How much "Roll" is Normal for Your w204 to Have After Parking Without Parking Brake?
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How much "Roll" is Normal for Your w204 to Have After Parking Without Parking Brake?
Hi.... I am trying to alleviate the last of my warranty concerns before it is up next month 
Question - After parking your vehicle in "park" and taking your foot off the brake without stomping down on the parking brake, how much does your vehicle roll/rock/shift back or forth before coming to a rest?
Mine has always "shifted" an uncomfortable amount, like what seems to be a steady 1-2 inches of horizontal movement, if I am on anything but the flattest surface with 0 degree incline/decline. It also makes a very knarly "crunching/clicking" sound until the tranny locks and catches...
This is why I always mash on the parking brake after putting in park, so it does not have any shift after removing my foot from the brake...
My question is... is this normal? Do other w204 owners also have to use the parking brake to avoid this? Or should the car be locked down steady after just putting in Park alone?
Any replies or insight to if this is normal or a defect, would be very much appreciated!
Question - After parking your vehicle in "park" and taking your foot off the brake without stomping down on the parking brake, how much does your vehicle roll/rock/shift back or forth before coming to a rest?
Mine has always "shifted" an uncomfortable amount, like what seems to be a steady 1-2 inches of horizontal movement, if I am on anything but the flattest surface with 0 degree incline/decline. It also makes a very knarly "crunching/clicking" sound until the tranny locks and catches...
This is why I always mash on the parking brake after putting in park, so it does not have any shift after removing my foot from the brake...
My question is... is this normal? Do other w204 owners also have to use the parking brake to avoid this? Or should the car be locked down steady after just putting in Park alone?
Any replies or insight to if this is normal or a defect, would be very much appreciated!
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I figured it was normal but had never bothered to find out...
As such, do you always use your parking brake in order to "save" your transmission over time?
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From: Bay Area, CA
2011 C300 Sport, P1, MM, Wood, Heated FS, DIY rearview camera.
When I park in my garage, I don't feel any +/- 1 or 2 inch move since floor is pretty flat. On my driveway, yes, there is some move but not sure how much.
All my other cars have that move on any slope. I don't think car can be designed to have absolutely no slack. On my driveway the slope is not that great so I don't use parking brake. I parked on someone else' steep draiveway and always used it, just to be safer.
All my other cars have that move on any slope. I don't think car can be designed to have absolutely no slack. On my driveway the slope is not that great so I don't use parking brake. I parked on someone else' steep draiveway and always used it, just to be safer.
Last edited by C300CA; Oct 3, 2011 at 09:04 PM.
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C300 sport 4matic
Mine has a disturbing amount of roll - more roll than any other car I have owned. To the point that I considered taking the car in to have it inspected in case there was something wrong. As a result of this roll and the wikipedia article linked below, I make it a practice to engage the parking brake before I put the transmission into park. The only problem with this is that if anyone else drives your car, they may well just turn on the ignition and drive off with the parking brake engaged. So I make an exception in situations where I am parking on level ground and someone else, such as a parking attendant or a family member, has access to my keys.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_pawl
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_pawl
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From: Ontario, Canada
2012 C350 4MATIC
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From: Delaware
2004 Mazda6, 1993 RX7
+1
Except in the garage, you should use the parking brake hard, before putting it in park.
This way, if you get a bump from someone (I got a big bump that totaled a previous old car) , motion of your car will be resisted by the brake, and not transferred throught the final drive(s) and some trans gears.
That said, I often just put it in park.
.
Except in the garage, you should use the parking brake hard, before putting it in park.
This way, if you get a bump from someone (I got a big bump that totaled a previous old car) , motion of your car will be resisted by the brake, and not transferred throught the final drive(s) and some trans gears.
That said, I often just put it in park.
.
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'08 C300 Lux Barolo Red Beige Leather P2 MM 18" wheels '84 944
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From: Temecula, CA
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Learn to engage the parking brake while you have the car in neutral. Letting it ride into the gears will eventually wear them out more than not. Your transmission is not a parking brake.
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From: Columbia, SC
W204 2010 C300 Sport/6M
Having the manual trans I don't have this problem but I have noticed that I need to get my E-brake adjusted because it's not holding as well. I don't make a habit of leaving my car in gear when I park.
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w204 C300
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From: Dix Hills, New York
2012 C250 Coupe
Haha, you guys crack me up, especially RLE. Some forward movement is normal, and should be accounted for. The clank you hear is the solenoid engaging, which prevents the shifter from being taken out of park without your foot on the brake.
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From: Pacific Northwest
2022 GLE450
I just leave my car in neutral, set my parking break, get out to apply a wheel chock, then get back in and put the car in park...totally worried my transmission will fall off if I do this wrong....
Actually never really use my parking break unless its a very steep hill, no abnormal roll.
Actually never really use my parking break unless its a very steep hill, no abnormal roll.
Thread Starter
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LOADED 08' C350 & 14' GLK-350 Diamond White (P1, MM, AMG Pkg, Ln Trkng, Htd Sts, Keylss Go)
I just leave my car in neutral, set my parking break, get out to apply a wheel chock, then get back in and put the car in park...totally worried my transmission will fall off if I do this wrong....
Actually never really use my parking break unless its a very steep hill, no abnormal roll.
Actually never really use my parking break unless its a very steep hill, no abnormal roll.
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From: SEATTLE WASHINGTON USA
'08 C300 Lux Barolo Red Beige Leather P2 MM 18" wheels '84 944
Take another listen since it's the steering wheel lock engaging. The drivetrain is locked in Park by the engagement of the parking pawl. Picture a square steel peg dropping into a hole. The shifter unlock is electrical and makes a small click directly under the lever.
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From: Dix Hills, New York
2012 C250 Coupe
Yeah, this small click under the gear selector is what I was referring too. I don't hear it until I take my foot off the brake after putting the car in park. Its the Solenoid activating and raising a "L" shaped metal plate, preventing the shifter mechanism from shifting out of park, unless the brake is depressed, lowering the "L" shaped metal tab out from locking the mechanism. The steering lock I think sounds more like an electrical sound, like turning on a toy electric R/C car, and then followed by a ding or click if you pull the steering wheel to either side.
