240 Drives Itself - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

bill murrow · #1 06-24-2007, 09:06 PM

I had just moved my 240 from the area I use to change the oil to its normal spot in the driveway when I decided to come in the house for a quick drink of ice tea. I have an antique shop in my barn and noticed some customers pulling up at which time I went out the back door to offer my assistance. Right away I noticed the 240 was NOT where I parked it. It had rolled down my driveway and was nose first in the ditch on the other side of the road, blocking the east bound lane of a very busy road. Some of you have been here so you guys know how flat my driveway is. Just shows how good the wheel bearings are.

Luckily nobody was coming from either direction so no harm done.

Moral is ALWAYS use the emergency brake, especially with a stick. I don't know how I did not plus I left it in neutral. Senior moment I guess.

Cheers,

Bill

lietuviai · #2 06-24-2007, 09:08 PM

Only proves these cars have minds of their own.

bill murrow · #3 06-24-2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lietuviai

Only proves these cars have minds of their own.

And has its own eyes.

Cheers,

Bill

Stevo · #4 06-24-2007, 09:29 PM

Oh man, that reminds me of a very bad thing that happened to me. I had my "64" VW bug painted inside and out and brought it home and parked it next too my shop. I hopped out all forgot to set the "E" brake, next thing I know its rolling backwards and is stopped by the pasture fence

, dented the engine hatch. DOH!

cessna5354 · #5 06-24-2007, 09:50 PM

Stevo,
Not to top the story, but with a 73 VW type 2, I was launching a 16' boat with the vehicle in gear. As I operated the winch, I got hit in the rear with the bus's bumper as it popped out of gear and I launched the boat, motor, trailer, and bus. I stopped it by getting to the brake pedal as the water was to the top of the carbs. Took 1 1/2 hours to pull plugs, dry dist. & cap. Alot of CRC spray and drove home. Starter died 6 months later with 1/2 cup of water still inside the case.

GP

H-townbenzoboy · #6 06-24-2007, 10:01 PM

That's why it's a good idea to always use the parking brake.

justinperkins · #7 06-24-2007, 10:09 PM

When I was growing up, my parents had a 240D. One time my mom was leaving our house and stopped to get out and chat with our neighbor, next thing she knows the 240 is rolling down the driveway and crashing through our neighbors fence, and the barbed wire fence behind that.

Very minimal damage to the 240, of course. Taught my mom to use the e-brake

bill murrow · #8 06-24-2007, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H-townbenzoboy

That's why it's a good idea to always use the parking brake.

And I always do to keep it from freezing up. Have no idea why I didn't this time. Only took once to make me remember to set it EVERY time!

Cheers,

Bill

Stevo · #9 06-25-2007, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cessna5354

Stevo,
Not to top the story, but with a 73 VW type 2, I was launching a 16' boat with the vehicle in gear. As I operated the winch, I got hit in the rear with the bus's bumper as it popped out of gear and I launched the boat, motor, trailer, and bus. I stopped it by getting to the brake pedal as the water was to the top of the carbs. Took 1 1/2 hours to pull plugs, dry dist. & cap. Alot of CRC spray and drove home. Starter died 6 months later with 1/2 cup of water still inside the case.

GP

I'd say you were lucky too be able to stop it when you did, coulda been worse.

.. Yes, that CRC is good stuff.

vstech · #10 06-25-2007, 09:41 AM

that reminds me of the stories back in the 80's about fords going into "D" when at idle and driving over their owners...
glad nothing got hurt.

H-townbenzoboy · #11 06-25-2007, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

that reminds me of the stories back in the 80's about fords going into "D" when at idle and driving over their owners...
glad nothing got hurt.

That was terrible. My dad's 85 Town Car did that once.

vstech · #12 06-25-2007, 10:23 AM

Hmmm I wonder if something like that can happen with modern cars? I mean some of the newer cars AUTOMATICALLY POP THE E"-Brake when it comes out of park!!!

bill murrow · #13 06-25-2007, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

that reminds me of the stories back in the 80's about fords going into "D" when at idle and driving over their owners...
glad nothing got hurt.

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about Fords little problem.

I'm glad the car didn't get hurt but I'm real glad nobody hit it and got themselves hurt. This is a very busy road and I find it hard to believe nobody was coming when it drifted out the driveway.

Cheers,

Bill

lietuviai · #14 06-25-2007, 11:26 PM

Yeah, and Ford's fix was to send the owners a stupid sticker with warning something like set the E-brake and not leave the car unattended while it was running. Ford sent me one of those stickers back when I owned my '70 Maverick.
I never stuck it in the car and for all I know I may have that sticker somewhere.

Jim B. · #15 06-26-2007, 12:38 AM

I had a '67 Cougar and it seemed like it was going from gear to gear VERY easily, at about 120,000 miles. I took the console apart, and used a strong metal rasp on all the detents, to recreate them as near to new as possible.
They really looked worn down, so it was easy to see how they could slip from N to D, for example....

Those Fords from the mid 70s were pretty bad. I used to drive a 1978 LTD II, it had those transmissions that could slip into gear, it was a slug that had a healthy appetite for Persian Perrier, and if you hit the brakes hard it would nosedive, lock up and the rear end would break loose. Very scary.
Some company car that turned out to be......
Just about every one of those hit the scrap yards years ago.

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