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Stuck in park: why it happens, the definitive fix with modifications
Greetings from Melbourne, Australia.
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There is much on this forum and others about the 'stuck in park' issue, including a great writeup with instructions on how to remove the console cover then get under the car, remove a few brackets and disconnect the shifter from the transmission control rod. I can't find this post now but THANKS to the author for a brilliant set of instructions.
Then it's a matter of tearing into the shifter to replace the lever. Pretty easy overall really. Be very careful of all the little terminal blocks and ribbon cables under the console. They are lightweight things.
Time to give something back to the MB home mechanic community. This is my first post but as all members should be, I am indebted to the users on this site and others.
I didn't realise that the plastic lever inside the shifter in mine was about to break; in hindsight it had been hard to shift out of park, often sticking until it became totally stuck one day; I only just manage to get it out to move the car to my office where I read up on the issue and ordered the new lever from German Auto Tech, an ebay seller. More on this in a minute.
If your shifter is getting sticky in park; not coming out smoothly, ACT on it now or you WILL be stranded one day.
This ebay seller has made the new lever on a 3D printer I think. The key point is that they are thicker where the old ones break - see the old broken one in the photo. The new one was 2 mm thicker where the old one broke. There are aluminium ones for sale but I don't think they're necessary.
BUT the key thing is the radius where the end of the screwdriver is, in the picture.
The new bit I bought did not have enough of a smooth radius to be able to click back into place against the top of the solenoid in the shifter. I solved it easily by filing a smooth radius; check that it sits back neatly on the top of the solenoid against the pressure of the little spring underneath.
Assemble the shifter back together with plastic grease or silicon spray on all the moving parts.
Why do they break?
There's very little pressure on them. The key thing, I think, is to put your foot on the brake, WAIT a second for the solenoid to engage the lever and allow clear space for the shifting mechanism to move, then take it out of park.
If you put your foot on the brake while simultaneously moving the shifter, I think you can trip it up inside and somehow put undue pressure on that little lever.
So: foot on brake, then count 'one cat and dog' to yourself quickly (remember the old kids' counting seconds game... THEN move the lever.
This allows the half second or so for the solenoid and lever to sort themselves out. There is a fractional second's delay between foot-on-brake and the solenoid engaging.
Put your ear down to the console - you can hear the solenoid clicking after a slight delay.
Many thanks for your post. This explains why I am experiencing the very same problem. Like you mentioned, it does take a bit of a pause to allow the solenoid to do it’s thing, but rather than be eventually stranded, I am taking your advise and will swap out the part. Thanks again!
FWIW, the selector lever is also available in aluminum for added peace of mind: Search the UK and German Ebay sites for cheapest prices. Heaps of vendors selling them.
In 2016 I purchased the aluminium part from this guy in Bulgaria via eBay. One of the cheapest I found at the time, the guy was good to deal with and the part was well made and worked!
Hi there. I'm having trouble getting my SL350 Shifter box out so I can solve the 'stuck in park' problem...
I have the box loose :-)
But how do you remove the shifter box linkage pin ?
There's very little room to work from the inside - yet I've read that it can and has been done.
What do I have to do?
Does anyone one have a parts explosion diagram that shows how the the linkage fits to the shifter box lever which sticks out the bottom of the shifter box?
I'm trying to be patient here! I don't want to go charging in and use force where I don't need to...
m10279- Better bite the bullet and figure out how to lift the car to get access from underneath. Once you get a look at it, you'll see why it can't be done from inside. If somehow you do manage to undo it, and you drop the link going to the transmission, you'll have to lift it anyways. Work safe!
09-08-2018, 02:35 AM
