antx227

2003 SL500 is stuck in my driveway due to the gear stick stuck on Park. I did a lot of research and to find out it is the cheap plastic piece inside the gear box that is broken. I've taken the center console out before and I know I need to put the stick on N or D before I can remove it. I've been doing the hammer trick all day and I can not get it to budge! Once I get it to move I can do everything myself, but for the life of me I can't get it to move down. I've hit it so hard to the point where the top of the rod is getting flattened from all the pounding. I've hit it while I'm shaking it down, left and right and nothing. Is there any other way of bringing it down without cutting it? Any help would be great... I need my car and I don't want to get ripped off at the shop! TIA

nate.miller86

LOL Ripped off from the as i own one.

this may help you unstick it this is the shift interlock cable there is a lever at the end of the cable next to the shifter and the interlock my be faulty good luck.
2003 Mercedes Benz SL 500 (230.475) V8-5.0L (113.963) Shift Interlock Cable Service and Repair, Removal and Replacement: AR27.60-P-0122R Remove/Install Ignition Lock Control Cable Help

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Philip317

Hi Antx

I had that problem too with my SL 350 (2004 model) but it proved to be part of a greater problem with the transmission. My SL ended up sticking in gear while car in motion, failing to shift up automatically and then the real stunner failing to react or have traction when accelerator was applied ie. loss of power. I eventually had to sue MB and won. They denied that it was an MB problem saying I was causing the problem, yet I was able to prove with the assistance of 3 other witnesses that it was indeed an MB problem which they have been aware of as far back as 1996. There is a great guy in St Helier, Jersey(Channel Islands) by the name of Andrew Ruellan of Ruellans Garage - he is an independent MB specialist who know the story behind all the problems MB has been aving with theses transmissions ie. 722.6. My advice is to get him to help you - he is the best

If I can be if further help you are welcome to contact me further because I have spent 7 years fighting MB and I know all their dirty tricks - even caught them trying to interfere with one of my witnessesTake care

Philip

antx227

My problem isn't that... Mine is just a basic problem that happens to a lot of Mercedes. I still can't get the damn gear to go down... If there is anyone in the San Francisco area that wants to make some extra cash that can take care of it let me know! If not I need to get it towed to the stealership!

nate.miller86

The picture that i sent shows the shift interlock you can bypass it to shift it down

antx227

How do I get to it without being able to take apart the center console? Tia!

nate.miller86

You should be able to remove the plastic covers to get in there to release the shifter and the be able to remove the rest of the center consol it's tuff but I have done it

ryho

I have the exact same problem as antx227. I see the part you describe, the shift interlock cable...what I don't understand is when you say you can 'bypass it', do you mean to disconnect the cable? or is there a lever of some sort in the general area to bypass it?

Thanks!

trimix

When you remove the shifter be real careful not to ruin the pins on the keyless button. They are real fragile and will break in the shifter knob.

Trimix

nate.miller86

There is a lever of some sort at the end of the cable by the shifter once you release it and remove the rest of the center console you will be able to figure out how to just bypass the shift interlock or replace it

robunicu

alright. if its stuck in park because the plastic arm inside the shifter assembly broke then you will not be able to move it out of park to get the wood trim out. so you have 3 options

1. Break the wood trim, remove shifter, replace the plastic piece inside shifter then get new wood piece.

2. Put a pipe around the shifter lever and bend the shifter back about 2 inches. that gives you just enough room to remove the wood trim. problem is that the shifter might break.

3. Break the shifter lever, remove wood trim, replace shifter assembly. problem is that the shifter assembly is coded to ECU/Ignition so new one has to be purchased from dealer.. (there are a few ways around it tho')

the situation you are in sucks.. i replaced quite a few shifters on r230 and i havent found a way around it

eddybeek

ESM disassembly is solved without any damage to the center console!!anyone with the same problem let me know.

pdjv

So is this problem peculiar to early R230 cars, or should I be worried about the potential for this to happen to my 2008 SL55?

ChicagoDMD

My shifter is starting to get stiff and Im waiting for the part to arrive,

in the meanwhile, how do I leave the car in neutral and remove the key?

antx227

This guy Eddybeek is a pure GENIUS! He lives in a different continent and he helped me step by step of how to get the ESM out and remove the broken plastic piece. The guy literally went out of his way to help me remove it by email step by step and with pictures. Of course if the "hammer" trick does not work there is another way of going about it without having to break anything! I will do a complete write up with pictures real soon... Seems like an ongoing problem with these SL's. Thank you EDDYBEEK! My complete step by step write up with pictures will be credited to you!

con3razd808

i have a 96 S320 that had a steering lock issue..they did the "drill the hole to push th locking pin and all that but in the process ignition came completly apart so he just removed the slide lock altogether.. car starts steering is not locked anymore..problem solved--except now i can't get it out of park......... HELP PLease!!!is there a way to disconect the shift lock?? i don't care perminently or not.. THANKS please e-mail me @ con3razd808@gmail.com

antx227

Wish I can help you with this one, but I only know how to do it for my model benz. I'm sure if you post a new thread in the S320 forum you'll find plenty of help. Good luck bro!

silver928

Just had the shift interlock replaced on our 2003 sl500. Had noticed it getting hard to shift out of park and after reading this thread, took it in to local MB dealer and sure enough, it was on its way out. $1200 ( covered 100% by extended warranty) and now shifts smooth as glass. My wife drives the SL and she hadn't realized it was getting bad. Won't have been good if she got stuck in park somewhere while out!

manilatiger

Hello, I bought a working shifter assembly for my R230 from ebay. I had them replace it locally and it won't work. The authorized dealer says you cannot simply replace it and it requires computer configuration and original part. The part is an original second hand part. Would appreciate anyone's advise. Thank you.

seven_out

Did someone properly diagnose this problem and determine your original shifter assembly was the problem? Because something as simple as a brake pedal switch or fuse could cause your problem.

Your dealer may be right. I believe a new shifter assembly must be "initialized", and a used one may need to be in some cases.

You may need the SDS (Star Diagnosis System). Given just 10 minutes someone with a $300 Chinese-cloned or other SDS PC can accurately pinpoint the precise cause of your problem and perform any necessary initializations and adaptations.

wjam

Hi antx227
Did you ever write this up?? I am currently trying to find a way to get the console over the damn lever. I have a friend who was a Mercedes mechanic and he tells me the mallet procedure normally works to get the car out of park, so I'll revisit that tomorrow.. But if someone knows a better way I'd love to hear it.
Thanks in advance!

Omar Salehi

My c350 is stuck in park and the yellow plastic piece or “override” switch doesn’t release it either. I have to let the car warm up, then press the brakes numerous times while Simultaneously pressing the yellow switch and trying to shift the gear down at the same time. Then after about 10 min or so it will slip into gear and I can move. Sometimes if I’m in a parking lot and I want to reverse park it will get stuck for a bit but sometimes it will go right into gear like normal. Can someone please help me resolve the situation your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

ualgrizz

I second that...did anyone write this up. My sl500 was stuck in park as well. Managed to get it in drive while playing with it. I am afraid to put it in park again. In the interim i left it in drive. However, I cannot remove the key. Will this drain the battery?

White Spyder

Don’t have this issue with my 03 it am wondering if I should do a pre-emptive bypass while the shifter is still operating correctly. What would you do or is there some other preventative maintenance that could be done?

Frederick NL

Someone on the forum suggested a sensible precautionary routine. To spare the plastic part, leave some time/space between pressing your brake and moving the stick out of P. This of course gives it time to get completely out of the way of the stick’s travel.