Warning Signs of Gear Selector Issues in Mercedes

Mercedes are a pleasure to drive thanks to their precision German engineering. The transmission system integrates a chain of components from the driver’s gear shifter through the vehicle’s computer to the gears themselves. When everything works in concert, it shifts smoothly and fluidly, contributing to the uncompromising Mercedes experience.

However, issues with the gear selector are among the problems Mercedes drivers report most often. A malfunctioning gear selector can spoil the performance you expect from your Mercedes, and if the problem is allowed to progress, it can become an inconvenient and expensive major repair.

Symptoms of Gear Selector Issues

If you begin to notice one or more of these symptoms, you may have an issue with your gear selector system. Usually the sooner you bring your Mercedes in to Auto Assets, the easier and less expensive the transmission repair will be.

Unusual noises

If you hear grinding or clicking noises when you shift gears, your Mercedes may have a problem with its gear selector. The noises may occur when you shift from drive to reverse, for example, or when the vehicle shifts gears while accelerating or braking.

Rough shifting

Your Mercedes should shift smoothly between gears as you accelerate. If you notice a delay, or if the vehicle jerks or changes speed when it shifts gears, a gear selector issue may be interfering with your driving. That kind of behavior when shifting can affect the way you drive or create an unsafe condition.

Difficulty shifting

If your gear selector is malfunctioning you may have difficulty shifting your automatic transmission from drive to reverse. If you experience trouble shifting gears, you should have the expert mechanics at Auto Assets run diagnostics to locate the problem before it damages your transmission.

Limp mode

Your Mercedes might try to protect itself from a serious transmission problem by entering “limp mode.” Among other safety features, limp mode prevents the vehicle from shifting into high gears, to avoid causing further damage before the professional mechanics at Auto Assets have a chance to fix it.

Causes of Gear Selector Issues

There are several possible reasons you could experience the gear selector issues, and it’s important that an expert mechanic identifies the root cause of your problem. Keeping up with routine maintenance lets our technicians find small problems before they become big ones.

Transmission fluid

Your Mercedes will have problems if it doesn’t have enough transmission fluid. Make sure to schedule regular maintenance to keep your fluid levels optimized, and watch out for fluid leaks.

Wear and tear

A lot of precision components go into a modern high-performance vehicle, and not all of them last forever. The various parts of a Mercedes transmission, including cables, linkages, bands, and gears, may wear out over time. Let the experts at Auto Assets keep an eye on your Mercedes transmission and replace worn out parts before they cause problems elsewhere.

Gear selector module

The gear selector module connects the driver to the transmission, from the gear shift lever through the vehicle’s computer. Because it is located in the center console and the driver frequently operates it, it is prone to failing over time.

Valve body or conductor plate

The Mercedes transmission includes a valve body, which regulates the flow and pressure of transmission fluid to the rest of the system. The valve body is a common culprit when Mercedes experience gear selector issues. Mounted on the valve body is the conductor plate, which contains the electronic sensors and control solenoids that operate the transmission. Failure of the conductor plate’s components can also cause problems in the gear selector system.

Auto Assets is Here to Help

If you are experiencing problems with your Mercedes gear selector system and you’re in the Columbus, Dublin, New Albany, Worthington, or Powell, OH areas, come see the expert technicians at Auto Assets.

Transmission problems can ruin the driving experience we love Mercedes for, and they’re notorious for being expensive to fix. It’s rare for Mercedes transmissions to fail outright. Bring your Mercedes to Auto Assets at the first sign of trouble so we can find where the problem is and fix it.

We look forward to working with you in the future for all your Mercedes needs. Call us today to make an appointment.