Mercedes-Benz 400SE Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(10)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(10)

Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection Service

How much does a Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Mercedes-Benz 400SE Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1992 Mercedes-Benz 400SEV8-4.2LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$132.49 - $145.62
Show example Mercedes-Benz 400SE Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection prices

You start the car up, put your foot the brake, push the button on the shifter and it won’t shift out of park. What do you do now? Don’t force the shifter. Forcing the shifter out of park may cause more damage. The shifter is connected to the transmission in some cars mechanically or electronically. If an electrical or mechanical component has failed between the shifter and transmission, you won’t be able to shift the car out of park. A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to diagnose the problem with your vehicle. The mechanic will then provide an inspection report detailing the scope and cost of the necessary repairs

When to have your shifter inspected or replaced:

Have this system inspected only when a part in the shifter or part of the system that operates the transmission breaks] . There is no scheduled time frame for replacing parts in the shifting system. However, all parts can wear out and have the potential to fail, and in a perfect situation, all the parts in the shifting system would last the life of the vehicle.

Symptoms that may indicate your shifter will fail include:

  • Shifter can be moved but has a lot of resistance
  • When shifting into a gear, drive or reverse, it feels difficult to find the right spot. The transmission ends up in neutral instead. You may notice that the engine will accelerate when stepping on the gas pedal but the car doesn’t move.
  • When starting the car with the key, the ignition cylinder feels loose and has play.
  • No brake lights in the vehicle, brake pedal switch could be faulty.
  • Shifter feels completely loose -- like it’s not connected to the transmission at all.

How a mechanic will inspect a car that won’t shift from park:

There are a number of reasons why a car will not move from park to drive. They can range from the shifter being locked to a broken shifter cable. Mechanics will check for these things:

  • Failed brake light switch

  • Bad shift interlock solenoid or wiring: The shift interlock solenoid is a safety feature that has been added to all modern automatic-transmission cars. It prevents the driver from shifting out of park without a foot on the brake.

  • Broken transmission shift cable: A cable connects the shifter handle to the transmission, and if that is broken, the shifter will be inoperable

  • Ignition key tumbler is worn out: The ignition switch not only starts your car, but it also locks the steering wheel when the key is taken out. In cars with automatic transmissions, a shift interlock solenoid is also part of the ignition system, and it locks the transmission so it cannot be shifted out of park (as described above).

  • Broken shifter mechanism: It is also possible that the shifter itself is broken. A mechanic will remove the center console to examine the actual shifter mechanism.

Is it safe to drive with this problem?

Since you can’t move the car without shifting from park to drive, it’s important to enlist the help of one of our mechanics as soon as possible to inspect and then repair the issue.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Mercedes-Benz mechanics

Real customer reviews from Mercedes-Benz owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(10)

Rating Summary
8
1
0
0
1
8
1
0
0
1

Breck

20 years of experience
681 reviews
Breck
20 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz CLK500 V8-5.0L - Car does not shift from park to drive - Houston, Texas
Very Knowledgeable and great customer service

Yahshif

10 years of experience
128 reviews
Yahshif
10 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz CL500 V8-5.0L - Car does not shift from park to drive - Los Angeles, California
Extremely professional and knowledgeable. Definitely recommend him, and I will be booking him again. Thank you.

Theodore

16 years of experience
1617 reviews
Theodore
16 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz S500 V8-5.0L - Car does not shift from park to drive - Bellevue, Washington
Experience was great. Really appreciate the help.

Michael

16 years of experience
62 reviews
Michael
16 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz E320 V6-3.2L - Car does not shift from park to drive - Baytown, Texas
I look fwd 2 him wrkg & fixing my car. He seemed very knowledgeable.

Excellent Rating

(10)

Rating Summary
8
1
0
0
1
8
1
0
0
1
Number of Mercedes-Benz Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection services completed
110+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Mercedes-Benz MECHANICS
1100+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Transfer Case Output Shaft Seal
Common signs include difficulty shifting gears, grinding noises coming from underneath the vehicle, and jumping in and out of four-wheel drive.
How Long Does a Fog Light Switch Last?
When When driving at nighttime, your vision isn't the greatest, never mind if you're dealing with snow, fog, or rain. With all of this going on, sometimes your headlights just don’t seem like enough. That’s exactly why fog lights exist...
How to Find Inexpensive Used Cars
There There was a time when the phrase “I just got a great deal on a used car” was code for “I think he just got suckered into buying a clunker.” That’s no longer the case. Nowadays, cheap used cars...

What does it mean if the Seat Belt Light comes on in the dash?

The only lifesaving devices your car includes are your seat belts. Even the air bags aren’t considered “lifesaving” by the US government. If the Seat Belt Light in the dash is on, it could indicate a couple of different things:...

Car is jerking, and Check Engine Light flashes

When the Check Engine Light is flashing, it is telling you that the engine has a problem that may be causing damage to your catalytic converter assembly. The most likely problem is an engine misfiring from an ignition problem, such...

My window is stuck at a half open position 2016 Dodge Ram 1500

Hello - it sounds like either the window has gone off its track, or the window regulator/motor assembly (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-replace-a-car-window-motor-window-regulator-assembly-by-marvin-sunderland) has broken. If you truck is still under warranty, I would take it to your Ram dealer for repair. If that...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com