R230 SL55 Stuck in Park

titch

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Hi All,

I've lost the will to live.:cry: It feels like my car is continually fighting with me. I finally got round to sorting the battery issues on it and after just a couple of weeks the car is now stuck in Park. It starts absolutely fine and after reading some other posts on here it looks like a good place to start is the brake light sensor?

Any tips on changing? Is it a DIY job?

I'm seriously considering selling it after I've sorted this problem out. Shame as its almost like selling one of my children!?!? I visited Brentford MB yesterday and saw a tasty CL63. They offered me 9k for my 60k miles car..craaazy... (I would have let it go for 12k ;) )

Jay
 

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The brake lamp switch is possible, but so is the gear shift where this fault happens, its an expensive lump at £650, has the gear shift been getting harder or stiff to move on the odd occasion.
 
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titch

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The shifts have been absolutely fine. I haven't noticed any changes stiffness at all. Worrying times....
 

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Then do change the brake lamp switch, £12 and on the top of the brake pedal
 
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titch

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Thanks Malcolm. I'll order one now and give it a shot. Should be a straight forward job right...?
 

Richard44

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Just had the same prob fixed by Andy from PCD. Inside the gear selector is a plastic part that breaks, common prob with these cars. He replaced it with a metal one. Someone i think in sweden make them. This part only works when you press the brake down and it releases the gear selector. When they get stuck, you can try banging the gear selector over, and if it moves over, dont put it in park until its fixed, just put it in neutral and use the footbrake, thats what i had to do.
PCD phone number is; 07595 388188
 

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Just had the same prob fixed by Andy from PCD. Inside the gear selector is a plastic part that breaks, common prob with these cars. He replaced it with a metal one. Someone i think in sweden make them. This part only works when you press the brake down and it releases the gear selector. When they get stuck, you can try banging the gear selector over, and if it moves over, dont put it in park until its fixed, just put it in neutral and use the footbrake, thats what i had to do.
PCD phone number is; 07595 388188

It does not matter but they come from Australia, or they did and a good much cheaper option, good old Andy :D:D
 
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titch

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I was at Mercedes at 9am sharp. I got the replacement switch. Installed it by 940am and hey presto... the SL was alive again. Thanks for the help. The switch took all of 5 minutes to change.

Anyway, took the car for a spin and thought I'd stop by for a refuel and guess what?! Now the filler cap is refusing to open. Locked, unlocked using the key fob, waited for 10 mins tried again and no joy. Tried using the switch in the car and still nothing. Was seconds away from soaking the car in petrol and setting it alight. :mad:

Doesn't help as the trip computer leaves just 6 miles of fuel left... Please somebody, put me out of my misery
 

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Stand by the cap when you lock and unlock, can you here a click, if so then the catch stuck and you can get to it by removing the trim at the top on the inside. You can buy a new catch. No click means the vacuum element has failed.
 

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That has to be the darkest video I have seen...he needed a torch...I couldn't make much of it out

Sent from my SM-P605 using Tapatalk 4
 
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titch

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Thanks Malcolm. Got the filler open. Just being a bit temperamental I think. Going to start filling up when I have a fair few miles left in the tank!
 

lovemerc

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Hi,

Would anyone be able to confirm that the brake light switch could still possibly be the cause if it intermittently gets stuck?

Mine does usually play up and today took a number of attempts to shift it into N.

I don't want to travel to Merc and back and replace it if my symptoms point to a different cause...

Thanks.
 

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When it sticks, have the ign on and gently push the brake pedal when holding the gear lever. If you can feel a feint click from the gear lever, it's not the switch, more likely the gear lever assm.
 

lovemerc

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When it sticks, have the ign on and gently push the brake pedal when holding the gear lever. If you can feel a feint click from the gear lever, it's not the switch, more likely the gear lever assm.

Excellent and spot on! I did hear the switch communicate to the gear stick exactly as you described.

I think my next step would to check the plastic gear shift selector? Do you think it's a DIY?

Thanks.
 

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Excellent and spot on! I did hear the switch communicate to the gear stick exactly as you described.

I think my next step would to check the plastic gear shift selector? Do you think it's a DIY?

Thanks.

Depends on how good you are with tools and you need to raise the car to disconnect the shift rod. You also need to move the gear lever to drive to do that.
 

lovemerc

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I'm fine with tools, so long as I have the correct ones to hand, and the shift is currently in N position so I can use the car until fixed.

I didn't think that the car would need raising and don't have a facility for that :(
 

beast900

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R230 (2005) SL350 Stuck in park only in cold temperatures

Hi There,

My 2005 Mercedes R230 SL350 has started to get stuck in park, but only on cold mornings around -2 degrees.

I know this can be either the brake switch, or that the small plastic piece has broken within the gear shifter housing.

Before I change the brake switch, or attempt to remove the gear shifter housing, I was wondering if anyone else has or has had this problem? The car is always ok around 11am when the temperature warms up a few degrees.

I have made sure the auxiliary / consumer battery is also fully charged and healthy which has had no affect.

Does anyone have any pictures, video's or step by step guides on how to remove the gear stick housing to gain access to this plastic pin?

I have been searching around the forums but no joy so far.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards

Antony
 

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This one is not that easy. I do not think the brake lamps switch is causing this, the brake lamp switch usually gives a permanent lock up with other warnings, but at £12 and easy to change do try it.

To remove the selector the shift rods have to be disconnected from under the car, then the shift box can be lifted out. You can buy the faulty part on line for just over £100 and it comes with full instructions, I can give you the info to get it out.
 

beast900

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Hi Malcolm,

thanks for the quick reply,

have you ever come across this problem before?

I think you are probably right about the brake switch, but for around £10 its probably worth a go.

I did have a lot of water under the passenger carpet, back in the summer which I managed to sort out (with your help), I don't suppose any of this could be linked, due to the car being damp etc?

if you can send me the "how to" that would be very much appreciated.

Best Regards

Antony
 

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