JamesMBZ

The issue is that once in D you can't shift into P, or get it past N. However, if you remove the foot off the brake and apply the parking brake it shifts into N, R, and P. In addition, the car will not start using the keyless go function(button) on the shift knob. The message on the display says "vehicle not in park, when it is in fact in park. When using the traditional key start, the shifter does reflect the actual gear it is in on the cluster display.
I have replaced the part you referenced before on a 2001 CL500 before, so I'm quite aware of that behavior but thank you for the thought.

MikeJ65

Pretty sure it is the problem I outlined in post #23. Read codes and you will know.

Sozo

I have this exact same problem. Had the car almost 2 years and learned to live with it. As described to move from D to P I just make sure not to mash the brake pedal all the way and I get back to P easily (I guess the secret is not to force the shifter up or down with the brake pedal fully depressed, afraid of damaging something else). I also get the red message display for a moment when I open the door, or most of the time when I try keyless go start. Interestingly, once in a blue moon the keyless go button on the shift knob will start the car, but 90% of the time it doesn't - so I'm sure it's an issue with some electrical connection working very intermittently. So as I said, I just learned to live with it and use the key to start the car almost all the time, and otherwise don't think about it. I don't expect this will strand me anywhere - unlike some other things that might (and one day probably will). Will be an issue though if I decide to sell the car one day, and if I think about it too much it can be annoying to know I have a car that can't do things it should, without an expensive repair.

JamesMBZ

Jim, did the shifter switch solve your problem? Exactly the same problem here. I can use the parking brake to get it to shift into park. Or a light tap on the brake pedal and release, then a quick shift will do it. The shifter does reflect the actual gear it is in when driving on the cluster display, however, the keyless go will not function, as when I try to start it with KG, the cluster display in red letters "says car not in park", when it clearly is. I'm leaning towards the ESM board opitcals as in post #23(thanks for pointing that out.

JamesMBZ

Found this video, interesting regarding the process we are speaking about..