What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

I can't move the gear selector from P, could this be a battery issue?

My 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has only done 21,000 miles. I've had it from new with the original battery. It stood idle for three weeks and was sluggish to start yesterday. I switched on the heated rear windscreen and blower to clear frost but the gear selector would not move from P. I ran the engine for a few minutes but the fault persisted. Later that day I started it again, this time I was able to select gears as normal. I ran the engine for 20 minutes last night and the gear selection is okay today. Could low voltage and a failing battery cause this?

Asked on 6 November 2020 by William Fleming

Answered by Keith Moody
Yes, a low battery voltage can cause gear selection issues. If you can, invest in a decent trickle charger to keep the battery in good health and prevent the issue from happening again.
Similar questions
I bought a used car less than two weeks ago. It's a 2016 reg. The battery has failed three times since I bought it. The first time a friend jump started it for me, the second time a mechanic used a power...
My wife has the Toyota C-HR Hybrid and we have just returned from a long holiday (11 weeks) and the battery is flat. Would a solar charger be sufficient to keep the battery in good order? Does the C-HR...
I have owned a Fiesta hybrid, bought as a pre-reg, since November 2021. It went back to the main dealers in January because the touch sensitive locking stopped working. I was told this was due to the 12V...
Related models
Distinctive, sharp looks. Excellent CDI diesels. Good motorway cruiser. Feels very well built.