Visor Vanity Mirror Hinges Repair - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

babymog · #1 03-28-2009, 10:21 PM

I've had a couple of 124s come into the fleet with bad door hinges on the mirror. So far the repair has been simple, but prevention is even easier.

The problem is that the hinge pins are not captured, and eventually work themselves out. Once one of the pins falls out, the other hinge is easily damaged. Check those hinges and push the pins back into the center. I've robbed a couple of spare visors to replace pins on mine, running out of spares.

micalk · #2 03-29-2009, 01:16 PM

I have a W126 and the vanity mirrors on both visors are failing. The area that captures the hinge on the covers is breaking up. Has anybody ever replaced these vanity mirrors? Are the electrical connections simply push-on terminals? Then does the mirror simply snap into / out of the visor? This would make it similar to the center light in the headliner.

babymog · #3 03-29-2009, 01:49 PM

I don't know about the Gen I 126, but the later ones as well as 201/124 etc have a separate mirror and bezel.

Look at the bottom edge of the mirror assembly, you should see a gap between that and the hard-plastic bezel. There also is IIRC at least one little notch in which to insert a small screwdriver and pry the mirror assembly out of the bezel (do NOT pry the plastic bezel out of the soft visor materal!). This is how you access the bulbs.

I'm not sure whether the mirror assembly is the same as the 124/201, might be. If so, I think that I have one or two blue ones that are missing the hinge pins, if you're in the US I can probably mail them to you (need to check color and availability).

micalk · #4 03-29-2009, 02:57 PM

Palomino.

And it's the plastic portion that sits in the soft visor material that is breaking. The area where the hinge pin for the door sits in the visor broke off, now the door comes out when it's flipped up.

I take it that the visor will be destroyed if I attempt to remove the plastic part from the visor? Or is it more an issue with the wiring?

hangit · #5 03-29-2009, 04:47 PM

I believe the vanity mirrors are held in the visor with a hot melt glue, at least in the 240d. Remove the mirror by carefully prying it out of the frame and you should see the glue holding the frame to the visor. Take a hair dryer on hot and melt the glue. The electrical connectors are spade type.

John

pawoSD · #6 03-29-2009, 04:55 PM

Yeah on the Gen I W126 its one piece....and the hinges are designed differently than on a W124 or later W126....and they do fall apart. Mine were broken, thanks to babymog's 350SDL I have some nice Gen II W126 visors now though.

micalk · #7 03-29-2009, 05:23 PM

What's it take to replace the entire visor? Does it unscrew from the headliner with an electrical connector very nearby? or does it take dismantling the pillar to get the wiring out? I may have access to a 420SEL that a friend has sidelined...

rickjordan · #8 03-29-2009, 05:52 PM

The visors are very easy to replaced. The electric source for the mirrors actually goes throught 2 metal contacts in the clip for the visor. Assuming you're not replacing the clips, you just need to unscrew the visor from the ceiling and put in the new one.

lietuviai · #9 03-29-2009, 06:03 PM

I might still have the visors that I replaced from a 124 I used to have. Maybe I might be able to fix and sell them instead of tossing them out.

babymog · #10 03-29-2009, 07:50 PM

A perfect set of 124/201 visors, especially in hard-to-find colors, will usually bring $50 or better on fleabay. Fix 'em if you've got them.

It's almost worth buying a parts car for a good dash and visors.

lietuviai · #11 03-29-2009, 08:28 PM

I think I paid $20 for both back when I replaced the ones I had. Mine were blue so maybe they are more common.

babymog · #12 03-29-2009, 08:34 PM

Used to be common, now blue parts seem to sell at a premium.

ds190 · #13 03-30-2009, 11:34 AM

The blue plastic visor mirror covers on some of the 1990's coupes and cabriolets, and on some the R129 cars become soft and sticky over time. It's like a piece of hard candy that has sat around for years, and the outside is soft while the inside remains hard. You can press your finger into it and leave a finger print in the plastic. This happened on my 93 124 cabriolet. It's the weirdest thing I've ever seen, and have never seen it happen on any other color!

The visor is smaller in the cabs and SLs compared to the sedans and wagons. After looking at many replacement blue sun visors from recycle parts places from 124 coupes, cabs, and 129 SLs, and finding all "soft", I ordered the replacement visor mirror inserts from a dealer. $88 a piece. 129 810 23 17 5076 (blue color code). Now to hot glue them into place.

cdplayer · #14 03-30-2009, 03:45 PM

I may be able to help those needing to replace the visor assembly as a whole. I routinely collect these and list them on Ebay for $14.99 plus $6.60 shipping in the US. I look for the good ones that have alot of spring action in the door flap, and no cracks in the body of the mirror assembly. Right now I have a few of most colors, and some with the metal pins for the door flaps with regular skin texture, and some with the pegs in the door flaps with elephant skin texture.
Just let me know if I can help. Thanks. Dan(cdplayer)

a2t · #15 03-30-2009, 09:22 PM

i priced a set from the dealer once for my 87 300D. Something like $175 ea special order. fix if u can!