1985 300 Turbodiesel

Symptoms:
Car will not start in park

Car will start in neutral

Car will not shift into reverse from neutral after it is started

Car will shift into reverse after it is started from neutral and then shifted to park and then to reverse

When car is put in park after engine is shut off it can still be moved by pushing it, emergency brake use is a must.

What is wrong?
I think it must need a new neutral safety switch. Is that what is causing the symptoms I’ve described? If not what else might it be?

Where is the neutral safety switch? My Alldata DIY says it’s on the left hand side of transmission in the rear, but I couldn’t seem to locate it. Do you access it from the top or underside of car?

im not a pro but maybe your shifting problems are related to the vaccume module thing on the transmission

I've had problems before shifting because I accidentally, while working on the car, disconnected vacuum tubes but the problem I'm have now is different and while I'm not sure I don't think it's vacuum related.

is your shift linkage tight and firm or loose adn sloppy? something is loose and you need ot find out what it is...if its bushings or the swich itself...

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Methinks your selector rod is badly misadjusted. Both it and the NSS (which I think is OK) are accessed from underneath , on the drivers side of the tranny.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

I agree, the NSS should only affect starting. If you are having trouble moving between gears, the linkage is a more likely cause.

I think you Neutral Safety Switch is suspect here and the linkage to the shifter. I had to replace my NSS not too long ago as I replaced some bushings on the shifter and something inside the NSS broke...i don think it got bothered all that much but 25 year old plastic...killed it...


check the linkage position if that doesnt work..check your NSS...I had to start my car by turning the keys on..then popping the hood and hitting the starter wire from the dist. block on the passenger side of the engine compartment...

Start by fixing the shift linkage. Those bushings are really cheap, even from the dealer.

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

Thanks everyone.

Replaced neutral saftey switch and a couple of bushings and it both starts and shifts fine.