🚨 1995 Mercedes-Benz S320 W140: Emergency Neutral
The W140 S-Class uses a column-mounted shifter with mechanical shift interlock that requires the brake pedal to be depressed and ignition on.
🧰 Drafted with AI under the editorial review of Chris Hackleman & Jeff Moore — details like the exact override location may vary by trim; verify visually before prying anything.
⚠️ 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 level ground and the parking brake is firmly applied.
- Turn the ignition key to position 2 (ignition on) if battery power is available.
- Locate the shift lock override button—it is a small button or slot located on the bottom/underside of the steering column shroud near the shifter stalk base.
- Use a small screwdriver or similar tool to press and hold the override button.
- While holding the override button down, move the column shifter from Park to Neutral.
- Release the override button once the shifter is in Neutral.
- The vehicle can now be rolled or loaded onto a flatbed.
Shift-lock override location
Small override button or slot on the underside of the steering column shroud, near where the shifter stalk enters the column.
With zero electrical power
With completely dead battery, the ignition cannot be turned to position 2 and the steering wheel will lock. The shift lock override on W140 models typically requires some electrical power to fully disengage. If battery is completely dead, you may need to jump-start the vehicle minimally (just enough for accessory power) to operate the override reliably. Alternatively, some W140 models have a fully mechanical override that works without power—press the override button firmly and attempt to shift. If steering is locked, the vehicle can be loaded on a flatbed but cannot be safely towed on wheels.