Last night, my dad noticed the hood star on the 300SD was crooked and went to adjust it. The top part of the hood star assembly came off cleanly in his hand. I saw it was crooked earlier, but didn't adjust it, so my hands are clean of blame! lol. I've never heard of a hood star doing that, as I've seen via Mrs. Doubtfire that it requires some force to remove one. Maybe after 20+ years of service, this one simply got tired?

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Tired ? That would be my guess.

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95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
02 E320 4Matic Silver/grey 80K
05 F150 Silver 44K

I've had one break like that... A friend was helping me push the car into the garage and he bumped the hood star in the process. He stopped pushing, got all excited "Oh look! It moves!"... and at the same time started to push back on it. About the time he got to 'moves' he snapped it.

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John Robbins
'05 E320 CDI - 240k
'87 300TD - 318k

I had a stack of 1/4 plywood on the roof of my wagon- in the process of unloading it, the wind picked up and took the top sheet off across my hood- removing the star in the process. luckily the star was the only damage, no paint was harmed.

I was able to remove the entire assy and rebuild it. or you can drop the $25 for a new one.

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

Same thing happened on my 240D. I was adjusting it after a car wash and I guess I pushed a little too hard and it snapped. The hood stars on the newer Benzes seem to have a bigger range of motion and don't snap so easily.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Looks like it just broke off.
If you want one that has the "mileage patina," not just a brand new shiny one, go look in a pick n' pull.

I have a friend who once thought you opened the hood on a Mercedes by pulling the star straight forward....yeah, good luck with that.

In Mrs Doubtfire, did he actually break the star off? It looks like he just pulled out the whole assembly, leaving a hole in the hood.

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99 E300 TD -- sold
01 540i 6 spd

It seems that it goes farther on the 124 too. You can push the thing all the way down to the hood, all the way to either side, and almost all the way forward. Every time I go through a car wash it comes out at a different angle

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Dale

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g1...MG_2277sig.jpg

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo -155k
2000 E430 - 103k
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel 4x4 - 11k
2014 VW Passat TDI SE - 7k Bro's Diesel
2006 E320 CDI - 128k Pop's Benz

Pre-glow - A moment of silence in honor of Rudolph Diesel

Yeah, looks like it snapped off. Fatigue etc. They are pretty cheap, easy to replace.

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83 SD

84 CD

On the w123 the original stars have a much larger base than the new ones the dealerships sell. Keep the base if yours is original and get a new star see if you rig it up.

Never had that happen before to mine, and I'm on my third star (vandals). They're usually pretty tough but maybe the springs aren't? On the 2nd pic I don't see any breakage, just the slit where the base of the star can insert into (and connect to the spring hook below). Is this how it really is, or is the star actually broken at the neck and the round base is still on the grille?

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

Happens. The new ones are cheap, so not a problem.

I think its pretty cool how they pop into place. Kind of explode in place.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Yep, mine fell off like that. I think it happened while driving, because I left for work one day when it was dark....and when I got to work my star was gone! Clean cut...the base pieces were still sitting in the hole. But it looked very corroded...so I got a new one at the dealer. $32, and the service rep even put it in for me.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Cheap German pot metal.

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'91 300D 2.5 Turbo 330K
'00 VW TDI Golf, 190K
'67 BMW R50/2
'73 Norton Commando Interstate

So that's why there is a ring of more shiny grill around my star. It must have been replaced by the PO.

You can't buy the larger base stars any more???

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Ron Schroeder
'85 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
'83 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
Some former WVO vehicles since ~1980:
'83 Mercedes 240D
'80 Audi 4000D
'83 ISUZU Pup
'70 SAAB 99 with Kubota diesel
'76 Honda Civic with Kubota diesel
'86 Golf
Several diesel generators
All with 2 tank WVO conversion
LI NY

Almost the exact thing happened to my 115 last week: I was walking out to the car after getting a haircut, noticed that her star looked a little crooked and when I touched it, the thing came off in my hand. I'm just glad I didn't lose it on the highway.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

I have had that happen, I have also had the star pop out of the circle... looks wierd.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!