W204 c250 cdi

[pembssurf]

Apologies for this not being in technical but the iPhone app won't let me start a thread there. I every time I drive the 2013 C250 CDI Auto W204 I have a strange issue where I pull up to a junction or stop in traffic I like to put it in park (note I do not use the HOLD feature on the brake nor the Eco start stop) 50% of the time when I go to pull off with the traffic flow again the car will not get into drive. It will move out of park with the foot on the foot brake as usual and as far as reverse but no further than that. I to resolve it I either have to drive a few feet back in reverse or put back in park switch off and then on again. My Mrs who is the daily driver of this says this has never happened to her before but yet I seem to have it happen to me every time I drive. This is my 5th Mercedes Auto had the only time it's ever happened to me is on this car. Highly annoying sat with traffic beeping behind you and not being able to move. I just made a YouTube video demo with the issue.. see this: https://youtu.be/q8G9FT3HR5Y

 

[pembssurf]

Car is approved use with1 year Mercedes warranty so if there is a potential issue I would like to get it sorted soon!

 

[GeeJayW]

I had a similar sort of problem with our 2015 C220D AMG Sport Premium Coupe (C204). Though in ours it wouldn't pull back as far as R.

If you lift the gearshift cover clear of the tunnel (I could just pop it out using my fingernails, though a credit card might do it), there is a yellow button that when pressed releases the selector lever. The button is connected to the end of the release solenoid, which in our case was getting stuck randomly.

I eventually got hold of some silicone WD40 and 'injected' this into the mechanism and that freed it up. It never got stuck again.

If you sit on the drive, lift the selector cover as described above, switch on the ignition, turn the fans, radio etc. off. Press your foot on and off the brake and you should just be able to hear the solenoid clicking. It's pretty quiet. You'll also hear the micro switch on the brake pedal. If you actuate the brake pedal whilst injecting the WD40, it helps to work it into the mechanism.

Good luck.

 

[foxy52]

Car is approved use with1 year Mercedes warranty so if there is a potential issue I would like to get it sorted soon!

Pembs...get it back to the dealers sharpish !!.. foxy52

 

[reason42]

... snip...I every time I drive the 2013 C250 CDI Auto W204 I have a strange issue where I pull up to a junction or stop in traffic I like to put it in park (note I do not use the HOLD feature on the brake nor the Eco start stop) 50% of the time when I go to pull off with the traffic flow again the car will not get into drive. ..snip...

Why on Earth are you putting it into park when at junctions/traffic? Are you getting out of the car and directing traffic?!!!!

Automatics are not designed for this constant switching between drive and park. Change your habbits. Use the technology in the car designed for the sole purpose of stop/start driving such as traffic and junctions.

There still may be some other issue - though you said your wife does not report it - does she drive the auto properly or, if I may be so bold, incorrectly like you?

 

[jon.english68]

Sorry fella but it looks from your Video that it is user error not a problem with your car,

look at the quadrant where it says P-R-N-D the stick needs to follow the white lines on the quadrant,

from the look of it you are pulling the stick towards you to move out of Park which you need to do, but to get to Natural from Park you need to let the stick spring back to the left, then pull it back to N and then again let the stick spring back to the left to got from N to D,

from looking at the you tube clip it looks as if you are pulling the stick to the right when trying to move it past R to go to N, it wont move when pulled to the right.

 

[MancMike]

I've had that switch box off the car, it's all self contained apart from wires, there's no mechanical connection to the gearbox.

I think you've just worn it out prematurely by putting it in park at lights. That's bad news anyway, if someone rear ended you at lights, it'll snap the parking pawl then you'd be shunted into the car in front. Foot on brake, or brake hold is much better for that.

 

[Yugguy]

Why on Earth are you putting it into park when at junctions/traffic? Are you getting out of the car and directing traffic?!!!!

Automatics are not designed for this constant switching between drive and park. Change your habbits. Use the technology in the car designed for the sole purpose of stop/start driving such as traffic and junctions.

There still may be some other issue - though you said your wife does not report it - does she drive the auto properly or, if I may be so bold, incorrectly like you?

I will also put it in park, if it is going to be a while before I move. Or sometimes just pop it into neutral. I'm not sure it's quite the issue you are making it out to be. In fact some might argue it is better to have it in P than in D, holding on the brake and overheating the box...

 

[pembssurf]

Thanks for all the comments and replies. Really though this is my 5th auto c class and the first iv had such issues with. I did make a second video showing that no matter what way the stick is widdled or moved it will just not go into drive. Just to clarify I don't put it into park every 2 minutes, as I live out in Wild West Wales then putting it into park at traffic lights or junctions with a long queue. Realistically this is maybe perhaps once in every 20 mile run to work so not excessive enough to wear anything out on a 3 year old low mileage car I would not have thought.

Also avoid holding on the brake to ironically avoid auto box wear.

Back to the drawing board!