L322 Won't Start Stuck in S

I had water damage in the AV system, went hunting for blown fuses but couldn't find any. Got in the car today and the LCD shows S and the engine won't turn over. Gear shifter moves and led changes with it, can even go to Sports mode and shift down to 1 but nowhere else. Any idea what could of happened and how to fix it. I tried removing the battery for five minutes and also charging it in case that was the issue.

Thanks

Lezley said:

I had water damage in the AV system, went hunting for blown fuses but couldn't find any. Got in the car today and the LCD shows S and the engine won't turn over. Gear shifter moves and led changes with it, can even go to Sports mode and shift down to 1 but nowhere else. Any idea what could of happened and how to fix it. I tried removing the battery for five minutes and also charging it in case that was the issue.

Thanks

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I'm sure somebody had the same problem last year, sorry couldn't resist.Hope you get sorted.

When you removed the battery did you touch the leads together, doing that can help some times as it powers down thing properly, just make sure both are off the battery first or you may find all your l322 problems disappear in smoke.

brianp38dse said:

When you removed the battery did you touch the leads together, doing that can help some times as it powers down thing properly, just make sure both are off the battery first or you may find all your l322 problems disappear in smoke.

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Which may be a bonus.

Thanks for the advice, tried that but still showing S on the dash with no engine turn over with the key. Maybe pulling a certain fuse causes this but looking around no one else seems to of seen this problem

i know there are inhibitors to stop you starting in anything other than neutral or park so getting it out of sports mode will be your priority

That is what I thought, so it was in Park when I turned it off otherwise I wouldn't be able to get the key out. The steering lock unlocks when I put the key in the ignition and I can't take it back out unless the gear shifter is put in Park so something is recognising the selector position. How can I tell what gear the gearbox is actually in? Can this be done with a diagnostic?

If the key only goes in and comes out in the Park position then it is probably not mechanical but the result of water in the brain. Can you get the car to roll when in the N position? Hopefully so as this means the car can be recovered fairly easily.....main stealer here you come....

I tied pushing it in N but there seems to be resistance, it starts to roll but stops, same in P which made me think the gearbox does have a gear selected instead of N or P. I was on my own, it is parked on the flat but on chippings. I'll get someone to help and will confirm

Today we tried pushing it with the gear shift in N and same it rolls a little then stops so I think it is in gear.
Any ideas how to proceed to sort this?

gear selection is initially done by a cable attached between gear lever and gear box, sports mode is selected by electronic means

Thanks but it seems only the ECU thinks it is in Sport. Did some testing today, regardless of the gear stick position, the car won't roll, so in neutral I can only push it a little way rocking it back and forth. If I check the fan the engine isn't rotating with the wheels so looks to be in park regardless of the stick position but the ECU still thinks it is in Sport so inhibits the start. I can't think how this could happen as it appears to be both mechanical and electrical.

Think there’s a fuse you can put in to put transfer box in neutral you should at least be able to get it moved.

Have you actually tried to just put it in/out of sport mode with ignition on?
There is also a way of getting it out of park manually.
J

Yep tried everything in and out of sports up into first ect but nothing seems to be stuck in park but ECU shows S. I read the fuse 37 proceedure, I thought that was for letting the decent control and low box?

Well the fix was as random as the fault, decided to pull and refit the fuses I did before this started. Also pulled a fuse with a gear icon and also one in the manual described as computer. Next time I put he key in the LCD shows P and would start and all appears to work fine. No idea why reseating fuses would cause and fix this but it has, happy days!

sports mode is controlled by the gearbox ecu very possible pulling fuses first time might have caused it to put a tag in memory to say you had placed it in sports mode which you wouldn't have been able to clear without the second reset

The S was for SANTAs coming Uv got a P now cos hes PAST ., see if happens next year.....

Dodgy/dirty fuse connector & removing & replacing one has made better contact?

Had an issue on my Sprinter van a few months ago when turbo boost stopped working.
These are known for small splits in small bore rubber hoses which operate the cabin heater vent position allowing air in which means there's no vacuum at the boost actuator which controls the vane position in the turbo. Why MB thought interconnecting that with the turbo electrical vacuum boost actuator was a good idea is a mystery.
Have had that a few times & replaced the damaged small hoses with silicon hose.
Expecting it to be the same issue I checked all the hoses as before.
Nothing. All fine.
Sucking the hose from the electrical boost actuator to the turbo actuator itself showed that was fine.
Disconnected, cleaned & reconnected the electrical connector of the boost actuator. The pins were quite tarnished.
Normal operation restored!

dubbleRR said:

The S was for SANTAs coming Uv got a P now cos hes PAST ., see if happens next year.....

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Maybe it's about to stick in N for New Year