sixpack
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2003
- Messages
- 187
- Reaction score
- 2
- Location
- Renfrew Scotland
- Your Mercedes
- 2012 w212 220
1995 C250 Diesel
Had occasion to pull out my inst panel today, to unstick rev counter and speedo needles, and replace bulbs. Ive never done this before but several posts have said it was an easy job. First problem, the tools. I tried making hooks from the thin strips of steel that fit into the rubbers in windscreen wipers, nowhere near strong enough. What did work was hooks made from an old bicycle spoke (with the end 2mm formed into a hook). Second problem, what to hook onto. The hooks are meant to pull out either side of the panel, but its hard to see just where to insert the hook. Ive attached a picture of the panel removed to show the "sawtooth" section which the hook is meant to engage with. Be careful when using the hooks not to pull on the clear plastic inst cover, it will break very easily. The hook must in about 25mm behind the panel to engage the sawtooth. Note that it takes a good heave to get the panel out. At this point I still was not sure if it would clear the steering wheel. It does ! Even though mine does not have an adjustable steering column. A bit of a fiddle but it comes out. Third problem. There are 2 connectors which have to removed, but its not obvious how to undo the latch which holds them. This latch sits at 90deg to the plane of the panel, and has to moved to be parallel to it, away from the side of the connector with the wires going in. To move this latch, a small plastic clip, at the rear of the plug has to be pressed in. See photo if I have managed to attach it. I managed to break the latch on one of mine.
After all that my next job was to find out why the needles kept sticking at zero till I whacked the dash with my hand. It turned that the pin the needle sits on when at zero was covered with a very sticky residue indeed. I cleaned all 4 pins with methylated spirit. I found 2 bulbs faulty, Its all back together now and working. Typical Mercedes job, you know all the tricks when the jobs done. I did take the precaution of disconnecting the battery before I started.
hope this helps someone !
Had occasion to pull out my inst panel today, to unstick rev counter and speedo needles, and replace bulbs. Ive never done this before but several posts have said it was an easy job. First problem, the tools. I tried making hooks from the thin strips of steel that fit into the rubbers in windscreen wipers, nowhere near strong enough. What did work was hooks made from an old bicycle spoke (with the end 2mm formed into a hook). Second problem, what to hook onto. The hooks are meant to pull out either side of the panel, but its hard to see just where to insert the hook. Ive attached a picture of the panel removed to show the "sawtooth" section which the hook is meant to engage with. Be careful when using the hooks not to pull on the clear plastic inst cover, it will break very easily. The hook must in about 25mm behind the panel to engage the sawtooth. Note that it takes a good heave to get the panel out. At this point I still was not sure if it would clear the steering wheel. It does ! Even though mine does not have an adjustable steering column. A bit of a fiddle but it comes out. Third problem. There are 2 connectors which have to removed, but its not obvious how to undo the latch which holds them. This latch sits at 90deg to the plane of the panel, and has to moved to be parallel to it, away from the side of the connector with the wires going in. To move this latch, a small plastic clip, at the rear of the plug has to be pressed in. See photo if I have managed to attach it. I managed to break the latch on one of mine.
After all that my next job was to find out why the needles kept sticking at zero till I whacked the dash with my hand. It turned that the pin the needle sits on when at zero was covered with a very sticky residue indeed. I cleaned all 4 pins with methylated spirit. I found 2 bulbs faulty, Its all back together now and working. Typical Mercedes job, you know all the tricks when the jobs done. I did take the precaution of disconnecting the battery before I started.
hope this helps someone !
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