2001 Mercedes Benz Clk Class

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IN MY 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE PIXELS IN THE GEAR SELECTOR, TEMPERATURE AND CLOCK SECTION DO NOT LIGHT UP. THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHAT GEAR THE CAR IS IN, AND POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. THE "P" AND "R" ARE DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH. THIS CAR HAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, AND THE NECESSITY TO IDENTIFY WHICH GEAR THE CAR IS IN BY "FEEL" IS DANGEROUS. *TR

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MY 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 WILL FREQUENTLY BECOME STUCK IN ONLY ONE GEAR. MOST OFTEN 3RD GEAR, BUT SOMETIMES 2ND. THIS IS A TERRIFYING SITUATION FOR ME, ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC, AS THE AUTOMOBILE DOES NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOP IN 3RD GEAR AND ABRUPTLY SLOWS WHEN LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR IN 2ND. 2ND GEAR ALSO LIMITS THE SPEED OF THE CAR SIGNIFICANTLY AND HAS CAUSED ME TO BE THE TRAFFIC SLOWDOWN AT RUSH HOUR ON MANY OCCASIONS. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS, AS I CANNOT GET THE CAR OUT OF A BUSY INTERSECTION QUICKLY OR CHANGE LANES TO MAKE A TURN WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING. I DRIVE MY CHILDREN IN THIS CAR AND AM AFRAID THAT A 3RD GEAR START OR A 2ND GEAR ABRUPT SLOWDOWN OR ITS SEVERELY LIMITED VELOCITY WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND THEY MAY GET HURT. THE ONLY WAY TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION IS TO PULL OVER, SHUT OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE ON A BUSY STREET, AND IS DANGEROUS AT BEST. MY MECHANIC HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS IS NOT A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION, BUT A FAILURE IN THE ELECTRONIC MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION. I UNDERSTAND THROUGH CORROBORATIVE AND ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THAT THIS COULD BE A RESULT OF LIQUID FROM THE CUPHOLDER SEEPING DOWN INTO THE ELECTRONICS. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF A LIQUID SPILL, AND IT IS CLEAR THAT THE POOR DESIGN OF THE CUPHOLDER AND ITS LOCATION ABOVE THE TRANSMISSION ELECTRONICS ARE THE CAUSE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE. WE HAVE NOT PURSUED REPAIR AS OF YET, AS THE PARTS AND LABOR ARE QUITE EXPENSIVE. THE CAR IS NOW PARKED IN MY GARAGE, AS I CONSIDER IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

1ST, IN MAY 2006, I WAS PARKING MY 2001 MERCEDES BENZ, CLK-430, INTO PARKING LOT AT 7-11 STORE. I PLACE THE SHIFTER INTO P (PARK). THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AT THIS TIME. I REMOVE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR RUNNING BACK OUT OF THE PARKING STALL AS IF IT WAS IN THE REVERSE GEAR. I PLACED MY FOOT BACK ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE CAR MOVEMENT. I PLACE THE SHIFTER BACK IN THE DRIVE LOCATION AND DRIVE THE CAR BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PLACE. AND PLACE THE SHIFTER BACK IN PARK AND AGAIN THE CAR START ROLLING BACKWARDS. ON THE SAME EVENING , I DROVE HOME FROM THE 7-11 STORE AND PARK THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY, YES IT AGAIN. I USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKING THIS TIME. ON JUNE 14, 2006, I STOPPED AT THE LONG BEACH POSTAL OFFICE, ON LEVEL PARKING SURFACE, THIS CAR STAR ROWING FORWARDS TO ANOTHER PARK VEHICLE, I STOPPED THE CAR MOVEMENTS AND PLACE IT IN REVERSE TO MOVE THE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PARKING PLACED. THIS CAR STAY IN THE PARK GEAR WITHOUT FURTHER FORWARD OR REVERSE MOVEMENT. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 32,900 MILES ON IT. *JB