different links, for perhaps $15, including shipping.
Good luck!
12-18-2021, 09:11 PM
#300
When my car got stuck in park it turned out the prior owner has already put the metal piece in the shifter , so it was Probably a different problem, such as a brake light switch causing it to stick in park.
So I just removed it completely and now I can shift at any time even when the car is off. For some people this is a safety issue if they have young children, but I have many old cars where you can shift out of park even when the car is off and it’s never been an issue and I am the only driver so it works for me.
So I just removed it completely and now I can shift at any time even when the car is off. For some people this is a safety issue if they have young children, but I have many old cars where you can shift out of park even when the car is off and it’s never been an issue and I am the only driver so it works for me.
