Apparently the climate control system was assembled separately (probably by a subcontractor) and then put into the car as a unit. Service, therefore, is supposed to be just the opposite--take the sucker out and operate on the workbench. No way are we gonna do that, of course, hence the "smoke and mirrors" needed.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970