Folks I am new to this board and need some advice on my E320 4matic. My car all of the sudden shut down and now will not let me shift out of park. I press the brake pedal and nothing happens. It also does not show the status the transmission is in on the dash. If I manually engage the parking release the transmission will move from park into reverse and to drive. It will not however shift up through the gears! Please give me some advice. Thank you for your support!!!!
"Yes I did. I dries off the what I could see" is only part of the equation... did you open the console and try to dry out the TCM [transmission control module] ?
You might get lucky and be able to dry things out, but in most cases a new TCM ends up being required.
BTW, you might want to update your profile with your model, year produced and location so that we on the forum can better help you...
Vehicle: 2001 E430 Sport in Desert Silver and 2002 C320 Sport Wagon in Arctic White
Location: Germantown, Maryland
Posts: 1,510
I feel your Pain!
My wife spilled a (small bit of coffee in mine last year) while sitting in the ATM drive trough. Road Side Service had to go and get her. It was about $1000.00 to repair.
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E430 Sport
2001 E430 in Desert Silver with Sport Package, COMAND, Xenon Lights, Rear Sunshade, Heated Seats. Added K40 Stealth Radar, 30% Tint, XM Radio! www.premierbasement.com
Thanks for the info. I will try to open up the console.
It may be too late, but try this first.
look at the letters on your center console (p/r/n/etc) and when you get to the +d- part, look below the d. You should see a little flap.
Get yourself some electronics cleaner with the red straw.
Insert the red straw into the flap at a very shallow angle towards the front of the car (about 15 degrees). Blast a couple shots of the cleaner in there.
Wait about 10 minutes for it to dry, and then see what happens.
If the problem is the same, no harm no foul. If its improve, you saved the trouble of disassembling the shifter console (i've done it, not a huge deal, but annoying nonetheless)
DO NOT pay the dealer to do this for you, you will end up paying 800-1200 US.
If you have to replace the trans control card on the shifter, you can diy for less than 200US, in about 2 hours.
BUT,
1. gently turn the ring right below the shift knob until it turns about 1/2 turn.
2. the ring will fall down, now pull up on the shift knob frimly, it will come off.
3. gently pry up on the black trim rectangle arround the shifter on all 4 sides till it comes up.
4. gently pry up the wood rectangle arround the shifter, it will pop up.
5. put a pen in the shifter release hole at the bottom of the PRNDL and pry up, the PRNDL will pop up.
6. You are looking at the top 1/2 of the board that you smoked with water.
7. Now try the contact cleaner and blow dryer trick, you have nothing to lose at this point.
8. The other 1/2 of the board is verticle, straped to the front of the top board, try to dry it also.
9. reassemble and let us know if you got lucky and are able to dry it!!!!!!!!!
Failing this, you can buy a used shifter from any of the salvage yards for less than 200US and replace the assembly yourself. Do not remove the whole console, you can pop up the window control pannel, and replace the shifter box VERY EASILY from there.
DO it yourself and take pictures for us.
We are here to help, all 210 owners have had this issue!
Luck
B
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