2000 C280 with about 117m.

My small problem turns into a gigantic problem after I spill a drink onto my shifter.

My car started acting a bit peculiar but it was very sporadic so I started to monitor it carefully. The start occasionally took several more beats instead of the usual near instant fire up. And then once as I was just sitting idling, the car turned off. Later on I had a difficult non-start. The engine continued to crank and did not catch. After waiting a few minutes, car started and ran fine. At first I thought the car was fuel starved and considered changing the fuel filter. I had a spare fuel pump relay and swapped that in but I still had an occasional stutter start. Then I remembered this sure reminds me of the problem I had with the crank position sensor. It was a random no start then after a few minutes, the car would start and run fine. Also the car would just die and then restart and run fine. I thought I had this narrowed down and then I had the drink incident.

I had a covered drink in the cup holder and knocked it over onto the shifter. I got to it quickly and mopped up all the fluid I could. I didn't think there was too much fluid because my drink was covered.

I tried to start the car and all hell broke loose. I had the difficult start which I attribute to my original problem. Car finally started but all sorts of lights stayed on. Although the car was running, no tach. Could not shift out of park. Turned everything off and tried again. Hard start again, tach cutting in and out. BAS and Check Engine light on. Moved the shifter into drive with the pencil trick. Tranny clunked into drive. Also clunked when it went into reverse. Drove home stuck in first gear, limp home mode, tach cutting in and out.

Got home and cleared the codes which was just P0150. No codes came back.

So tranny stuck in park unless released with pencil. Clunk when put into D or R. No indication of what gear you are in on the instrument panel. And first gear only.

I'll check fluid level and make sure that plug is not leaking oil into the wire harness.

What else can I do? Or does this sound like a dead shifter? The most sensible thing to do is take it to the dealer to get confirmation. Should be only a diagnostic fee. Shifters run about $600. Is this pretty much plug and play? Just disconnect linkage under car and swap out shifter?

your transmission is stuck in mechanical limp home mode, the clunk you hear is full pressure application to the clutches.

The only way you can reset that is with a good tool like a star, a launch diagun, an autel maxidas or carsoft etc. Its deeply embedded into the CAN and needs a specific interrogation to be reset from the 38 pin port in the engine bay. Your 16 pin OBD tool cannot perform this interrogation.

If you dont see the gear position readout on the gauges your shifter is bad - the transmission control unit is sending a CAN signal to it but getting nothing back - hence no release from park and no shift - you are stuck in 2nd gear.

This is the very reason I dont ever use the drink holder in my car, I just assume its like my old W124 - no holder at all.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

It seems to me that putting a cup holder above an electronic device that's essential to the function of the car and not drink resistant is a rather serious design flaw.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

We had to replace the unit $$$$

It isn't a flaw design, as it is simple as don't spill liquid on electronics like you wouldn't a computers motherboard on a laptop. Not accusing the OP, but just saying mistakes happen but it isn't a flaw design.

Becker Technologies rebuilds these shifters with a lot of experience behind them I hear with these cases [quite typical]. They may be able to rebuild it, they will most likely tell you over the phone if it is a lost cause as they are straight shooters.

If not, used shifters are an option and LOT cheaper than dealer NOS units. Just make sure it is from the same year, model, matching tranny # ETC.

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

whats the point of cupholders anyway? why are we drinking a liquid while driving? I have never been able to even have a sip of water while driving - as it would cause me to choke etc.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

Dude, you just have to buy a good sponge and a foam at wall mart, it will just cost you a buck. Just put the foam onto the shifter cover wipe it out and your done. if there are stains go to wall mart again and buy a stain remover.

The w140s you can dissconnect battery,spray electrical cleaner on broad,and let dry.Then try it after it dries.

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

That is another option to try, but it doesn't always work.

I've done this trick and it worked for a few days pooped out again in a week so it might get him around till he can get a good used unit that matches.

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

So I got down to where half of the shifter circuit board is exposed. I cleaned it as best I could. As mentioned by others, hot water and Q-tips work better initially followed contact cleaner. No go. New shifter about $550. Pretty much plug and play. Center console needs to be removed and I thought it was much easier to first release shifter from linkage from underneath the car. Also changed the crankshaft position sensor. Needs E8 torx but a 1/4 “ socket works too. A magnetized ¼” bit holder comes in real handy. Car runs great and I hope that erratic start is gone.