NHTSA Complaint #10356174 — 2011 MERCEDES BENZ E

2011 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS-THIS VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRONIC SHIFTER JUST BEHIND STEERING WHEEL. IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL IF IT GOES INTO PARK OR NOT. MY WIFE HAD ENGINE RUNNING, GOT OUT OF CAR TO CHECK THE TRUNK AND THOUGHT SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK. IT STARTED TO MOVE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO JUMP INSIDE AND HIT THE BRAKE. LATER THAT MORNING I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT AND THOUGHT I HIT THE PARK. I GOT OUT LEAVING THE ENGINE RUNNING WITH MY WIFE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT ON THE PHONE. WHEN FINISHED SHE SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS. SHE COULDN'T REACH OVER THE CONSOLE TO HIT THE BRAKE. SHE TRIED PUSHING THE PARK BUTTON AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE (72 HOURS OLD) STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A CAR BEHIND IT IN ANOTHER PARKING SPACE. FORTUNATELY, NOBODY WAS BEHIND THE CAR OR SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I SPOKE WITH MERCEDES CORPORATE WHO SAID THE ELECTRONIC SHIFTER HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2006. THE SERVICE FOREMAN AT MY DEALER TOLD ME THERE IS NO WAY TO ADJUST THE COMPUTER SO THAT IF THE CAR ISN'T IN PARK AND THE KEY IS TURNED OFF THE TRANSMISSION WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SENSE NO ONE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LOCK INTO PARK. HE EXPLAINED WITH THE KEY OFF HAD SHE OPENED THE DOOR THE PARK WOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY HAPPENED. IT SEEMS THERE IS A SIMPLE FIX. IF THE VEHICLE IS BELOW 5 MPH AND SOMEONE HAS THE ENGINE RUNNING BUT OPENS THE DOOR TO GET OUT IT STILL SHOULD GO INTO PARK. THIS IS A SIMPLE PROGRAM FIX I WOULD GUESS. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A WARNING BELL OR VOICE COMMAND ALERTING THE DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE ISN'T IN PARK. IT CAME TOO LATE FOR MY WIFE TO KNOW HAD SHE OPENED THE DOOR THE CAR WOULD HAVE LOCKED INTO PARK WHEN THE ENGINE IS OFF. THERE SHOULD BE A WARNING POSTED TO ALL NEW OWNERS AND A DEMONSTRATION OF HOW TO BEST UTILIZE THE EMERGENCY SYSTEM. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS KILLED BUT MY WIFE BEING TWISTED HEART HER BACK. NOTHING CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM SINCE THE DEALER HAS NO DESIGNATED FIX. *TR