Outside Temp display u/s W124

[MotardMan]

89 W124, the outside temp dispaly does not work. I checked the fuse it is on, in the vain hope thaty it may be fused alone, but it shares a fuse with items that are working fine.

Any ideas? Will it be a dash out job to fix? Has anyone fault found on one of these?

Best,

Jim

 

[Orlando 300E]

Mine is temperamental, when I put the lights on, the display (sometimes) blanks. Doesn?t come back for approx. five minutes.
Have you checked that the sensor is working -just behind your front number plate. Its a lot simpler than getting into the dash! :wink:
Best wishes
Orlando

 

[MotardMan]

Orlando,

Thanks for the help. I removed the number plate and it revealed a rubber bung in the bumper. With the bung removed, there is a just air behind it! No sensor appears to be fitted

Is it a really obvious, sticky out, sensor type of thing, or is it secreted away in a James Bond type way? :?

Sorry to bore the forum with this small matter, but my wife wants it working, as the last car had the facility.

Best,

Jim

 

[Richard Moakes]

Are you sure you have that option fitted?

Is the space where the display would be fitted just dark or is it light gray in colour? If it is dark, then it is simply the blanking panel.

I am in the process of fitting this to my car, it has taken lots of trawling ebay for parts, as you wouldn't like what the dealer charges for the kit and fitting

I believe it was a rare and expensive option.

Regards,

Richard

1989 W124 300E

 

[MotardMan]

Hi Richard.

I think you are right, it must have been an option. I am amazed though, as the other 4 cars I have seen all have this feature. Mind you, my 300TE does not even have the 7 seat option...... or Cruise, or A/C, or electric seats.....

Thanks for the tip, I'll check the display for the blanking plate, I thought it was just dark through malfunction, but will double check it.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Orlando 300E]

Jim,
The sensor fits into a molded recess in the number plate back-plate/ mount. The sensor is 5cm long (approx) & slightly thinner in diameter than a pencil.
Sounds like you didn't have it fitted.
It seems mine also had some strange choices made when it was ordered -electric drivers seat & electric passenger mirror, but no electric drivers mirror. Just seems odd to me.
best wishes
Orlando

 

[Arnie]

...I think that on some mercs the temp sensor is fitted inside the shell one of the side mirrors.


BTW: what do you mean by "doesn't work". Is it completely blank or does the readout not change??

 

[Orlando 300E]

...I am talking about a W124 -with reference to my 91' 300E.
The Haynes manual has a picture of its location.
I know the hole in bumper, on mine the sensor cable runs through it & is filled up by a bit of sponge to stop muck getting in.
cheers
Orlando

 

[MotardMan]

[quote="Arnie<snipped>BTW: what do you mean by "doesn't work". Is it completely blank or does the readout not change??[/quote]

Hi Arnie,

It is totally blank, the display does not even flicker or attempt to display anything, so the optuion must not have been fitted.

Best,

Jim

 

[MotardMan]

Jim,
The sensor fits into a molded recess in the number plate back-plate/ mount. The sensor is 5cm long (approx) & slightly thinner in diameter than a pencil.
Sounds like you didn't have it fitted.
It seems mine also had some strange choices made when it was ordered -electric drivers seat & electric passenger mirror, but no electric drivers mirror. Just seems odd to me.
best wishes
Orlando

Strange that both mirrors are not electric, mine is the same. I guess the logic being that the driver can easily reach his own mirror!

I would love to see the options list for one of the 89 300TE's, just to see what things were available and how much they cost.

Best,

Jim

 

[Arnie]

If the display is blank, then maybe the dash is faultly or the option is not fitted. A faulty or missing sensor would give a display with an incorrect reading, not a blank one.

However, maybe there is a simple way on the instrument dash to activate the display and fitting the sensor (wiring may already exist) could get it working.

I think that you should first verify whether or not you have the sensor to determine whether the option was fitted or not and then go from there.

However, I think that in the UK, most cars have/had it as standard.

 

[MotardMan]

NO Sensor

Defibnately no sensor, and the display is in fact black. I guess I do not have the wiring from and to the sensor. Someone mentioned that they got the parts from eBay. I have a search set up to mail me all TE related items, and nothing for monhts so far. Did the parts come from the USA?

Best,

Jim

 

[jaques2k]

I guess you don´t have the option fitted, try compare the display to the other ones, for example the trip meter or clock. Does the temp. display look more matte and not so shiny as the trip meter or clock (when ignition is off and trip meter is dark)? It can be quite visible in some angles and light if it´s just a "dummy-plate" or an LCD. At least on my dad´s C230 -95 it´s not fitted, and we also thought it was a fault at the first look.

 

[MotardMan]

My 89 W124 has mechanical trip and odo, but thx for the thought. :wink:

 

[talbir]

The outside temp display was an expensive option(available in Farenheit and Centigrade readouts) - and if you have a faulty sensor you will have a blank display, with no readings.

Easiest way to tell if you even have the temp display unit installed is to lift the fuse box lid, undo the two Phillips screws holding the fuse tray and lift up the tray. Amongst the array of wires, there will be a two prong connecting harness, connecting a two wire loom. The part of the loom closest to the connecter will show the colours of the two wires, which will be green and brown. One part of the loom comes form the sensor, usually mounted on the reg plate at the front - the other part of the loom comes from the temp display unit, mounted in the instrument cluster.

The display unit essentially has 4 inputs - a live 12V(red), an earth(brown), night illumination(grey/blue) and sensor wire(green).

The most common fault with the temp display units is (a) the sensor becomes faulty, in which case there is no readout or (b) the temp display unit leaks(LCD).

Another common fault is the night illumination bulb fails, so when you switch your lights on at night, the display readout will not be illuminated.

The expensive part really is the display unit (around £150+) - the sensor and associated loom are relatively cheap.

 

[Kinky]

If it's any consolation ... my '93 W124 (E280T) has a blanking plate.

K