09 GL450 won't go into reverse?
 

I had my vehicle detailed yesterday and upon picking up the vehicle, found that when putting the truck into reverse, that it would not engage. I've never had an issue with the gear shifter before to preface this. The shift will engage drive, neutral and park but reverse isn't functioning. I can get into D,N,P from any position but pushing all the way up doesn't engage reverse.

The detailer told me he had to adjust the steering wheel to clean around it and at that point when he tried to put it into reverse (when done), it wouldn't go in. He said he then adjusted the steering wheel further out thinking the wheel had to be out and then it went into reverse. I tried to move the steering column into about 100 different positions but each time didn't result in it actually engaging reverse. On a separate note, should the detailer be responsible for something if it brakes under their watch?

The truck is still sitting at the shop in it's current form as I didn't want to get myself stuck somewhere I couldn't back out of. I read a few things I'm not sure are related, low main battery or secondary battery? Has this been a problem for anyone before or at least have an idea on where to look first before I'm forced to take it to the shop?

Thanks!

see my post in the other thread

We had a similar issue when we first purchased our certified 2010 GL-450. It would sometimes decide that it didn't want to go into park. My wife was parked on the highway adjusting a child seat and she called terrified and said she reached in the back seat after putting it in park and it began to roll forward back onto the interstate. It was either a faulty sensor or dead battery if I remember correctly it was covered under warranty but this is not an issue that should be able to happen and I hope we don't see more of these shifting problems.

your issue is different and is caused by the parking pawl not engaging. it is usually the aux battery going weak or dead.

I have something . I got no drive or reverse.

Your tranny intelligent servo (ism) needs to be checked. They do quit.

I been read around think it might be the valve body conductor plate.

it could be. but unlikely as a tcu/ conductor plate issue will also most likely result in loss of forward gears/ bad shifting patterns.

the same functionality in star/das that will check your ism will also bring up additional diagnostic codes that can determine source of issues.

I think you're on to something because when I was driving the vehicle it just lost drive power and slowly rolled to a dead stop.

car needs to be read with star/ das. there are least 5 things off the top of my head that i can think of that will cause loss of gear engagement.