Avoid the FEBI neutral safety switch
 

Hello,

I've been fixing up an '89 300E to sell it, and the information on this board has been extremely helpful to me. It's a testament to the quality of that information that I don't have a lot to add, since everything I've needed to do so far has been described very thoroughly. :)

One thing I can do is warn others about the FEBI neutral safety switch I bought from AllPartsExpress: http://www.allpartsexpress.com/item.wws?sku=MBZ074602&itempk=53093&mfr=Febi&weight=0.25

When I bought it my thought was, "It's just a switch, what could the difference be?" Well, in the couple weeks since I've installed it, I found out:

• With the old switch, the car would start in neutral but not in park. With the FEBI switch, it starts in park but no longer starts in neutral.
• Sometimes the car doesn't even start in park, so I have to move the shifter out of park and back into park for the car to start.
• On top of that, the back-up lamps only come on if I shift from park into reverse. If I shift from neutral into reverse, the back-up lamps stay off.

As usual, you get what you pay for. The OEM part is worth the extra money.

Sounds like a possible installation problem. Did you go through the proper alignment procedure?

I put the shifter in neutral before I did the swap, and when I put the new one on I lined up the holes on the lever and the body of the switch before I hooked up the linkage. Is there some other adjustment I should have done?

Yes, to quote the Haynes manual - insert a 4 mm rod through the selector lever and switch peg until it engages with the locating hole in the switch casing. Then tighten the switch securing screws, then remove the rod.

That's what I did.

Sloppy shifter bushings?

You might want to recheck it - it certainly sounds alignment related.

Post #6..........and make sure you turned to connector LOCK back to the locked position ..[ rotate it ]

Having done the same repair with the same brand switch, I ditto the alignment issue.

To start the car in Park, I tilt the shifter to the right and slightly back (towards Reverse). Often, it starts fine without doing that, especially when the engine/trans is hot.

It does not start dead-center in neutral. While holding the key at Start, I must move the shifter from Neutral towards Reverse, until it catches.

This is plainly an alignment issue, but because it is no hardship, I am in no hurry to correct it.

Hm, I'll play around with the shifter to double check it then.

Without turning the key, and without your foot on the brake, gently move the shifter back towards reverse until it stops at the lower part of Park. Then turn the key. Car should start.

You do realise that the reason the switch mounting holes for the bolts are elongated for the final adjustment of the Shifter /Switch alignment ????

Not sure who your question was directed at, but I do indeed know that. However, laziness -- and paranoia about being trapped under thousand-pound objects -- is what has delayed my making those final adjustments. :)

The post was directed to anyone who changes their NSS..and it should be in the Archieves as correct procedure.
But, Yeah...I always adjust mine b/c I am also Paranoid...the fear of Murphy's Law having my non-adjusted NSS finally leaving me stranded at 2 AM in a rain storm [ I believe that is the appropriate Murphy Law Time Window ] is enough fear for me to make the adjustment when I put the sw in.

Nah..I adjust them at installation, regardless of Murphy....what's he know about NSS switches, anyway ????????????

That would be true of a failed NSS, but a misaligned one that further un-aligns itself would still permit you to get underway... after you find the new "sweet spot." :)

Ironically, alignment should be almost effortless at this point -- just loosen the NSS bolts and rotate the switch until it is correct. (The rod trick didn't work for me either.) But the replacement was a frustating experience, and I am not eager to interact with the switch again unless I absolutely have to.