Snowkaguya
New member
Hi All,
We have a 2011 Mercedes Sprinter 2500, with 58K miles.
Anyone have experience replacing a gear shift module on a similar Sprinter? Or the whole gear shift assembly?
Our module broke (full drama below), and we’re wondering if we should bring it to a shop vs repair it ourselves.
Thanks!
Nick
---------
Initial problem: When shifted into Reverse, the white reverse lights don’t stay on. They blink a couple of times, stay off and occasionally blink again.
No obvious issues at the bulb assembly or wiring harness, so we thought the problem might be poor electrical contact in the gear shifter. We removed the shifter covers and looked inside a little peep hole into the assembly (see Pic 1). Through the hole, we saw what seemed to be the problem: the shifter’s downward facing metal pin is making poor contact with the fixed metal plate at the reverse position. It looks like the pin has carved a small, shallow ditch into the thin metal plate, from its pendulum-like swinging action.
We thought the simplest fix would be bending the metal plate back upwards, but we couldn’t access the plate through the peep hole.
To get inside the shifter assembly, we removed a black, rectangular component on the side (Pics 2-3). It’s labeled “Cherry PP 906 267 017”, it’s very lightweight and cheap plastic-feeling, and it has 4 small cable harnesses attached. We think it’s the gear shift module, but would love confirmation. After unscrewing the module from the shifter assembly, we saw the cylindrical shaft on the assembly (Pic 4) that rotates a receptacle in the module (Pic 5). Manually turning this receptacle a few degrees will toggle through all the gear indicator lights on the shifter.
Video clip:
https://youtu.be/B92X13CCITM
Since removing the module didn’t give us better access into the shifter, we screwed it back in.
Secondary problem: Unfortunately, we must not have aligned the module correctly when we put it back, because as soon as we tried shifting gears, we heard it crack… that cheap plastic cracking sound, like a CD jewel case breaking. We removed it again to look inside, and sure enough, pieces of the receptacle broke off in a few places.
Now when we put the module back on the shifter, the shift indicator lights up the wrong gear. It’s normally offset by 1 gear. For example, the transmission is in Drive, but “N” lights up of the shifter. Or we shift into Reverse, but the “P” lights up, etc. The electrical system now behaves according to the light shown on the shifter, regardless of what gear it's actually in. For example, the engine won’t crank when the shifter light is on “R” even though the transmission is actually in Neutral. Arghh!
We’re hesitant to buy a new module and fix it ourselves, unless we have a better idea on how to install it.. properly aligned, without breaking! The module seems to have an alignment hole (through the housing, intersecting the interior selector arm), but we haven’t had luck using it.
Hesitant to drive the Sprinter now, since the electronics don’t seem to know what the transmission is doing.
Any insight or suggestions appreciated!
We have a 2011 Mercedes Sprinter 2500, with 58K miles.
Anyone have experience replacing a gear shift module on a similar Sprinter? Or the whole gear shift assembly?
Our module broke (full drama below), and we’re wondering if we should bring it to a shop vs repair it ourselves.
Thanks!
Nick
---------
Initial problem: When shifted into Reverse, the white reverse lights don’t stay on. They blink a couple of times, stay off and occasionally blink again.
No obvious issues at the bulb assembly or wiring harness, so we thought the problem might be poor electrical contact in the gear shifter. We removed the shifter covers and looked inside a little peep hole into the assembly (see Pic 1). Through the hole, we saw what seemed to be the problem: the shifter’s downward facing metal pin is making poor contact with the fixed metal plate at the reverse position. It looks like the pin has carved a small, shallow ditch into the thin metal plate, from its pendulum-like swinging action.
We thought the simplest fix would be bending the metal plate back upwards, but we couldn’t access the plate through the peep hole.
To get inside the shifter assembly, we removed a black, rectangular component on the side (Pics 2-3). It’s labeled “Cherry PP 906 267 017”, it’s very lightweight and cheap plastic-feeling, and it has 4 small cable harnesses attached. We think it’s the gear shift module, but would love confirmation. After unscrewing the module from the shifter assembly, we saw the cylindrical shaft on the assembly (Pic 4) that rotates a receptacle in the module (Pic 5). Manually turning this receptacle a few degrees will toggle through all the gear indicator lights on the shifter.
Video clip:
https://youtu.be/B92X13CCITM
Since removing the module didn’t give us better access into the shifter, we screwed it back in.
Secondary problem: Unfortunately, we must not have aligned the module correctly when we put it back, because as soon as we tried shifting gears, we heard it crack… that cheap plastic cracking sound, like a CD jewel case breaking. We removed it again to look inside, and sure enough, pieces of the receptacle broke off in a few places.
Now when we put the module back on the shifter, the shift indicator lights up the wrong gear. It’s normally offset by 1 gear. For example, the transmission is in Drive, but “N” lights up of the shifter. Or we shift into Reverse, but the “P” lights up, etc. The electrical system now behaves according to the light shown on the shifter, regardless of what gear it's actually in. For example, the engine won’t crank when the shifter light is on “R” even though the transmission is actually in Neutral. Arghh!
We’re hesitant to buy a new module and fix it ourselves, unless we have a better idea on how to install it.. properly aligned, without breaking! The module seems to have an alignment hole (through the housing, intersecting the interior selector arm), but we haven’t had luck using it.
Hesitant to drive the Sprinter now, since the electronics don’t seem to know what the transmission is doing.
Any insight or suggestions appreciated!
