C200 1999 Auto Gear shift locked in Park position

[BenBen]

Could someone please help. I took my car for valeting which included washing the engine. After it was all done, the selector lever would not move. I checked the owners handbooks and found a section that detailed how to release the selector lever but even then the car drives in one gear and the dashboard light that shows the selected is lit but blank. As soon as the lever is shifted to Park it locks again. I have owned the car since new and it has never given any problem before (the engine had never been washed either)

 

[television]

You have water in the electrics and not easy to work out where, it could be anything from a speed signal to DAS. I suggest that you remove all of the covers and check for water

 

[BenBen]

Thank you. Iam not familiar with terms like DAS or speed signal. Maybe if I could get a wiring diagram I might be able to work out the most likely places to check.

 

[television]

Thank you. Iam not familiar with terms like DAS or speed signal. Maybe if I could get a wiring diagram I might be able to work out the most likely places to check.

There is no such thing as a wiring diagram for you car, DAS = Drive authorization system,

The car needs a speed signal for it to run,without it everything locks up as a safety device.
water could be in any of the fuse boxes or indeed in the speed sensor off side front wheel

 

[BenBen]

Thanks Senior. I left the car at the valet centre. Tomorrow I shall try to check all the fuse boxes and the thing (sensor) in the wheel that you mentioned (if I can identify it)

 

[television]

Thanks Senior. I left the car at the valet centre. Tomorrow I shall try to check all the fuse boxes and the thing (sensor) in the wheel that you mentioned (if I can identify it)

Do check out what you can, when you have done what you can, try and start the car again and drive for a bit,even if locked to 2nd gear, it could dispel some of the water

I wish you luck and best wishes on solving it.

 

[BenBen]

Hi,
I looked where I could and found nothing. I intend to check fuse boxes more thoroughly tomorrow. Does anyone know which fuse box I should concentrate on?

 

[television]

045 and 080 in the link. Have you tried to start it again

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb1.as...722.602&GM=717.417717.418&CT=F&Cat=45H&SID=54

 

[BenBen]

I drove it back to my house (about 5 miles) in heavy traffic stuck in one gear. Afterwards I thought it might have sorted itself out to no avail. Thanks for helping out.

 

[television]

You have a SAM module in 45, those boxes are known to leak water without washing the engine

 

[chelsw6]

If you know some one with a compresser blow all the places where water could be trapped.

 

[BenBen]

Hey Senior, thanks for all the advice/help...but what does SAM stand for? Someone told me that the gearbox may need to be reset, is this true?

 

[television]

Hey Senior, thanks for all the advice/help...but what does SAM stand for? Someone told me that the gearbox may need to be reset, is this true?

SAM = Signal acquisition module it is a point where many circuits meet and are used together, you should really look under this one for water.

This has nothing to do with a gearbox re set, it is as I said that you have a speed signal missing/ shorted

 

[BenBen]

Thanks a lot. Are there known issues with the speed sensors. (I mean, should I look for anything specific)

 

[television]

There is one post on the forum re the speed sensor where the guy high pressure wash his wheels and had the same problem, its built into the off side wheels hub


http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...417717.418&CT=F&cat=45H&SID=54&SGR=663&SGN=22

 

[Uppo]

It may or may not help, but have you tried Disconnecting the Battery?
If not, Disconnect it for about 5 Minutes, reconnect it, then try. Hope this helps,

Regards,

Terry.

 

[BenBen]

I have now ascertained that all fuses are OK. There is no water in any of the fuse boxes. And, yes, I tried disconnecting the battery for a while, it didn't work. I am just about to start on the speed sensors. How do I know which one is faulty? (I still think that the original problem was caused by water)

 

[television]

Who is responsible for this at the end of the day

 

[BenBen]

Hi,
Thanks guys out there. I eventually took my car to Mercedes Benz for a checkout. They replaced the 'gear selector' for £500 and everything appears to be fine. Thanks again.

 

[BenBen]

Sorry I forgot to mention that Mercedes said they had found water in the selector!