NHTSA Complaint #11002352 — 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S550

SHIFTING LEVER IS UP FOR REVERSE, CENTER FOR PARK, DOWN FOR FORWARD. ALL OTHER TRANSMISSIONS YOU PUSH UP FOR PARK. AFTER DRIVING ALL OTHER CARS, EVEN PRIOR MERCEDES IF YOU EXIT THE CAR YOU PUSH THE TRANSMISSION LEVER TO UP FOR PARK EVEN WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING YOU PUSH THE LEVER UP FOR PARK. THIS BECOMES A HABIT, A REFLEXIVE ACTION BUT IF YOU DO THIS IN THIS MERCEDES YOU GO INTO REVERSE. WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IS I STARTED THE CAR IN MY GARAGE AND FORGOT SOMETHING SO I HOPPED OUT WHILE REACHING FOR THE SHIFT LEVER AND PUSHED UP FOR PARK, BUT IT WASN'T PARK, IT WAS REVERSE AND MY CAR STARTED BACKWARD WITH ME ONLY PARTIALLY IN THE CAR. I BARELY MADE IT BACK IN BEFORE I WIPED OUT MY DRIVERS DOOR ON THE GARAGE WALL AS THE CAR EXITED THE GARAGE. I CAME WITHIN A WHISPER OF GETTING SMASHED BETWEEN THE CAR DOOR AND THE GARAGE. DAMAGE, ABOUT $7,000 BUT I AVOIDED GETTING KILLED. NOW, YOU MAY SAY THAT IT IS MY FAULT FOR NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY BUT WHY WOULD MERCEDES GO AWAY FROM WHAT HAS BEEN THE PRACTICE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS? MUCH OF DRIVING IS DOING WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED TO DO, MUCH OF IT IS REFLEXIVE AND THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN DESIGN FOR SAFETY. I WROTE TO MERCEDES ABOUT THIS AND TOLD THEM THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I ASKED THEM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR MY REPAIR BUT I DON'T EXPECT THEY WILL COMPLY.