W203 C-Class Stuck in Drive

[DR1VER]

Hi
I was moving a C240 V6 Elegance around the lot today and as I was manouvering it into a tight space (6 inches from a 10x10ft pane of glass) it got stuck in drive. The shifter still moves but seems to have come detached. Car obviously wont start now because it is in drive. Has this happened to anyone before?

 

[miro]

Hi
I was moving a C240 V6 Elegance around the lot today and as I was manouvering it into a tight space (6 inches from a 10x10ft pane of glass) it got stuck in drive. The shifter still moves but seems to have come detached. Car obviously wont start now because it is in drive. Has this happened to anyone before?

The only time it happened to me was then I detached the solenoid cable from shifter. I did so in order to work under the cable in the wiring tray.

The car did as you said.

Either it is the gear linkage or the solenoid cable. You can check the cable by removing the wood which is lifted from the very most front edge (what used to be just inside the ashtray area).

 

[Parrot of Doom]

On mine, P R and D are controlled by a huge great big mechanical linkage attached physically to the bottom of the gear selector. I don't know if yours is the same but its worth checking it hasn't come disconnected?

Its very easy to see on mine, you just have to remove the surround. It may even have come disconnected inside the gear selector unit, in which case you'd have to remove it and open her up.

 

[miro]

On mine, P R and D are controlled by a huge great big mechanical linkage attached physically to the bottom of the gear selector. I don't know if yours is the same but its worth checking it hasn't come disconnected?

Its very easy to see on mine, you just have to remove the surround. It may even have come disconnected inside the gear selector unit, in which case you'd have to remove it and open her up.

If it is the solenoid cable, I thought to myself, then the car will be in parked gear when the lever is in the P position regardless of the cluster display.

The engine still will not start because of the interlock for both to be actuated correctly but at least you will have an indication of where to look. If the gearbox is in P and it wont roll then you can limit your search to a replacement Bowens cable which connects the shifter to the ignition switch.

 

[DR1VER]

the car still rolls, I pushed it when the car was in 'P'.