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"Inoperable" won't go into gear

12K views 14 replies 8 participants last post by  Greenmanedlion 
#1 ·
Headed out to run some errands but the van isn't going anywhere! It started normally but won't go into gear. The screen is flashing park assist inoperable, lane assist inoperable... etc. Waiting on roadside assist to come pick up van and take to dealer. Anyone else ever have this problem? I will never have confidence in this van ever again. Did I mention it is a 2018, 6 months old!
 
#6 ·
I know what's wrong. Mine had the same problem and is back in the shop for the third time for same issue. ON my 2016 metris, the chassis CAN wiring harness was routed incorrectly and rubbing on the parking brake (1st) and then pinched in the door (2nd). This sends all kinds of errors to the computer. In my case, my van was physically shifting out of park into drive but the computer that it was still park and still said 0mph even after driving (ALL the error lights you mentioned were activated and more so). Good luck getting them to fix it correctly on the first try!
 
#7 ·
My 2016 did the same thing, dealership said it was the power steering module $2000.00. Just happened again now that it is out of warranty. Took it recently to a local Mercedes mechanic said he wont touch the Metris as it isn't really even a Mercedes
 
#8 ·
Your Mercedes mechanic is retarded if says it's not a mercedes. This engine, transmission and various parts are shared with many other MB vehicles. How did your power steering system have anything to do with not shifting properly? The OP, 925 never came back to update us. I wish there was a way to charge people that post $20 to post up a problem and when they get it resolved or whatever the outcome is, they explain it back to the forums and they get their $20 back.
 
#9 ·
Much like product reviews on your average website, you generally hear way more often from the 5 in 10,000 people who have a significant issue/error like that than the 9,995 others who didn't. I've had my van for 2 years 2 months and have had zero errors or issues whatsoever....in 17k+ miles.
 
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#12 ·
Its always been about both, MB has always had a side of extreme luxury while also making basic/durable vehicles. The main issue is today's are overly complex for the sake of complexity/gadgets.

You can still get basic models. My GLK has hardly any options. No park assist, rear camera, blind spot detection, multizone climate, fancy lighting, navi, push button start, nada. Only options I have are running boards and the glass roof beyond the "base included" spec.

MB was making crazy vehicles even back in the day. Try the 560SEL, or the 450SEL 6.9, or the Grosser....super complex in their time.
 
#13 ·
Sure, but it was still all about form over function, not gewgaws; not one of those cars you mention had a power drivers-side mirror, because what is the point of a power drivers side mirror?

They had top quality fittings, and the best technology and engineering usefully had to offer; but the 6.9 didn’t even have power seats- or power mirrors at all.

They didn’t have perfume atomizers or whirling speakers, or technology-for-shows-sake infotainment features nobody uses controlled by four separate input methods, none of them particularly intuitive. They didn’t have chrome inside to blind you with sun reflections, or leather where plastic makes more sense, or bling-for-bling-sakes interior styling. They didn’t let their elegant and beautiful style get in the way of headroom, legroom, or outward visibility. Compare a W124s interior with a W212; despite the latter being substantially bigger in all dimensions, the interior is considerably more cramped, and outward visibility is shameful.

Don’t get me wrong; the current generation cars are real Mercedes in some senses. But if someone points to a modern E-class and a Metris and asks, “Which of these is closer to being a ‘Real Mercedes’?” The Metris is much closer to the ethos of sensible, efficient, function-over-form, designed-for-purpose ethos that built Mercedes reputation in the first place. Saying it isn’t a ‘real Mercedes’ means you don’t know much about what a Mercedes is.
 
#14 ·
Having owned and worked on W123/W124/W126's for 14+ years I can say plenty on them was not up to the spec of the current cars. Interiors didn't hold up all that well, especially the dash. Tachometers failed, climate controls were flaky, winter driving was an experience as they had zero traction assist and anything under a 560SEC/SEL didn't even have limited slip. CIS-E injection takes an enormous amount of work to keep operating properly on the gas models. Rubber gaskets on windows failed, power window regulators failed often, water leaks. Its too easy to give the older ones too much credit, despite being extremely well made they assuredly had their issues too.

The Metris is 100% a real Mercedes, its just not what people in the US expect them to be. In my case I love it, just sad that they didn't give us the OM651 as an option.

Ironically on the topic of being blinded inside the car by chrome, the by far worst car I've ever had that blinded me with sun reflections was the inset star in the steering wheel of my early 80's W126. It was angled just right that the sides of the star would flash in your face in the sun. Later models with airbag it was not chrome so this issue went away. The flat wood surface of the console would also reflect the sun often. No issues with this at all in my GLK or Metris.
 
#15 ·
I’m not calling the current carS bad, and I’m not saying the old cars were flawless, but you can’t compare the condition of those old cars in their dotage to that of the modern cars in their youth, and you also have to compare the older cars fairly to cars that are contemporary to them, and the Metris to cars that are contemporary to now.

Mercedes builds great cars now, but they tend to be more troublesome and maintenance intensive compared to cars made by the Japanese and Koreans. That is more so the case now than it was 30 years ago.

35 years ago, a Cadillac DeVille was more luxurious and feature packed than any Mercedes but a loaded S-class. What Mercedes offered that made them better was the application of engineering and technology that made them better drivers and much safer, not to mention considerably better built. That applied to every MB from an L-series truck to the SL roadster; that is what makes a Mercedes a Mercedes, not the luxury. The luxury makes it a luxury car, it is the engineering superiority that makes it a Mercedes.

Both the Metris and an E-class have the engineering superiority.
 
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