W203 AUTOMATIC MERCEDES BENZ C CLASS GEAR SHIFTER MODULE PROBLEMS AND FIXING PART 1

[@martinp9705]

Bake the circuit board only in the oven at 200C for 10 mins and any dry solder joints will reflow. Let cool and refit. This has worked for many people including me.

[@martinp9705]

Update.. worked perfectly for a couple of weeks then failed again. Bought a second hand one via auction site for £50 sorted it. Lower mileage car will probably be ok.

[@IntellectA.I.]

Will this make any toxic fumes? Is it safe to bake inside ?

[@martinp9705]

@@IntellectA.I. You're right, it will possible smell bad so ventilate kitchen well as you bake it! Smell soon goes.

[@senigjyzeli9365]

😊​@@martinp9705

[@senigjyzeli9365]

​@@martinp97059

[@shaunmcclory8117]

I wish you would show how you disconnect/reconnect the arm/bushing to transmission lever under the module, kinda a major part of the procedure to remove/install this gearshifter module wouldnt you say?!

[@MncedzisiLMamba-yh1py]

After 2years of your videos i will clean mine today 14/03/2024 I will drop feedback tommorrow

[@MncedzisiLMamba-yh1py]

After installation I am stuck at Park How can I fix this after cleaning

[@UncleBroer]

​@MncedzisiLMamba-yh1py Same here. The fix suggested in this video actually worked for me. But now it is stuck in park. I release it manually. I'm going to give it another go this coming Sunday, April 15, 2024. I'm going to check if there isn't anything misaligned inside. I'll drop feedback here soon after...

[@UncleBroer]

Reporting back as promised. After the first attempt, I was back at square one. No gear selection. I scrubbed the circuit board again and got the gear selection going again. As for the lever being stuck in park, it turns out the solenoid inside the gear selector module housing was not getting sufficient power. I squeezed the pins supplying power to the solenoid closer together, and after reassembly, voila! All good again.

[@onetwo1939]

Thanks, very informative. Am actually having a similar problem with my car as well

[@brianjohn2894]

very detailed and has good VDO all you need is to take it to someone who works on circuit boards can check what needs replacing or if there is any crack line on the circuit cheap way to fix it than changing the shifters from time to time

[@DephneySibande]

Hi I have the same problem please help me

[@Nvoltz]

Thank you! your video was super helpful. My wife spilled a coke on the shifter, and this actually fixed it.

[@zabzab8803]

All I did was change the whole shifter and it fixed the problem, the shifter I used was from a c200 w203 saloan was the same part number

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

If money is available it’s recommended just to change it. Fixing needs a skill and philosophical calmness 😺

[@DephneySibande]

Hi hud please help me ​@@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308

[@DephneySibande]

​Can I have your contact

[@ssarraf6855]

Excellent work 🎉 Thank you 🙏 Especially cleaning the PCB board

[@mnaz748]

What is that ticking sound we hear after turning key waiting for glow plugs light to go off?

[@sivannagovender5128]

Thanks alot Boss....my 320cdi is all sorted..very informative...tops buddy...

[@thembashilubane8180]

Thanx i once did the cleaning on my merc W203 and it had worked

[@stevebrowne6084]

Nice one mate brilliant video and solved my selector issue

[@philblick4955]

Thanks mate very helpful video congratulations from Aotearoa New Zealand

[@Smoutification]

Have you check the brake light switch? It seems there are a lot more issues shown on the dash.

[@zainaberdeengafoor3334]

Boss can U help me. And show me how the solonoid locking mechanism goes back to unlock from park.

[@sl5311]

Is this the same shifter that has the commonly broken part that keeps it stuck in park that I see in other videos? I have a 2004 C240 that just got stuck in park. The gear display shows all the gears though, unlike yours...

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

If it's like that you just need to stop then shift it to park then to drive again off you you go. But that is the warning to tell you any time it will stop working.

[@sl5311]

@@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308 Since I typed that I discovered transmission oil going into the TCU. The board is not ruined-thankfully, it had just hit the pins. Thanks for your reply though.

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

@@sl5311 That is good to know. Good luck.

[@maximolevin5872]

Hello my problem is that gear is stuck in between Drive and Neutral. It will not move to Reverse or Park. Not sure if this is an electronic problem from the PCB or a mechanical one. Car dash is not in limp mode it is showing letter D. Appreciate any help. Superb video by the way. Thank you.

[@OscarMartinez-eg2vv]

Have the same problem, still can't seem to figure it out

[@thomasy3464]

Same here

[@thomasy3464]

I think it’s the mechanism

[@SaniiMakhalima]

Shifter is faulty. Change it

[@shaunmcclory8117]

Similar problem shifter stuck in nuetral but will sort of half go in drive which allows you to at least drive forwards but wont go in reverse or park so i cant remove the key either! Have u fixed yours and if so what was it?

