Direct selector not working - vehicle not in position P
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 173
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From: UK
Mercedes R320L CDI 4MATIC 2007
There is a good chance you have to readapt the gearbox or ISM (intelligent servo module, which is shifting the gears on the gearbox). Can be done via star diagnosis.
I had similar issue, was playing with the gearbox adaptation (or ISM, can not remember exactly now) on my car R class merc, when the gearbox (or ISM) adaptation dropped, the engine was not cranking when wanting to start it up. Readapted it and all was back to normal again. If you got access to star diagnosis system, its not a big job to readapt it.
I had similar issue, was playing with the gearbox adaptation (or ISM, can not remember exactly now) on my car R class merc, when the gearbox (or ISM) adaptation dropped, the engine was not cranking when wanting to start it up. Readapted it and all was back to normal again. If you got access to star diagnosis system, its not a big job to readapt it.
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Joined: Aug 2019
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From: Hong Kong
ML500 (W164) 2006
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2008 Mercedes Benz Gl320
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 12
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From: Hong Kong
ML500 (W164) 2006
However, I think the root cause here was fixed by replacing the ABS sensors. Each of these sensors (1 each wheel I believe) have progressively failed over the last year and all caused drive select problems before they were replaced! Almost got stuck in a multi story car park when the car wouldn’t select drive!
I also did blow one of the main fuses which had to be fixed for this issue, likely when I changed the battery a couple times so perhaps also double check your fuses!
Hope this helps!
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From: Los Angeles
2009 SL550 Roadster Diamond White, 2008 CLK550 Coupe Obsidian Black
Do you remember which fuse was blown? I have same issue, can't change gears and showing vehicle not in Park. Before was only showing ISM codes and then also code sometimes that error reading ME-SFI as well. But I ran VGS learning as well and now vehicle won't start no gear is highlighted and keeps giving implausible error when running VGS learning. I've changed both batteries and have on trickle charger to keep fully charged as well. How did you determine it was ABS sensors? I have no ABS lights or warning. Only thing I am wondering is, I had care taken for service including engine oil, differential oil, and, transmission oil, but also front brake pads and rotors replaced. When I left the shop, the car began vibrating very badly when braking vehicle. I went back couple days later once they got replacement rotors in and they had very hard time getting driver side rotor off. As well, once I left, I went to tire shop for balancing and that's when first Visit Workshop Without Changing Gears message came on when tried to put in park so I turned car on and off and everything was ok, but they had very hard time taking off two bolts for front driver side wheel and once I left and got home again could not put car in reverse or park and got Visit Workshop Without Changing Gears message.
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Solution??
Have you found a solution to the error? The same thing happens to me, I can't start the car, I get a failure in the ISM, and it whistles on the dashboard to go to the workshop without changing gears.
Do you remember which fuse was blown? I have same issue, can't change gears and showing vehicle not in Park. Before was only showing ISM codes and then also code sometimes that error reading ME-SFI as well. But I ran VGS learning as well and now vehicle won't start no gear is highlighted and keeps giving implausible error when running VGS learning. I've changed both batteries and have on trickle charger to keep fully charged as well. How did you determine it was ABS sensors? I have no ABS lights or warning. Only thing I am wondering is, I had care taken for service including engine oil, differential oil, and, transmission oil, but also front brake pads and rotors replaced. When I left the shop, the car began vibrating very badly when braking vehicle. I went back couple days later once they got replacement rotors in and they had very hard time getting driver side rotor off. As well, once I left, I went to tire shop for balancing and that's when first Visit Workshop Without Changing Gears message came on when tried to put in park so I turned car on and off and everything was ok, but they had very hard time taking off two bolts for front driver side wheel and once I left and got home again could not put car in reverse or park and got Visit Workshop Without Changing Gears message.
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From: Los Angeles
2009 SL550 Roadster Diamond White, 2008 CLK550 Coupe Obsidian Black
No solution yet. I still believe the brake job somehow screwed things up. Eventually while looking for CAN distributor blocks, I was trying to remove the floor carpet in the drivers seat area from under the footwell. As I was moving some of it off, I heard some electronics switching and realized all the power went out in the vehicle and when I went to look at my attached battery tender, it showed the battery short icon as lit and had stopped charging. So I put everything back as I was not able to remove it the floor covering and seems normal now. I think something was disturbed under there when the brake job was conducted. Maybe a bad ground or connection, I'm going to have to take a deeper look. I got a larger battery tender (Original was NOCO GENIUS5 and returned and got the GENIUS10 since it has a power supply mode), but I believe it's not providing enough juice to run the module calibration. I'm hoping that's the issue and my fear that the ISM got damaged because of the bad vibrations going through the vehicle after the poor brake job. Haven't had the chance, but at this point, I'm just going to somehow tow it to a Mercedes specialist I know, not a general mechanic. I'm hoping with his DAS and a larger power supply he can relearn the ISM and VGS properly to the vehicle.
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Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 393
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From: Ontario, Canada
2006 ML500, 2008 ML350
There is a good chance you have to readapt the gearbox or ISM (intelligent servo module, which is shifting the gears on the gearbox). Can be done via star diagnosis.
