2013 2500 shifter stuck issue

Hey all,
I have a 2013 2500 that will be a-year-old in July. It has 19,000 miles.
A week or so ago I came to a stop and attempted to shift into park from drive and the shift lever did not want to disengage from drive. After some fiddling it did eventually go into park and seemed to work okay. Then yesterday after a longer trip I came to a stop and it again would not release from Drive. I was in a bit of a bind as I could no longer go forward so my options were limited. It eventually went into park but required some force to do so. Once parked the shift lever itself was sloppy, I assume from having to force it up into park. I was able to drive back home, and the shift cable under the van and lever on the transmission all seem to be in operating order. My assumption is there something in the shift box itself that is now stretched worn or broken allowing the shift lever to be sloppy.

I searched the forum and did not find any instances of other people with the shift lever sticking in drive. I have a call into the dealership, but matching up our schedules to get the van there and for them to look at it doesn't help. While I am trying to do that, Has anyone heard of or run into an issue like this?

Thanks
Peter

I believe the shift lever is all electronic. Since it is under warrantee my first call would be to an MB Sprinter service dept!

Icarus

Of course Icarus, and my first call was. It's still a cable shift in 2013, and I was hoping for mor insight than the dealerships holier-than-tho service department that I was not aware of before purchasing.

Peter

I don't beleive the cable connects to the shifter. (I may be wrong, and others will correct). It is my understnding that the shifter simply sends a signal to the appropriate control. My WAG is an intermittent signal to or from the shifter. Anyone with more info?

Icarus

That's interesting, and if that is the case then it would be surely a mechanical issue at the shift lever itself. Perhaps what I was mistaking for a shift cable is a cable from the parking brake. All check that theory in the morning.
Thanks,
Peter

There is a cable, however the shift lever has a lock that is controlled by the electronics. Needs a valid key signal (which it has as it will start and run), also needs to see a signal from the brake switch in order to shift into or out of park. Also when in drive if the shift lever is moved from side to side and the display shows the gear selected on the instrument panel then we know the shift lever module has power and the data link between the various modules is ok. If the above signals are ok then the shift lever assembly is most likely bad.

Rusic said:

There is a cable, however the shift lever has a lock that is controlled by the electronics. Needs a valid key signal (which it has as it will start and run), also needs to see a signal from the brake switch in order to shift into or out of park. Also when in drive if the shift lever is moved from side to side and the display shows the gear selected on the instrument panel then we know the shift lever module has power and the data link between the various modules is ok. If the above signals are ok then the shift lever assembly is most likely bad.

Click to expand...

Are you saying there is a (mechanical) cable that runs from the shifter console to the transmission? If that is true is is news to me. I thought that the shifter was simply an electronic control, sending signals to the appropriate receptor. Sort of like the way a joystick on an excavwtor works. The is no direct control to the valves from the joystick in many modern excavators.

Icarus

Yes there is a actual cable. In my above post I stated one thing wrong. The only thing that has a saftey interlock is for taking it out of park -(brake does not need to be depressed or the ignition need to be on in order to put it into park). The shift cable controls the main spool valve. If there was a total electronic failure of the transmission it would be able to be driven in 2nd gear by shifting to the drive position. Reverse would also be available with a total electronic failure of the transmission. All other gears are shifted using solenoids to control various spool valves. Also the shift cable moves the actual park pin into position.

My shifter went out. It can shift from park to reverse and to neutral and back to those 3 positions. It would not shift into drive though. Had the Shifter Control Assembly 2007-2014 replaced at Warner truck center in SLC UT with labor for $690.00 Not bad.



Dealer List $709.50


Europarts Price: $495.92

Savings: $213.58 (30%)

Thanks for this thread! Just had an issue with shifter cable chains on a 2007 FL 2500. The zip-tie holding the lower chain in place
broke, allowing the chain to slip off and leaving tranny stuck in drive. Fortunately my tow-truck driver had a Sprinter and knew how to fix it. Dealer wanted $420 to upgrade to a new & improved system. I opted for new zip-ties and $30 for labor instead. Should last another 9 years!