[@walterstasi3605]

Complimenti ho usato la tua stessa tecnica lo che ho usato il WD40 e funziona ciao grazie 👍

[@peterbaloyi8107]

Hi. Where can I get the cover for the module?

[@mohdraudzhmuslim4884]

can you share the next video....my car also no indication W And P also unable to change Gear while in Parking position.

[@japhethkevinomollo425]

The only nightmare of a w203 is the failures of its selectors.

[@fbhmoii5998]

Elaborate

[@eugeniamukumba9262]

Hi so will it work then after

[@thorisomakabe108]

i have graduated thank you

[@jesseframe5134]

James, did you make a part 2 video? We are sending you good energy!

[@eversurfer]

Mercedes is very miserably with wires - 5 fiber nodes on the c240, that go to controllers for a base camp for devices. Often the fiber to the controller sends semaphores of which device to use. With all the devices in the car, if you use a a long distance wire - it would draw too many amps. So instead feed the controller with fiber optical light and codes. At the controller for finite qty of devices as a base camp to drive the devices, for example door lock, mirror, and window. The wires become small (by design - increase the quanta of controllers, enables to increase the quantity of devices. As mentioned by one of those in solutions, I noticed from engine area, frayed "thin wires". This hit home with me, for example where the head lights are these very thin guage wires provide intense light (and heat). The heat and the wires repeatedly go from hot to cold. The wire shielding becomes "brittle". thus the harness becomes "unshielded". Predatory drain of voltage? Circuit board corroding, or wet? to solve the bridging from a base camp controller? 64 circuits across three Fues boxes, and 72 devices (actuators, window motors, sunroof, etc). And when you have dissimilar metals say for instance at the driver side column you have corrosion where the sunroof drains. Mercedes uses great steel, but the problem is it can rust or corrode at that drain. So now instead of reaming out the drains of the sun roof, one literally has remove drain pipe (rusted out), and replace by epoxying new pipe into the drain system. Upon looking at the bottom of the drain in the column (approximate location of the wheel well cover front left tire, I found a half a gallon of sand accumulated where the rain of sunroof was sand from beach, surfboards, sunroof open, etc. Unfortunately the circuit box at the driver side received infused water (miracle it survived). But the water also accumulated from condensation in the floor board (beneath drains), foam, sound insulation, etc. All soak with drain water (how many Mercedes have seats that discharge? fuse boxes wet, light switch corroded? memory seat modules (adjustable, battery drained? ). Having looking at the drains in the back nothing, just the front columns. Point being of all my summary is the w203 would be an incredible car, if there weren't so many Plastic, thin wires, and zealous devices add (defroster, ac, etc). Having gone thru junkyards, I see almost perfect vehicles - turn out to pasture, because of brittle wires, or a simple circuit board for counting semaphores to a 72 to 100 devices using 5 fiber nodes. But it is really nice to have so many devices!

[@jcmhlungujr.9511]

Mine has the same issue. I will try cleaning it and put back on and comment again. Thank you

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

You have to check the wires inside the module as well if the outer coatings are pulled off. That was the problem with mine.

[@beautymato1034]

Hi my car is mercedes benz c230 doesnt change gear Please help its not starting now

[@MichaelDrebert]

I took the PC board and cooked it and cooked it in the oven at 3 fit's 350 for 5 minutes and thand that was enough to reglue the sottering joints in the 4U shape TCP 1200 is on the computer board which fit inside the shift lever module assembly sounds crazy I know but it worked so I didn't have to pay anybody any money and I don't have to pay Mercedes is Mercedes the nightmare that most people end up paying didn't take much to take it off just a symbol of the area and then do the do and then reassemble everything I'm a happy car owner and the car owner and the cars drive

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

That’s the best way. Even 200 degrees in the oven can be enough. That technic needs someone who knows what he/ doing. I have been doing that too

[@paulfarmerful]

I rather think he means 350*F

[@Nurik-xd4kk]

Good afternoon I was driving along the road and the automatic transmission failed and the car stalled Mercedes C300 2007 Since W204, now the automatic transmission does not work for me. Before that, a noise appeared somewhere, then the last time when it started moving it jerked violently. When I bought it, I didn’t check it and didn’t change the oil in the box, but when I stopped, I checked the oil level, it was normal, but the oil was blackish.

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

Yes it does that after engaging into Limp Mode. Gear shifter can show symptoms of transmission failures.

[@cesartoledo5621]

Hey , you did not help me at all, but it’s ok. What is did was go to the auto salvage yard ( junk yard) and found a shifter that matched and bought it , I paid $25 dollars USD. It worked fine, I hope you were able to fix yours or got it fixed, god bless 🙏👏

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

Glad you fixed it God bless you too

[@jalansantai888]

Hanya dibersihkan saja bisa? Tudak perlu di solder?

