2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Powertrain & Transmission Problems

WE HAD TO HAVE OUR CAR TOWED FROM INSIDE THE CAR WASH BAY BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH, WHICH IS PLASTIC, BROKE PROHIBITING THE CAR FROM SHIFTING OUT OF PARK. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER MERCEDES BENZ ROADSIDE SENT TO US TOLD US HE SEES THIS ALL OF THE TIME WITH THIS PARTICULAR CAR. ALSO BY THE FORUMS, YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS A PARTICULAR PROBLEM FOR CERTAIN YEARS. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE NEW SHIFT BOX FROM MERCEDES HAS AN ALUMINUM SAFETY SWITCH OR "BILLET". WE ATTEMPTED TO BUY THE NEW "BILLET" BUT OUR MERCEDES BENZ DEALER WILL NOT SELL IT TO US. WE WERE TOLD HE HAD TO HAVE THEM TAKE THE ENTIRE THING APART DO THE WORK THEMSELVES FOR CLOSE TO $1000 FOR WHAT SHOULD BE A $00.50 PART. IN ORDER TO GET THE "BILLET" IT HAS TO BE BOUGHT AFTERMARKET ONLINE FOR CLOSE TO $200.00. OBVIOUSLY MERCEDES BENZ KNEW IT WAS AN ISSUE, THEREFORE CHANGING IT FROM PLASTIC TO ALUMINUM, SO THEY SHOULD BE CHANGING ALL PLASTIC ONES FOR FREE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ S55 AMG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFTER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK THE GEAR SHIFT LOCKED AND WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SHIFT MECHANISM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

I HAVE A 2002 MERCEDES S430. I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A DEFECTIVE PART ON THIS VEHICLE. THE "ELECTRONIC SHIFTER MECHANISM" WENT BAD ON MY VEHICLE WITH 47,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. MY CAR TURNED ON, HOWEVER THE "SHIFTER" WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK. IT WAS DETERMINED MY THE MERCEDES SERVICE SHOP THAT THE "ELECTRONIC SHIFTER MECHANISM" WAS BAD. DURING THE COURSE OF WAITING FOR MY VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED, I HAD RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ONLINE AND THROUGHOUT VARIOUS SOURCES, ESPECIALLY "ONLINE MERCEDES BENZ FORUMS," I FOUND THAT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHOM OWN THE SAME VEHICLE AS ME AS WELL AS OTHER MODELS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I FIND THIS TO BE COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR NOT ONLY AN EXPENSIVE CAR, BUT FOR ANY CAR. THIS REPAIR WAS AROUND $1,000.00. IF YOU WOULD LIKE FURTHER INFORMATION SUCH AS INTERNET WEBSITES IN WHICH I READ ABOUT OTHER MERCEDES CAR OWNER'S HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM OR MY INVOICE FOR THE REPAIR, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP! *TR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THERE WAS A THREE SECOND DELAY. THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE SUDDENLY. THE DELAY PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE WHILE DRIVING AND EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND AT ALL. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE GAS PEDAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE LOCKED IN PARK; IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE GEAR SELECTOR HOUSING. *AK THE GEAR WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK. UPDATED 021/21/06. *JB