PLEASE HELP! WHILE DRIVING MY2001 E320 IN THE RAIN, MY ESP, BAS, AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS STARTED TO FLASH. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP, I PUT THE CAR IN PARK; THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT GO BACK INTO REVERSE, DRIVE, ETC. IT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK. I GOT THE CAR TOWED HOME. I HAD MY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED LAST YEAR. IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE THE SAME PROBLEM; HOWEVER, WITH THE CAR NOT ABLE TO GO OUT OF PARK, I'M WONDERING IF IT IS SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS. HAS ANYONE EVER EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH THE CAR BEING STUCK IN PARK?

ALSO, A FEW MONTHS AGO, A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER SPILLED INTO THE GEAR SHIFT. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK TO CLEAN UP THE LIQUID AND THE CAR WOULD NOT GO BACK INTO DRIVE, ETC. I TURNED THE CAR OFF TO SEE IF IT WOULD RESET AND THEN THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER START. AFTER DRYING OUT OVER NIGHT, THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. THAT WAS THEN; I'M STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR BEING STUCK IN PARK AFTER SEEING THE BRAKE WARNINGS.

ANY ADVICE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

 

Excellent problem description!

Suspect 1 is the Brake light switch ADJUSTMENT.

This switch is common to all the circuits you have a problem with.
It may not be the switch itself since this has already been changed. Most probably the new switch was slightly different from an adjustment point of view and correctled the problem (just) when the switch was changed. The switch needs to be adjusted to specification.

The switch has two circuits. One Normally Open and one Normally Closed. One works the brake lights and the other the ABS etc. Off hand not sure which operates the PRND Selector lockout but suspect the brake light connection. The PRND selector is locked out electrically if the Brakes are not applied for safety reasons.

Do the brake lights work?
Have you tried pressing extra hard on the brake pedal. This might just get sufficient travel and therefore a connection to get the car out of Park to enable you to get the car to the dealer.
Even if the Brake lights do work the EPS, ABS switch may not be going Open circuit hence the warning lights.

The PRND plate module switch doesn't like water. However if it was clean water and the ignition was turned off and allowed to dry no damage will have been incurred. It is unlikely that after several months the problem will return....unless of course there has been MORE water.

 

Thank you so much, Snanceki, for the probable diagnosis. This really helps me as I prepare to take the vehicle to the dealer for repair.

I have not yet applied the pressure to the brake pedal that you spoke of to see if this releases the vehicle out of park, but I will try that once I return home to my vehicle. Just before seeing your reply, I called Mercedes customer service and was informed of a trick to temporarily release the vehicle from the locked-in-Park position. There is a small space just below the D in the PRND label panel. The space has a flap that normally remains closed, but if you insert a thin ink pen into the slot, press hard, and then pull the PRND selector, you can temporarily release it from Park. Once you return the car to Park, the lock resets so the trick will need to be repeated in order to get the car out of Park again. I was told by the customer service rep that the vehicle should only be driven to get it to the dealership for repair and that the speed should not exceed 50 mph when driven under these conditions.

If indeed the brake lights are not working, it may still be necessary to get it towed to the repair shop since it would not be safe to drive the 20 miles to the nearest dealer without working brake lights.

Would you suggest taking the vehicle only a Mercedes dealer for this repair, or are there generally repair shops around large metro areas that are able to handle this type of repair on Mercedes Benz cars?

Thank you again, very much!

 

Hi,
Sorry I forgot to mention the emergency procedure for getting the car out of PARK. Yes the dealer is correct and the info is in your handbook. The access "flap" / cover is sometimes not as obvious to find as you would like without a picture. It will be close to the PRND lever. this is common practise on most automatic cars these days since lock out is moderately common and customers are NOT happy when they fet stranded.

If your brake lights are out then yes it is illegal to drive unless you use HAND signals (at least in the UK) but in this day and age nobody understands these anyway!!

Pressing the brake pedal REALLY hard MAY just do the trick...but on the other hand......

An MB dealer will have the part and know the adjustment procedure. A regular garage will use "experience" which may or may not be the reason why you have the problem a second time around.

I hope my PROBABLE diagnosis is correct.

TWO switch failures affecting BOTH circuits is just a bit too much of a coincidence?

Of course it could be that the fuse in both circuits have gone but this would be even more surprising. I make the assumption that you have eliminated this possibility anyway.

Good luck. Let me know how you get on.

Stuart

 

very ironicly, I was getting off the free way in my 2002 E320 when the ESP ABS and BAS lights all came on at the same moment, i had talked to various Mercedes Benz specialists and they all told me the same thing.

Steps to take your car out of park:
1. First enter your vehicle with a pen or pencil.
2. Below the D-drive module there is a horse shoe flap, put the pen or pencil inside and press down firmly.
3. With the foot on the brake, and the pencil/pen pressed firmly, pull the car out of park, slowly through all the gears untill you hit D-drive.
4. take the car for a short spin, make sure the vehicle gets through all its gears.
5 If your car doesnt get out of first or second gear, then you may have a transmission failure, causing the lockup in park.
6 If your car goes through its gears then you must only worry about the brakes.

(take your car to a specialized Mercedes Benz mechanic for the best work)

ps - your transmission will lockup every time untill you get your car fixed, whether it be for the transmission or brakes.

and if your car doesnt make its way out of 2nd gear, then I and Mercedes recommend that you drive the vehicle at all times under 3.500RPM to keep your motor from overheating.

if anything else is needed then Hit me back alrite.
it could be anything from a minor brake circuit malfunction to a full scale transmission overhaul.
it really depends. just take it in asap.
peace.

ps. if you need anything else. Email me at timtim0012@yahoo.com

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you! for your information and the offer to email you directly. I will let you know what turns up when I am able to get the vehicle into the shop. I did determine that the brake lights are not working. Hopefully, this indicates that the problem and necessary repairs are minor.

 

Thank you for responding to all of my posts. I will let you know what turns up when I am able to get the vehicle into the shop. I did determine that the brake lights are not working. Hopefully, this indicates that the problem and necessary repairs are minor.

 

I have the exact same problem as the orignal post only I have a 2000 CLK 430 and my son spilled lemomade, not just water. I can not find a method of defeating the brake interlock (no flap below the D). Had the car towed home and now it is stuck in my driveway.

 

It appears your problem is different. If the problem arose because water (Lemonade is worse than water due to conducting sugar residue) was spilt in the area of the auto selector then you will need a new shift control unit located below the lever. Regular problem. Sometimes it is possible to clean the circuit board but I wouldn't hold your breath,
Not familiar with your specific model but I am surprised that there isn't an emergency procedure to get the car out of park. The procedure is in the handbook. Can't be sure but I'm sure that there will be a flap, plug or something concealing the mechanism which requires a screwdriver etc to access it.
If you get to your wits end I will look it up for you but this causes me a lot of work. PM me if you are desparate.
Stuart