[@mohdraudzhmuslim4884]

where to buy this spare card easily to get...anuone can share if card abailable...

[@chrissong8114]

If u clean it and it didn't work what Next

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

It means that the gear shifter module is completely dead. Mostly those wire connections don’t go wrong that often but the shifter module does. Change it and you will drive your car immediately.

[@mohamedbouhsina9981]

Thanks so much brother 🙏 ❤

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

Always welcome

[@EdwinRamos89]

My car shuts off when going from reverse and pass through neutral, same when goign from drive and passes through neutral on is way to park.

[@MaicFx]

Mine has the same problem but its not constant i clean it and still the same i will get abother one to see if it works

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

Just get another one. It means the board is completely damaged.

[@chemsou3055]

What to clean the shifter

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

Clean the BOARD Of the shifter oils….flux or mildly (ashy) acidic with BENZENE or equivalent. These things they attack the soldered joints on the module and all electronic boards overtime.

[@dieudonnebounay5652]

I need help. Je I get this problem.

[@dieudonnebounay5652]

I live in Cameroon at Yaoundé

[@ZsFirstChannel]

The only part I wanted to see you didn't record it. The initial placement of the shifter

[@mattmatt9971]

Thanks for the effort to upload. Did you eventually solve this man? I am getting it changed now too.

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

Yes indeed I figured it out myself what went wrong. Two tiny wires that comes from the motor to the gear shifter module had a short circuit affecting the entire electronic systems. The coating of the wires was cracked and pilled off. I had to insulate them again.

[@legionsmagic007]

Can you share images of them

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

@@legionsmagic007 check my video kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJqaeod6qM55oNE for your reference.

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

Sorry I found that the video is not available. The KZbin might block it. Will try to make another one.

[@ivan-ck5rb]

@@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308 in my mercedes benz c-class 2009 not a single letter appears and it does not give the changes and in your case if the letters are seen in mine not a letter is seen and it does not give the changes that you recommend.

[@MaicFx]

Where is part 2??

[@nAN3ftw]

Did you fix the srs problem? :D I believe its the passenger seat? It annoys me af.

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

No I didn’t. I bought it like that as a second hand car. It’s a passenger’s seat indeed. Could be wire connectors under the seat, seat belt censors, srs module, srs censor inside the seat cover or the alternator is providing less voltage to the air bag systems. So I did not have time to check on all the above. Does not affect the engine and other systems. But I’m irritated with it for sure.

[@nAN3ftw]

@@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308 im having problems with the seat occupancy sensor on the passenger seat. Its a common problem for mercedes benz that age. it can be fixed with a aftermarket srs module by pluging it under the seat.. the sensor itself is 400-500$ + labor work, not worth it

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

@@nAN3ftw indeed it’s not worth it to bypass the passenger occupancy seat censor at 500$ + labour. I always think of just buying the after market seat with a good censor in it. I just love the designs for Mercedes Benz. Are so attractive to many people and they handle well on the roads even on very high speed. There’s safety and comfort ability in Mercedes Benz cars. But every small issue in these cars are costing a fortune.

[@nAN3ftw]

@@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308 Yeah true. I have a w203 for 8years and i have a lot of experience on these cars considering that every job i did myself. But the feeling when you drive it is on another level. Mine is a diesel thought

[@paulfarmerful]

Can anyone tell me what the black slider to the left of the yellow switch on the module is for?

[@secondlife5559]

I think that little switch is for the system to know when parking. If you change the shift to parking, you will see the button switch release.

[@DelightfulGlasses-wm8ux]

I currently have the same problem..

[@freddyntambwe6799]

Gears still not changing keep driving on gear 1...

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

It’s the best time to change your gear shifter module. It’s faulty. Get a used one if you want it will work still

[@daddydad5760]

NO WAY. thats working may be for few milles, you have to change that electronics inside.

[@eddw123]

The fault is: Dry joints on the PCB, solder again the PCB and problem solved with faulty CAN communication and F error

[@skoutthazoda7298]

Bravöooooooo Meister

[@curlymyhero]

The arm bushing is held on by a round clip. That's all. But put a rag under it so u don't drop it down

[@DephneySibande]

Hi hud please help me

[@stephendixon3498]

These cars are the most unreliable i have known . Never buy another !

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

That’s true. After market cars of this type are just money drains. That’s why they are cheap to buy.

[@makolosarl8037]

En français svp merci

[@top5deadoralive746]

Yup cost more tyen the car itself to maintain and fix all the problems

[@olasaheed1109]

May be it's from the brain box

[@Hans197920]

-40 degrees, are you kidding me 🥴

[@jamesmadalitsomchenga5308]

It had a faulty temperature sensor. That's common problems in w203 and other cars.

[@gerardo1560]

I spilled beer in mine along time ago now ita been sitting for about a year and a half

[@marcoblanco3177]

HORRIBLE. INGLÉS