clubted

Hi, Anyone have this problem? My recently new to me E430 Sport has a consistent high pitched squeak my tech says is around the shifter. It even sqeaks on mild highway ripples much less on rougher roads. Trying to avoid tearing everything apart and hoping the smaller panel directly under the shift knob is removable and gives access to the problem. Thanks.

Plutoe

put the car on a lift and inspect the shifter linkage bushing and or before you start FA with the shifter you better subscribe to MB WIS or go to ebay for a copy to understand a very expensive system

clubted

Thanks for the tip, I'll pass that along.

clubted

Mechanic called me today and explained what's going on. Turns out the car needs the shifter mechanism replaced for $1200, yikes. Parts supplier they use apparently has quite a few of them available as this is a common problem with these. Does this sound right for a 2000 E430 Sport with 53k miles and one California owner prior to me?

clubted

Thanks for the tip, the bushing was missing. Not cheap to fix but what a difference.

MattCordell

Rubber bushing did it dry rot and fell out of place?
I assume it was the green hollow donut rubber bushing in the linkage?

clubted

They didn't tell me, only that it was missing. The clue other than the consistent high pitched rattle was that the shifter noticeably moved in left hand turns. Unfortunately expensive but drives so well now, love this thing.