Crazy NSS behavior

[AtlBenz]

1995 E320 wagon.

so after going though a million and a half threads regarding the NSS I'm willing to bank that its the culprit, but check this out.

every morning, 100% of the time, the car wont start in park. so I move it to Neutral, and with out having to wiggle it or anything, it starts 100% of the time. then throughout the day, and many stops, the car will start 100% of the time in Park.

I don't understand how the NSS can only be faulty ONCE in the morning and never again until the next morning.

BTW having gone though prolly a dozen W124s in my life, I've seen cars that had very obviously worn shift bushings, I mean the lever was just flopping around. this 95 wagon is tight. so I don't know if its the bushing or not. When I replace the NSS I'll do the bushing for good measure but I'm hesitant to blame it for my problems.

[anthonyb]

The contacts are probably just getting worn. The last time my car went through a NSS, it would usually start in Park, but not always. I replaced it just so I wouldn't get stranded when it eventually failed completely.

[just-n-time]

Can you remove it and try some contact cleaner? soak it see if the contacts are corroded, Or just replace it.sound like you may be getting arching at the terminals,just enough to allow contact but corrosion killing it threw the night? Just trying to think out loud.JNT

[Arthur Dalton]

They get full of moisture.
You may want to try a rotational adjustment before replacement.

[jcyuhn]

I'd replace it. I had one that was getting flaky. Being your basic lazy guy, I would just drop the car in neutral, it always started. This went on for maybe two or three months. Then out of the blue the whole switch failed, on a road trip, 300 miles from home. There was no starting the car, at least not without jumping the starter relay directly from the battery. You've been warned.

- JimY