# 1973 Mercedes Benz 300SEL with gas pedal problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mercedes-benz\ **Created:** [October 10, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-mercedes-benz-300sel-with-gas-pedal-problem/37902 "2009-10-10T19:11:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flatlyne2001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b3f665/32.png) [@flatlyne2001](https://community.cartalk.com/u/flatlyne2001)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-mercedes-benz-300sel-with-gas-pedal-problem/37902/1 "2009-10-10T19:11:45Z")
So my wife purchased this car but the gas pedal does not pop back so there is a rope tied to the gas pedal to throttle down the engine. Looking for any ideas on what I should be looking at to fix. Thanks steve ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-mercedes-benz-300sel-with-gas-pedal-problem/37902/2 "2009-10-11T03:39:09Z")
Probably missing the return spring from the pedal arm to an anchor position up under the dash. Also check the linkage for binding. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-mercedes-benz-300sel-with-gas-pedal-problem/37902/3 "2009-10-11T03:47:06Z")
I can’t find a ‘300SEL’ in '73. Is it gas or diesel? ---
**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-mercedes-benz-300sel-with-gas-pedal-problem/37902/4 "2009-10-11T04:29:17Z")
Think “fastest four door car of the era”. It was the 300SEL 6.3 liter. I got to drive one once in about '75. Air suspension made even the worst bumps disappear. Roadrunner’s advice is good. Better get it fixed before you hit something, as fast as that thing will go. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-mercedes-benz-300sel-with-gas-pedal-problem/37902/5 "2009-10-11T04:46:57Z")
One thing to check on a vehicle this old is a frayed throttle cable. If the strands of the throttle cable start fraying inside the cable jacket, it can act like a Chinese handcuff. That is, it moves freely in one direction, but grabs in the other direction. Tester ---
**Author:** ![flatlyne2001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b3f665/32.png) [@flatlyne2001](https://community.cartalk.com/u/flatlyne2001)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-mercedes-benz-300sel-with-gas-pedal-problem/37902/6 "2009-10-11T16:34:07Z")
it’s gas, it’s probably technically a late model '72 as they were only made from 71-72 ---
**Author:** ![flatlyne2001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b3f665/32.png) [@flatlyne2001](https://community.cartalk.com/u/flatlyne2001)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1973-mercedes-benz-300sel-with-gas-pedal-problem/37902/7 "2009-10-11T16:35:45Z")
She only got the 4.5 but that’s plenty big enough v8 for that size of a car 🙂 Yes the air suspension is great, provided you let it inflate completely 😉 Well for the moment she’s not driving it until we can get this fixed and then get a good tuneup on it.