Mercedes-Benz SL400 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 SL400 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
2016 Mercedes-Benz SL400V6-3.0L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$132.49 - $145.62
2015 Mercedes-Benz SL400V6-3.0L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.52 - $125.67
Show example Mercedes-Benz SL400 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

David

10 years of experience
170 reviews
David
10 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz SL400 V6-3.0L Turbo - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Orlando, Florida
Pre-Purchase service - On time with appointment. Follow up call and report was generated immediately which is greatly appreciate. Many thanks!!

Edwin

40 years of experience
36 reviews
Edwin
40 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz SL600 V12-5.5L Turbo - Car does not shift from park to drive - Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Great

Grzegorz

41 years of experience
473 reviews
Grzegorz
41 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz S500 V8-5.0L - Car does not shift from park to drive - San Mateo, California
Yourmechanic.com did NOT provide the mechanic with the right info on my mechanical problem. when the mechanic arrived he was not aware of the problem with my car he was very knowledgable about my car.

Stefan

17 years of experience
367 reviews
Stefan
17 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz S500 V8-5.0L - Car does not shift from park to drive - Danville, California
Had a little difficulty with your mechanic this time around however Stefan was very responsive and helpful with all communication. Thanks you Stefan.

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

Rules of the Road For Maryland Drivers
Driving Driving requires knowledge of the laws so that you can be safe when traveling to your destination. While you likely know the driving laws in your own state, that doesn’t mean they are the same when you visit or...
P0809 OBD-II Trouble Code: Clutch Position Sensor Circuit Intermittent Malfunction
P0809 code means there is an malfunction within the clutch position sensor circuit often due too a defective sensor or corroded wiring/connecters.
How to Become a Certified Mobile Vehicle Inspector (State Car Inspector Certified) in Missouri
Automotive technician jobs include mobile vehicle inspectors. Learn how to do car checks through Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Brake pedal goes 3/4 down of the way down then catches

The first thing i would check it to make sure the brake pedal to brake booster arm bushing is not worn out. Check the brake pedal free travel with your hand to see if it is more than a 1/2...

Multiple misfire codes and hard shifting

Hello. I would start by doing a compression test (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-do-a-compression-test-by-robert-tomashek). From the codes (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-read-and-understand-check-engine-light-codes-by-jason-unrau) you are getting to the way that is is running and the sound that you hear it sounds like you have a failed valve seat. When...

Makes a noise when I turn and hit bumps.

You should have the complete front suspension checked however the sway bar links and bushings are the most common cause of the noise when turning.

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 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com