SL/R230: Stuck in Park can't shift Need help
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,411
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From: Socal, Chino
E55 2006 / CLS55 / S450 / Jag XKR2011
Stuck in Park can't shift Need help
Need help... car is 2009 SL550 90K miles. This morning was very cold and I can't shift the car from P.
However few attempt I could shifted. Took to my mechanic and changed the new metal lever in the shifter module.
Now something getting weird. Normally need to press brake in order to shift but now no need to push brake pedal and can shift to any gear.
I can drive like this but don't feel safe at all. My mechanic told me it's the solenoid causing this. Can anyone confirm is solenoid ? how many are there ?
Or is it the Trans Shift Lever ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/12491394509...kaAmrqEALw_wcB
I am not sure what's wrong and what to do at this point. The car shift fine but don't feel safe if accidently push to Reverse since no need to press Brake pedal at all.
Any advise please.
Thanks in advance.
However few attempt I could shifted. Took to my mechanic and changed the new metal lever in the shifter module.
Now something getting weird. Normally need to press brake in order to shift but now no need to push brake pedal and can shift to any gear.
I can drive like this but don't feel safe at all. My mechanic told me it's the solenoid causing this. Can anyone confirm is solenoid ? how many are there ?
Or is it the Trans Shift Lever ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/12491394509...kaAmrqEALw_wcB
I am not sure what's wrong and what to do at this point. The car shift fine but don't feel safe if accidently push to Reverse since no need to press Brake pedal at all.
Any advise please.
Thanks in advance.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 1,328
Likes: 365
From: Gretna, NE
'03 SL55 Black, '03 SL500's Aegean, Mars Red, Tazanite, Alabaster, '11 S550 Flint Gray
The solenoid is in the shifter and is what moves the release lever to allow you to shift out of park. I would suspect that the spring was not properly reattached to the lever and it is not locking the shifter. It might also be that the wrong lever was installed. The are different designs, so make sure that your mechanic had the right one. You cannot swap a used shifter, it is theft relevant and you car will not start with mismatched ECU, EIS, and ESM (shifter).
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,411
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From: Socal, Chino
E55 2006 / CLS55 / S450 / Jag XKR2011
The solenoid is in the shifter and is what moves the release lever to allow you to shift out of park. I would suspect that the spring was not properly reattached to the lever and it is not locking the shifter. It might also be that the wrong lever was installed. The are different designs, so make sure that your mechanic had the right one. You cannot swap a used shifter, it is theft relevant and you car will not start with mismatched ECU, EIS, and ESM (shifter).
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 1,328
Likes: 365
From: Gretna, NE
'03 SL55 Black, '03 SL500's Aegean, Mars Red, Tazanite, Alabaster, '11 S550 Flint Gray
To be clear, the solenoid is energized to release the lever. Since it is not locking in the first place, I seriously doubt it is a bad solenoid. It is actuated by the brake switch, so I suppose it is possible that the brake switch is stuck down. However, since you just did surgery on the shift lever, logic would point to that being the problem.
If you did need a solenoid, it is not offered as a service part, Mercedes only sells the complete shifter. You would have to identify it and try to find some generic equivalent, or get one from a used shifter. If the spring is lost, you should be able to find something that will work.
If you did need a solenoid, it is not offered as a service part, Mercedes only sells the complete shifter. You would have to identify it and try to find some generic equivalent, or get one from a used shifter. If the spring is lost, you should be able to find something that will work.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Socal, Chino
E55 2006 / CLS55 / S450 / Jag XKR2011
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Super Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 537
Likes: 116
From: Ann Arbor, MI
2004 SL600
If the internal plastic shift lever did break, be GLAD your shifter is not stuck in Park because it is then very difficult to remove the entire shifter.
This video might be useful (my link skips over the useless part of the video):
This video might be useful (my link skips over the useless part of the video):
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 69
From: Socal, Chino
E55 2006 / CLS55 / S450 / Jag XKR2011
My mechanic actually replaced the plastic thingy with metal part. However, he said part part was actually not broken. He even showed me the part....
Member
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 86
Likes: 17
SL500 R230
If he's replaced the plastic lever and the shift lever moves without pressing the brake pedal, he's put it together wrong. It needs to be checked for a feed to the solenoid inside the shifter box. If it has a live feed then the solenoid is faulty. If a faulty solenoid is replaced and the whole lot reassembled correctly, it should work as designed.