I had similar issue, was playing with the gearbox adaptation (or ISM, can not remember exactly now) on my car R class merc, when the gearbox (or ISM) adaptation dropped, the engine was not cranking when wanting to start it up. Readapted it and all was back to normal again. If you got access to star diagnosis system, its not a big job to readapt it.
I had similar issue, was playing with the gearbox adaptation (or ISM, can not remember exactly now) on my car R class merc, when the gearbox (or ISM) adaptation dropped, the engine was not cranking when wanting to start it up. Readapted it and all was back to normal again. If you got access to star diagnosis system, its not a big job to readapt it.
Thank you
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Los Angeles
2009 SL550 Roadster Diamond White, 2008 CLK550 Coupe Obsidian Black
Sorry, I know it's an old post. I have the same issue with my beloved ML500. No crank no start. Gear Selector acting up. Used Foxwell to activate ISM, all actuations performed well except Charging Spring Accumulator, it returned "the actuation was not okay". Would this be the cause of no crank no start? And does it mean I have to replace the ISM.
Thank you
Thank you
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 393
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From: Ontario, Canada
2006 ML500, 2008 ML350
That's where my problem originally started too. Couldn't perform the charging spring actuation. Then somehow, I believe from battery/voltage issue as I then replaced both batteries, the ISM then showed as not learned and would not go through even the calibration process properly leaving the car stuck in Park. Then I tried, based on posts I found on some other international forum, to try VGS adaption as well and it failed and keeps failing once trying Reverse gear and now because VGS is reset it no longer starts even the car.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Los Angeles
2009 SL550 Roadster Diamond White, 2008 CLK550 Coupe Obsidian Black
It is the transmission control unit and controls things such as gear selection and shift timing. It is in the transmission housing.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 393
Likes: 10
From: Ontario, Canada
2006 ML500, 2008 ML350
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,085
Likes: 59
From: Los Angeles
2009 SL550 Roadster Diamond White, 2008 CLK550 Coupe Obsidian Black
It's not the same as ISM. The ISM is the unit that takes the electronic signals from the electrical shifter mounted on the steering column and turns them into mechanical signals, which then tell the transmission what to do. Since the shifter in the vehicle is electronic, but the shifter on the transmission itself is mechanical, the ISM acts as the go between the two. Later model vehicles the ISM was changed to a new version called DSM and the internals were updated (Instead of being gear driven the electrical motor's movement of the positioning, it was changed to a belt driven design). The VGS is inside the actual transmission and controls the transmission functionality.
I'm coming to believe my issue is also having to do with the wheel speed sensors as the OP had. The reason I believe this is because of a post I found on another forum (Even though his vehicle had temperamental starting issues while mine started with temperamental ISM issues).
https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/i...ervice.198909/
He had a similar sequence of events as me: Took vehicle in for a Service A, transmission service, as well as brake job. His solution was to replace all 4 wheel sensors and a relay in the front SAM (I tested that relay in my vehicle and it's working fine).
I'm coming to believe my issue is also having to do with the wheel speed sensors as the OP had. The reason I believe this is because of a post I found on another forum (Even though his vehicle had temperamental starting issues while mine started with temperamental ISM issues).
https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/i...ervice.198909/
He had a similar sequence of events as me: Took vehicle in for a Service A, transmission service, as well as brake job. His solution was to replace all 4 wheel sensors and a relay in the front SAM (I tested that relay in my vehicle and it's working fine).
Last edited by gaazmon; Feb 6, 2025 at 06:29 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 393
Likes: 10
From: Ontario, Canada
2006 ML500, 2008 ML350
It's not the same as ISM. The ISM is the unit that takes the electronic signals from the electrical shifter mounted on the steering column and turns them into mechanical signals, which then tell the transmission what to do. Since the shifter in the vehicle is electronic, but the shifter on the transmission itself is mechanical, the ISM acts as the go between the two. Later model vehicles the ISM was changed to a new version called DSM and the internals were updated (Instead of being gear driven the electrical motor's movement of the positioning, it was changed to a belt driven design). The VGS is inside the actual transmission and controls the transmission functionality.
I'm coming to believe my issue is also having to do with the wheel speed sensors as the OP had. The reason I believe this is because of a post I found on another forum (Even though his vehicle had temperamental starting issues while mine started with temperamental ISM issues).
https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/i...ervice.198909/
He had a similar sequence of events as me: Took vehicle in for a Service A, transmission service, as well as brake job. His solution was to replace all 4 wheel sensors and a relay in the front SAM (I tested that relay in my vehicle and it's working fine).
I'm coming to believe my issue is also having to do with the wheel speed sensors as the OP had. The reason I believe this is because of a post I found on another forum (Even though his vehicle had temperamental starting issues while mine started with temperamental ISM issues).
https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/i...ervice.198909/
He had a similar sequence of events as me: Took vehicle in for a Service A, transmission service, as well as brake job. His solution was to replace all 4 wheel sensors and a relay in the front SAM (I tested that relay in my vehicle and it's working fine).
