DunninLA

I think that's what they are. They are the black sliding metal or plastic plates that surround the automatic shift pole to keep liquid and debris out of the transmission.

Well, they don't work very well for protection from liquids. Two years ago when my '01 E320 was six months old, my daughter was climbing from the back to the front seat and knocked over my orange juice out of the cup holder, all over the shifter platform. A week later, the car wouldn't shift out of 1st gear. Took it in and they replaced something inside the shifter, and said it was full of dried orange juice. It was warrantied, but he said that MB will do it once, not twice, so be careful spilling liquids. He acknowledged that it is a very common problem with the W-210 with the open shifter channel.

Over the past two years, nothing major, but the occassional slight spill of Orange Juice while pulling out of the driveway. Over time I guess it builds up because the past 6-8 weeks those sliding plates are making crunch noises when I pull the stick back from P into D, especially from Neutral into Drive. It seems to catch on something, I force it, it makes a crunchy noise and goes into Drive.

The repair shop just called to inform me the replacement Part plus labor is going to be about $650, and imay service adviser told me it couldn't be authorized under warranty a second time.

Question: Disregarding the design defect and whether the warranty repair should be declined,

Does anybody know if I can spray WD-40 or hot water or anything to loosen up my gunked up sliding plates?

Thanks, Larry Dunn, thefamilydunn@netscape.net

bigtire

Those sliding plates have been removed on my car, You can see down into the shift linkage area somewhat, but I didn't even notice they were gone until I started looking close. I've never had any problems with spilled drinks down there. I'm real careful with drinks because I like a very clean interior and hate cleaning that crap up.

Maybe they could just remove the plates. No more plates, no more crackling. and a smaller repair bill too.

jimmydagreek

Has anyone ever thought of drink containers with lids??? :p

Whitey

Ditto!

DunninLA: You sure love your orange jooze Wonder what the damage'll be if it was coke....... Seriously tho', I can feel your pain and frustration.

BTW, anyone got examples of a nice set of drink holders that blends with the E-Klasse's cabin (or other good ideas for keeping drinks upright when driving) thru bumps? Pics? IMO the ones attached to aircon vents suck - spoils the interior and probably doesn't do the vents or aircon any good.

synchrocnc

In England you can get a popup drinks holder that mounts in the compartment just in front of the centre armrest its made by fischer and is avalable from any MB dealer , it holds 2 cans or a can and a cup , you need to specify low or high armrest .

Alan

Whitey

Hi Sychrocnc

Sounds like a neat idea.

Would love to see some pics if possible please - meanwhile I'll speak with my local dealer in HK.