Shifter Reman Service
A common problem with the Mercedes S, SL, and CL class vehicles is the shifter (ESM) getting stuck in park. Most of the time the issue is a small plastic lever inside of the shifter that cracks over time and eventually breaks. We have a solution for you! Our re-manufactured shifters come with a custom-machined aluminium lever that won't leave you stuck in park any more.
NOTE: Due to the nature of the electronics work we perform, programming is required before our rebuilt unit will function in your car
215 - CL Class
220 - S Class
230 - SL Class
Why did my shifter get stuck in park?
The shifters are equipped with a small solenoid that pushes an arm up into the plastic release lever that allows the shifter to be released from the park position. After years of use, most levers start to develop hairline cracks and make the movement from the park position increasingly difficult. At that point it is only a matter of time before the lever completely breaks and gets you totally stuck.
Do you put in another plastic lever?
No. We replace the plastic lever with a custom machined aluminium lever. You won't have to worry about it breaking again. During the re-man process we also test all other components and replace, clean, and lubricate as necessary - which ensures a quality product.
My shifter won't read which gear it is in. Can you help?
Another issue that can occur with the shifters is the electronics box on the side of the unit will stop reading properly. If it does, this will set a fault code in the car and may cause the vehicle to not go into gear properly, even of the lever isn't broken. This is further complicated by the fact that the box is VIN-coded to your car. We have the ability to replace this box with one that has been repaired and is in an unlocked state, which allows it to be programmed to a new car with a Mercedes diagnostic tool.
My shifter is only stuck in park, can you recycle my electronics so I don't have to program it?
While we recommend our full re-manufacture procedure since the electronics will inevitably fail - we will, if requested, salvage the original electronics, making it possible to just "plug-and-play" the rebuilt unit. Such units do not come with our full one-year warranty.
Can I just put in a used shifter?
There are two issues with this. The first, which is mentioned above, is that the electronics box is VIN-coded to the original car it came in. The vehicle security will most likely prevent the car from starting and especially from going into gear. The second issue is that there is no way of knowing how long the plastic lever will last. You can certainly take the cover off and make sure it's not broken ahead of time, but there won't be any way to estimate it's longevity.
Do you sell levers? Can I provide my own?
At this time we are not selling levers and we are not able to install a lever that is not one of our own.
What kind of warranty do you offer?
Our re-manufactured parts come with a one-year warranty. See our policies page for full details.