🚨 1994 Mercedes-Benz E320 W124: Emergency Neutral
The W124 E320 uses a traditional column-mounted shifter with a mechanical shift interlock that requires the brake pedal to be depressed.
✓ Expert-verified by Chris Hackleman & Jeff Moore — master technicians, 20+ years each.
⚠️ Chock the wheels first — neutral means the car can roll. Set the parking brake while you work, never stand downhill of the vehicle, and try a 12-volt jump before any override: power fixes most stuck-in-park problems instantly.
The procedure
- Ensure the vehicle is on a flat surface with the parking brake firmly engaged and wheels chocked.
- Turn the ignition key to position II (ignition on) to unlock the steering column and power the shift interlock.
- Locate the small shift lock override slot on the left side of the steering column shroud, just below and behind the shifter lever.
- Insert a small flathead screwdriver or the key blade into the override slot and press firmly inward.
- While holding the override pressed, move the shifter from Park through Reverse to Neutral without pressing the brake pedal.
- Release the override and verify the transmission is in Neutral by attempting to roll the vehicle slightly.
- If the vehicle must be moved with no electrical power, see noPowerNotes below.
Shift-lock override location
Small slot on the left side of the steering column shroud, below and behind the shifter lever
With zero electrical power
With a completely dead battery, the steering column will remain locked and the shift interlock may not release electrically. You will need to jump-start the vehicle with an external 12V source (jumper cables or battery pack) to at least position II for steering unlock and shift interlock release. The W124 mechanical shift interlock can sometimes be overridden with the manual release even without power, but steering will remain locked. For flatbed loading with zero power, the vehicle may need to be dollied or winched with the steering locked.