I have a 1981 280E which wouldn’t start unless I shifted in and out of Park, sometimes several times. My mechanic diagnosed the problem as the neutral safety switch. (It was a touching scene they described, as they started the car again and again over a 3-day period until finally the problem showed up and the mechanic was shouting for someone to come and test the circuit because he couldn’t let go of the key!) After a while, the problem reoccurred. Have they (a) installed a second faulty switch? (b) accidentally repaired some other problem which was masked by the switch, and then came back?© is there something else they should be looking at? (These folks are good mechanics, but they aren’t Mercedes specialists and there’s no dealer in town.)
Anybody?
Pete
this may generate some criticism, but bear in mind that neutral safety switches are put in place for people who are inattentive and careless. it is possible to eliminate the switch as it’s not very useful on an automatic transmission car anyway.