Gear Slector Problem

[mcpherlj]

Help ! My gear selector keeps jumping from Drive or Reverse into P when I apply the foot brake. Seems to happen when I am manoevering the car, eg when reversing or coming up to rest at a junction. I cannot reverse the car out of my drive because the gears keep shifting into P as I apply the brake. Basically I am stranded unless anyone has a suggestion. I have just returned from a 100 mile+ drive and all was well until I got home and needed to go out to refuel.
Its a 4-year old CLS63 AMG

 

[brucemillar]

Are all doors including boot properly shut.

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[mcpherlj]

Gear Selector Problem

Thanks Bruce, I've checked all doors, boot and bonnet. All are properly closed and there are no warnings or alarms on the dash.
The problem has not gone away, though I was able to get down to the garage by driving carefully, ie by only braking gently. Regards

 

[brucemillar]

Something in my rusty brain said that there is a safety feature that can do this if the car detects an open door.

Have you played with any of the onboard menus prior to this? Failing that I can't help much. Sorry.

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[mcpherlj]

Gear Selector Problem

Thanks again Bruce. I know from experience that you cant lock the doors unless P has been pressed, so there is a safety connection. No, didn't touch any of the onboard menus, it just started as I was arriving home.

 

[brucemillar]

A long shot here. Open each door and check the door pin switches operate the internal lights by pushing them closed with your finger.

I am assuming it uses door pin switches. It could be a duff switch that thinks a door is open.

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[mcpherlj]

Gear Selector Problem

There are no door pin switches, but have checked each door and the interior light works normally. Thanks again. I'll get there eventually !

 

[mcpherlj]

Faulty Ignition Switch

The gear selector malfunction I previously reported was due to a faulty ignition switch (EZS).
My local Mercedes specialist has replaced it and all is now working normally. Mercedes Xentry Tips reports that electronic ignition switch is not recognised, automatic transmission shifts to "Automatic P" before vehicle comes to a stop at speeds below 6 km/h, which is exactly what was happening with my CLS. My Mercedes specialist currently has several EZS to replace so this is not an uncommon problem, model series 166, 204(GLK only), 212, 218, and 246 with automatic transmission are all affected pre-05/2012 production date. For AMG model series 218 vehicles with VIN numbers as of ...*A090383 should not be affected - my car was unluckily right in the middle of those affected.
Mercedes are clearly well aware of the problem. Under certain circumstances there could be safety implications, so why weren't these vehicles subject to a recall ? My own vehicle is just 8 months out of warrantee with only 16,000 miles on the clock, so I will be contacting MB to claim back the £360 cost of the replacement part.
For information, model series with VIN numbers prior to the following are likely to be affected :
166...*A206996, 204...*G103135, 212...*A776831, 246...*J153923 and 246...*N051707.

 

[mcpherlj]

Error - affected models should read post-05/2012 production date.

 

[jfhuk]

Error - affected models should read post-05/2012 production date.

Are the serial numbers quoted prior or after the numbers shown?

 

[mcpherlj]

Faulty Ignition Switch

Serial numbers after those quoted are not likely to be affected so the problem exists in vehicles between the 05/2012 production date and the model VIN serial numbers quoted.