1995 E280 W124 Ventilation Problem

[bruff]

Hi,

I have a 1995 W125 E280 Estate.

Whatever I do with the ventilation control dial I cannot get any air blowing on the windscreen.

Is this a common fault and if so is there a common cure!!??

Any advice on where to start to look?

When I turn the dial I can hear the air making different noises so something is moving in there!!!!

Look forward to any helpful suggestions!

Cheers,

New memeber Bruff!

 

[Bolide]

Bruff


Do you have standard heater (2 heat dials), aircon (2 heat dials with three switches [Air drying, Aircon on/off and Recirculate] vertically between them) or climate control (single heat dial)?

You should get air on the screen in the demist position (the 1 o/clock position on the air control) and in the up / down position (3 o'clock). If you don't then something's probably come adrift in the dash

If you turn the fan to max and the air control to the demist position you should be able to find out where the air's going. Close the outer dash vents and the centre vent and try different air control positions. Try with the a/c on and off if you have a/c

BTW the best way to demist, if you have aircon, is to turn the aircon on and/or use the Air Drying button. Works much better then heated air

The heater's a complex thing and it's a dash-out job to get at it. One day I'll take one apart and learn what everything does. One day...


Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[bruff]

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the that, much appreciated.

The car has the standard 2 dial arrangement. Air Con has been fitted retrospectively so that it has the same 3 button arrangement as a factory fit. This is what I have been told from a former MB dealership.

The A/C button is permanently 'on' and does not switch off. The other 2 buttons relating to the A/C do not appear to do anything. The buttons do not depress and their lights do not illuminate.

I have closed the three dash vents and put the venitilation up to its highest level and still nothing comes out of the windscreen vents.

This does not sound good and a dash off job sound pricey!!

Any more ideas or can someone suggest good MB specialist near Cheltenham who is competent and reasonably priced?

Cheers,

Ben

 

[Bolide]

If the car had a/c retrofitted there are usually two giveaways: a rivetted plate on the slam panel with the supplier's name and a sharp edge to the a/c switchbank cutout in the wood fascia. Some retrofits reverse the usual lamp on, aircon off logic that Mercedes use

If your lamp is always on then we can assume it's not working and that that is part of the problem. You'll need an aircon engineer who knows W124s. Otherwise they'll waste lots of time fault-finding the system. Often there's a handbook for the system in the service wallet. It's probably a Diavia system so try them first for advice & local experts. Retrofits were normally done by the supplying dealer or lease company so the service book may give you clues as well

I'm still looking for a real W124 aircon expert

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk