Mercedes W124 Series - E320 - 1994

[colinspain]

Help Please
I have a 1994 - Mercedes E320 - W124 Series LHD with aircon.
I am trying to remove and change a broken centre air-vent unit which sits in the middle of the dash above the heater controls etc. This vehicle has no glove compartment but a passenger air bag. I have managed to lift the LHS spring clips which secure the unit in the dash and the allen screw fitted to the air flap and control wheel. The vent unit pulls forward on the LHS but there is a securing screw on the RHS between the vent unit and the air bag unit which is inaccessable. Can any one tell me in detail how to access that screw to remove and replace the vent unit. I suspect you have to remove this screw just to change the small globe and it looks as though the airbag unit has to come out.
Can anyone help.
Thanks
Colin

 

[Xtractorfan]

Your best bet on items like this is to ring around a few of the breaker/salvage guys and ask.. they will have come across this problem.

 

[television]

Colin, remind me in the morning please and I will see what I have on this

 

[Bolide]

IIRC the airbag plug is in the footwell under the mats and under the metal panel

I've never taken one of the passenger airbags out & it'd be useful to know how to

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[hotrodder]

Yeah, be nice to know the official procedure as the centre vent needs replacing on my recent aquisition.

The airbag electrical connections are indeed in the passenger footwell, under the toe board- disconnect the battery first and by the time the trim has been dismantled it'll be safe to disconnect. AFAIK to remove the airbag unit you 'go in' from the underside of the dash with a socket on a long extension- don't know the size (and might be wrong anyway) as i've put this off for now- i can live without fresh air from the centre vent for now

 

[rbarrett]

I am not sure if this is relevant but my central vent stopped working a couple years ago. I just knew that I was going to have to go into it and fix it before it was over... Then, I had to install new glowplugs (E300D iesel).. When I was finished and had her back together, the central vent worked. What one has to do with the other is somewhat of a mystery. Only thing that I can think of is that a vacuum line under the intake was loose and when I put her back together, I re-hooked up whatever vacuum line had been loose....worth a look....good luck

 

[colinspain]

Merc E320 W124 Series

Many thanks for your response regarding the centre air vent on my 124 series E320. LHD. The problem is that my unit is physically broken so will have to come out to be replaced. I have a new one. The vacuum lines are all working ok. Definitely there is a retaining screw holding it in on one side between the vent unit and the passenger airbag unit in the dash in front of the passenger. I had the same problem many years ago on a RHD model and never ever managed to remove the vent unit after many frustrating efforts of trying to locate how to remove this screw. I suspect you have to take out the vent unit just to change the globe in the open/close wheel. I just cannot believe that you have to strip out half the dash and footwell just to replace a globe let alone the whole unit. Mercedes here will not help, they want the car into their workshops.

Regards

Colin:sad:

 

[rayhennig]

Me too ...

My LHD 300CE's centre vent was replaced (by me) but I must have been lucky. The LH screw had already been removed and not replaced so all I had to undo (if memory serves) was the RH screw inside the glove compartment and the screw inside.

I got a replacement from a breakers yard and the transaction was bizarre because they wanted to give me the part FOC! I had to force them to take €10 for a 'drink'.

I cannot imagine how you get that LH screw out. Perhaps it's a case of reluctantly going to MB dealer and letting them take responsibility?

Sorry to be no help but good luck anyway.

RayH

 

[television]

If you would like the dash removal paper, it may be on there I can send it