# Am I being taken **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [November 21, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328 "2018-11-21T23:24:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Erikabw22\_144883](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6bbea6/32.png) [@Erikabw22\_144883](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikabw22_144883)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/1 "2018-11-21T23:24:26Z")
As my luck would have it I left a large cup of redbull and lemonade on gearshift area. I forgot it in car. Someone hit my car parked in street. When I found my car hit and no note I was upset. I noticed there my drink spilled. U don’t know how much went into gearshift. I then couldn’t put windowed down smelled funny dash lights went on and car stalled. I am told that the wires all got shorted? Does this sound right. Ugh wish I didn’t leave it where I did. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 11:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/2 "2018-11-21T23:40:26Z")
Are you filing an insurance claim for this? I’m not sure if the liquid could be responsible for the specific issues you mention, although it’s possible if it got into something like a body control module. Regardless, the claim should cover these issues. It would help to know what kind of car you have. ---
**Author:** ![Erikabw22\_144883](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6bbea6/32.png) [@Erikabw22\_144883](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikabw22_144883)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 11:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/3 "2018-11-21T23:50:54Z")
I didn’t make insurance claim. When I saw my car I was mad as I would have left a note. I didn’t call police as its New York. When I started car the electric Windows didn’t work and while driving I smelt something. Just seems strange that there is this much damage. ---
**Author:** ![Erikabw22\_144883](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6bbea6/32.png) [@Erikabw22\_144883](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikabw22_144883)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/4 "2018-11-21T23:51:50Z")
It’s a ml 500 2002 with 109 k miles ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/5 "2018-11-21T23:59:31Z")
I assume you’ve had this car to some kind of repair shop. What type of shop was it? Saying that all the wires got shorted doesn’t really sound like a precise diagnosis to me. What was proposed for the fix and how much will that cost? ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 12:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/6 "2018-11-22T00:11:12Z")
That is more than just a gear shift level, it is called “Electronic selector lever module”. It contains sensors, switches and solenoids and is connected to the BUS communication system, don’t pour beverages into it. ---
**Author:** ![Erikabw22\_144883](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6bbea6/32.png) [@Erikabw22\_144883](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikabw22_144883)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/7 "2018-11-22T00:24:25Z")
It’s at the dealer. I didn’t pour anything. I left a cup in the shifter area. Took it out of cup holder got distracted and left it. I assume when car was it cup fell as it wasn’t left in best place. Dealer said it was 3400 to fix Gear shifter module and a security module only dealer can fix. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 1:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/8 "2018-11-22T01:36:09Z")
> [@Erikabw22\_144883](#): > > It’s a ml 500 200 Hoo boy. The Germans have questionable electronics to begin with before liquid spills enter the picture. Yeah, I can definitely see the car’s electrical systems going haywire after something like this. The gear shift module and the security module wouldn’t be _wires_. They’re little self-contained computers. If you pour liquid in a computer, it’s gonna short out and you’re gonna have to replace stuff (and I know you didn’t physically pour the liquid yourself, but it still got in there and the results are the same). It’s never a bad idea to get a second opinion on a job this expensive, but it doesn’t seem at all out of the ordinary for a big liquid spill to cause problems like this. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 1:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/9 "2018-11-22T01:41:32Z")
When I worked at the Benz dealer, spilled drinks was the primary reason that the esm got replaced If the dealer says it needs to be replaced, you are not “being taken” And yes, the esm is quite expensive as far as the power windows, the window switches pretty much surround the shifter, so if red bull ruined the esm, you can bet it also did a number on the switches. You might consider filing a claim . . . but I don’t know if you have comprehensive insurance for an 16-year old vehicle? I’m assuming besides the esm, there’s also body damage > [@Erikabw22\_144883](#): > > Ugh wish I didn’t leave it where I did. This isn’t your fault. If that jerk hadn’t slammed your vehicle, you wouldn’t have this expensive problem. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/10 "2018-11-22T01:48:56Z")
> [@Erikabw22\_144883](#): > > I didn’t make insurance claim. Does that mean you do not have full coverage insurance ? If you do have comprehensive and collision then do file a claim.\_ ---
**Author:** ![Erikabw22\_144883](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6bbea6/32.png) [@Erikabw22\_144883](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikabw22_144883)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 2:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/11 "2018-11-22T02:01:50Z")
I have opened this car since 2005 lucky when I changed insurance companies a few years ago I purchased what I always had on car. Guess I will make claim hope insurance doesn’t try to weasel out. Thank you all I didn’t make claim because I didn’t want insurance to go up. ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2018, 3:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/12 "2018-11-23T03:03:26Z")
That’s what you get for drinking that Red Bull stuff. To me Red Bull is just a way to ruin a good nap!!! Yosemite ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/13 "2018-11-23T15:11:45Z")
your insurance might cover a $3400 repair? but you dont want higher rates? someone is going to pay. your rates might not go up. i thought comp claims were treated differently than collision claims. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/14 "2018-11-23T15:16:59Z")
Coffee could do it too, “Fate is the Hunter”. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/15 "2018-11-23T15:51:06Z")
You might be surprised at what insurers cover. I was pulling the windshield wipers off my Regal, and used the plastic cowling below it as a rest for a pry bar. I didn’t realize that the cowling covered the bottom of the windshield. Oops. I called my auto insurer and they said they would cover it, even after I explained how I broke it. ---
**Author:** ![sgtrock21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/sgtrock21/32/246_2.png) [@sgtrock21](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sgtrock21)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/16 "2018-11-23T20:04:12Z")
OP would apparently consider paying $3400 rather than making an insurance claim because the insurance premiums may increase. If they have comprehensive the repairs could be covered with small or no deductible and no rate increase. ---
**Author:** ![Erikabw22\_144883](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6bbea6/32.png) [@Erikabw22\_144883](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikabw22_144883)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/17 "2018-11-23T21:38:55Z")
I am making claim I didn’t k ow it was that much. I was thinking it would be less than my deductible ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-being-taken/129328/18 "2018-11-23T21:45:47Z")
Did you also get body damage ?