2003 S430
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2020
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2003 S430
2003 S430
I'm a new member, and looking for information on the Electronic Selector Lever Module Control Unit. Selector locked in PARK. No new ones available from MB. Love the car and don't want to send it to a salvage yard.
Last edited by Miller770; Jun 8, 2020 at 10:48 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,475
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From: Ball Ground, GA (N of Atlanta)
2003 S500 2007 GL450
Welcome to the Forum.
This is a very common problem on the W220. There is a small plastic safety lever inside the shifter that is solenoid-operated to hold the lever in PARK until the brake pedal is pressed. The two common failure modes are:
- The plastic lever breaks, and won't release the shift lever. Replacement is within the abilities of a reasonably good DIY owner. There are three different levers that have been used, with no way to tell which you have until you disassemble the shifter. You can buy a kit that includes all three for a reasonable price on line. Or, you can remove the safety lever, and the shift lever can be moved from PARK without pushing the brake pedal - just as was standard for many years. There are many write-ups and videos on this problem - Google is your friend.
- The brake light switch might have failed.
This is a very common problem on the W220. There is a small plastic safety lever inside the shifter that is solenoid-operated to hold the lever in PARK until the brake pedal is pressed. The two common failure modes are:
- The plastic lever breaks, and won't release the shift lever. Replacement is within the abilities of a reasonably good DIY owner. There are three different levers that have been used, with no way to tell which you have until you disassemble the shifter. You can buy a kit that includes all three for a reasonable price on line. Or, you can remove the safety lever, and the shift lever can be moved from PARK without pushing the brake pedal - just as was standard for many years. There are many write-ups and videos on this problem - Google is your friend.
- The brake light switch might have failed.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2008
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Mercedes
the car will be able to shift out of park At any time , even when the car is off , but if you have no children in the car and you are caReful this shouldn’t be an issue
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2020
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2003 S430
Thank you all. We found one but the computer would not recognize it. Could not determine how to change the code on the "new" one so they took both apart, used my basic unit, installed the plastic piece from the "new" one, and rebuilt mine. Computer accepted it and all is working great.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,475
Likes: 439
From: Ball Ground, GA (N of Atlanta)
2003 S500 2007 GL450
The shifter is one of the four "theft relevant" parts, and it is tied to the VIN - an owner or an independent shop can't change it, and it is difficult and expensive for a dealer to do so.
