What is this button for? A Canadian in need...

[Tim 911]

Hi!

First of all, I would like to say 'Thanks' for all the help this board has provided me (albeit anonymously) in the past few weeks.

I am now the proud owner of a one-owner, 95,000 miles, Black, 1994 E320 T... and I have a few questions :wink:

There is a button on the dash next to the 'snow chain' button. It has a picture of the car with arrows pointing up at either end and pointing to the front and the back under the car (if that makes sense). It is not in the manual. There is a light on it that does not work.

Second, and possibly related, how do I know if my car is equipped with the dreaded self levelling suspension?

Third, the Mercedes 'Special' radio is not working (nothing, nichts). The wiring loom is firmly in place and is providing power, the fuse is okay. Do these things just stop working?

Next, the walnut veneer is cloudy. Is there any way to brighten it up?

Thanks for all the help, past and future, any advice is appreciated!

Best,


Tim Laing
A Canuck in Munich

 

[Tim 911]

Got answer to the wood question elsewhere, any thoughts on what that button is?

 

[Arnie]

...maybe to increase the ride-height on the self levelling suspension?

(You can try polishing the wood with some fine paint-cutting polish. However, the cloudiness is probably due to the varnish being exposed to UV and you many need to get it professionally re-varnished.)

The radio on-off button is electronic and so yes, with certain faults the whole thing can stop working. However, you will find many cheap ones, even later CD Audio-10's on ebay for not much money, but make sure the code is provided.

 

[billythetipdog]

self levelling suspension

If fitted you should have a large steel sqaureish black pump fitted to the inner wing, usually in front of the battery behnind the headlight if you follow my drift, with a number of pipes coming off it, on my right hand drive car it's on the passenger side so I guess will be on driver sider if you have LHD

 

[andy_k]

Re: self levelling suspension

If fitted you should have a large steel sqaureish black pump fitted to the inner wing, usually in front of the battery behnind the headlight if you follow my drift, with a number of pipes coming off it, on my right hand drive car it's on the passenger side so I guess will be on driver sider if you have LHD

and if my memory serves me correctly that's the ABS pump

the self levelling suspension pump is driven off the camshaft (or at least the one on our W124 is) and if you've got an estate/wagon/Then it will almost definitely have the self levelling suspension - check under the hood for a reservoir containing hydraulic fluid (it should be near the aforementioned ABS pump)

according to the manual the only switches next to the snow chains one are the fanfare horn (to the left as you look at it) and the rear compartment heater (to the right).

HTH

Andy

 

[billythetipdog]

Andy, Thanks for the correction, you're right! yes the self levelling stuff uses the white-ish plastic resorvoir, in front of abs pump, so guess I was close haha!

 

[andy_k]

Andy, Thanks for the correction, you're right! yes the self levelling stuff uses the white-ish plastic resorvoir, in front of abs pump, so guess I was close haha!

tee hee - I bet you had a look today didn't you?

Andy

 

[Tim 911]

Thanks for the input...

I would still like to know what that button is. Any thoughts? Definitely not in the manual.

 

[billythetipdog]

haha!! I make a point of not going the bonnet unless I have to, it reminds me of the engine room on nuclear sub

 

[alecmac]

Button

I have the same button on my S500

It is to turn off the tip and tilt alarm/immobilizer on the car for towing.

Even if the car is opened with a key and the alarm is off after about 20 minutes unattended the factory fit immobilizer activates to protect the car even when open. It is disengaged when the correct key is inserted.

Which means under normal operating you will never know what the button does until you drive it up on ramps or you are being towed and after 20 mins or so the back wheels will suddenly lock and the alarm horn goes crazy.

Now you are going to ask me how I know??? Well suffice to say I am still deaf in one ear and had to buy two new back tyres.