W211 Gear Selector Issue's

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GuitarFreak

New Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
9
Location
Waterlooville
Car
W211 E280 Adventgarde
Hi all,

Newbie Mercedes owner here.
I'm really loving my 'magic carpet' W211 but it has started to develop a few 'quirks'.

One of which is some odd gear selector behaviour, I've tried searching the forum but not found anything similar to my issues.

I have an intermittent problem which seems to be happening more often than not now, where I am unable to move from N to R with my foot on the brake pedal. If I release the brake then I can move the lever to R without any problem, also as I have discovered if I engage hold and release the brake pedal I can move from N to R fine, it's only when my foot is physically on the brake pedal when I can't move the gear selector.

When I was playing around with the gear selector I actually found that even without this intermittent issue I have another permanent incorrect behaviour which is possibly related.
If I start in P, then I do have to press the brake to be able to move to R, as expected, but from here on in I can release the brake pedal and then can freely move the gear selector from R to N to D and then back through N, R and back to P again all without having the brake depressed.

The latest finding is that Tiptronic has stopped working too...

I've tried the ECU reset procedure but no change.
I only have a basic code reader and that has nothing.

Any idea's where I should start looking?
 
Hi,
Begin simple, so I would start by taking off the gear selector cover and see if anything is jamming the selector. Perhaps some coins have worked their way into the mechanism and are rolling around.
Next I would then see if any fault codes are stored. Do you have a code reader? Others may come along with some better suggestions.

Steve
 
I have taken off the cover and can't find anything obvious wrong, and if I lift off the brake pedal it immediately lets me move the shifter. So I don't think it is anything physical in the gear shifter itself.
I know that there is some interlock mechanism that should in theory prevent you from switching between positions unless you have your foot on the brake pedal, but I think something has gone wrong with the logic of how that interlock mechanism works but not sure how this interlocking mechanism is controlled.

Basic code reader only, but no codes stored.
 
The second fault is not a fault as far as I'm aware, once it's out of park you can go from d to n, n to r, r to d etc, just need to press the brake to get it out of park.
 
I am interested in this thread because I have the same issue with mine. I changed the brake light switch but it made no difference.
 
Hi,
I found this as below, does this help?

The shift selector module is an electronic shift or transmission range switch. It is monitored by the transmission control module, reporting the current gear, gear change requests and park or neutral. Due to location and frequency of use, this selector module fails over time. When it fails it can cause the transmission to miss shifts, remain in neutral or prevent the vehicle from starting (when park or neutral isn't seen). There are many fault codes associated with the module when it fails, so be sure to use a Mercedes-Benz scan tool to query the control module.

comes from here----more interesting reading.
Mercedes-Benz W211 Transmission Shift Module Replacement (2003-2009) E320, E500, E55 | Pelican Parts DIY Maintenance Article


Steve
 
GuitarFreak. Welcome!...
All the above is good info, you will find nothing but honest advice here from people who have lots of experience and often independant garages chip in with invaluable info.

So, here is my 'tuppence worth' after having lots of annoying transmission issues.
Have you had a look at the electrical connector at the bottom of the gearbox that runs under the car and into the passenger side?
These plugs tend to leak oil through the o rings. Amazing as it sounds it then 'wicks' up the cable into the TCM (Transmission Control Module), and soaks the electrics inside the box causing all sorts of strange behaviour.

To check the TCM, pull down the carpet from the top under the glovebox carefully. Under the carpet it a silver panel with 3 plastic bolts, poss 10mm. Undo these and remove the panel and the TCM is attached to the silver plate. If you run your fingers along the wires they may be wet and if they are then it's likely that the TCM will be wet too. This may be a good starting point in diagnosing your issue.

Having said that, Star diagnosis is the best way to pull codes and see what errors appear. A good "inde" garage will do this for a relatively acceptable price when compared to a dealership which have to charge standard rates that can be eye watering. If, like me, you have to run your 'magic carpet' on a tight budget!

Let us know how you get on. There are good breakers like Dronsfields or Three pointed parts if you need good used spares at a fraction of the cost price. My selector lever only cost £125 which was a bargain.
Good luck, I hope you get it sorted quickly.
 
Thanks all for the responses.

Maybe if I get a chance at the weekend I'll try to check out the potential electrical connector/TCM theory. I have seen these units available pretty cheaply, and it does sound like a likely candidate seeing as this has got progressively worse and then also the manual selection stopped working, so maybe my TCM has been swigging some oil...
 
Thanks for the offer Doggysitter. I was going to take a quick look at the TCU itself to see if there was any obvious signs of wicking, but alas the TCU on my 2006 facelift has gone AWOL.
I have looked where I was expecting to find it, as you described, passenger side under the carpet attached to the silver panel, but all I have attached to that panel is the Body Control Unit.
Anyone have any ideas where to look next?
 
From what you say, the only faults I see are going from n to r and the tiptronic issue.
Needs a session on star diagnostics.

If it's a v6 the tcu is part of the valve chest/speed plate inside gearbox. No external unit.
 
Thanks jaymanek, it is a v6 so I guess that puts the control unit inside the gearbox and back to star diag.
It's not a major problem the only problems are not going from N to R if the brake pedal is physically depressed (brake can be engaged using HOLD and can then going from N to R), and then the manual selection no longer works, but I don't really use this anyway.
But annoying all the same and as this has got steadily worse and more symptoms developing, there's always the concern of what will be the next thing to happen...
 
GuitarFreak said:
Hi all,

Newbie Mercedes owner here.
I'm really loving my 'magic carpet' W211 but it has started to develop a few 'quirks'.

One of which is some odd gear selector behaviour, I've tried searching the forum but not found anything similar to my issues.

I have an intermittent problem which seems to be happening more often than not now, where I am unable to move from N to R with my foot on the brake pedal. If I release the brake then I can move the lever to R without any problem, also as I have discovered if I engage hold and release the brake pedal I can move from N to R fine, it's only when my foot is physically on the brake pedal when I can't move the gear selector.

When I was playing around with the gear selector I actually found that even without this intermittent issue I have another permanent incorrect behaviour which is possibly related.
If I start in P, then I do have to press the brake to be able to move to R, as expected, but from here on in I can release the brake pedal and then can freely move the gear selector from R to N to D and then back through N, R and back to P again all without having the brake depressed.

The latest finding is that Tiptronic has stopped working too...

I've tried the ECU reset procedure but no change.
I only have a basic code reader and that has nothing.

Any idea's where I should start looking?
Click to expand...
I had a similar problem with my previous s211 E320CDI

I took it to a specialist who said it could be fixed by a a new gear selector mechanism (fly by wire)

He sourced one from a scrap car and hey presto it was fixed.

I do love the soft feel that fly by wire gives on the 211 series but I can't help but think that a conventional selector may have been a better long term solution
 
Hi, im new in this forum, my mb cls 2006 w219 have same fault unable to move from N to R with my foot on the brake pedal. If I release the brake then I can move the lever , is this fault can be fixed with new gear selector mechanism??? Thanks
 
Biltas said:
Hi, im new in this forum, my mb cls 2006 w219 have same fault unable to move from N to R with my foot on the brake pedal. If I release the brake then I can move the lever , is this fault can be fixed with new gear selector mechanism??? Thanks
Click to expand...
Check the brakes light switch.
 
^ +1 for Brake light switch
 
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