Ok guys here is my challenge for you. I have a 1981 300d (w123) with a very cracked dashboard.

I know a guy who has a crack-free dashboard and he's selling it to me, however it's installed in his 300D and I need to get it out.

Who can give me a nice clean set of instructions for removing this without causing any damage?

Appreciate the help.

ZC

It's not too hard. The Factory Service Manual has pretty good instructions. But they go something like this.
1. Remove the A-pillar trim.
2. Remove the steering wheel(not critical, but helpful if its out of the way)
3. Remove the headlight switch.
4. Disconnect the parking brake chain
5. Disconnect the glovebox light.
6. Disconnect speakers
7. Remove and disconnect the instrument cluster.
8. Take the hoses off the outside air vents.
9. If you have ACC you have to disconnect the temp sensor on the dash, which require glovebox removal.
10. Take out the 4 bolts holding the dash in. One on each end, and one on either side of the center console.
11. Then work the dash out from one end. Make sure you have everything disconnected as you pull it out.

Putting it back in is the tricky part. You have to make sure the front lip is under the windshield seal. I can pull a dash out in about 15 minutes. Putting it back in seems to take a little longer. I'd plan on a few hours the first time from start to finish.

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http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/W123Evaporator

First part of this gets the dash out.

Its a pain. Be CAREFUL with the new dash not to crack it on the way in.

Take the steering wheel off to give yourself extra clearance.

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

There are a couple of tutorials in the DIY section.
RESOURCES/DIY ARTICLES.

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

I highly recommend a cordless drill with socket adapter to speed things up.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

I'm in the process of doing this operation on my '85. Looks a little easier than the W124 dash.

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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

I have done complete remove and replace of dash on 1980 and 1981 300D
without removing steering wheel, but I think I dropped the column a bit.

I found this job to be quite easy, did not take too long.

Only a few 10mm bolts to remove. Disconnect the few things as mentioned.
Brake chain, headlight switch, speakers, a pillar trim.
Panels under dash on both sides.

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80 300D 340K Owned 30 yrs
83 300SD 440K Owned 9 yrs - Daily Driver 150mi/day
02 Z71 Suburban 117,000
15 Toyota Prius 2600 miles
00 Harley Sportster 24k
09 Yamaha R6
03 Ninja 250

For the 4 bolts, how much faster can removing 4 bolts be?

I too have done it without removing the steering wheel. It's definitely doable. It's just bonus space to have it out of the way.

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Realistically, what's the likelihood that I break something or crack the dash, seeing as this is my first attempt at doing this?

It all depends on how brittle the replacement dash is, or if you miss disconnecting something. Take your time and do not rush it. Do not worry about how fast someone else can do it. If possible, remove the cracked one in your car first, and drive something else to snag the uncracked one. That way if the old one cracks some more, no biggie, and you had a learning experience.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

Take pictures while you do it. Perferably at every step. Literally worth a thousand words.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Get ahold of forum member dieselkraut. He does like 4 dash replacements a month

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1981 300SD 512k OM603

Did someone mention removing the driver and passenger knee panels (or whatever their proper term is)?

Oops. Just saw that rhodes2010 did. Never mind.

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too many w123's
84 280 SL 5 speed

Be extra careful not to booger the dash in the instrument panel area. Might even help to use some masking tape to prevent sharp edges from scratching the dash.

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Codifex
1981 240D ChinaBlue (Got her running with a donor engine.)
1983 300DTurbo w/sunroof.
1984 300TD manual sunroof. (Electrical Gremlins)

My a-pillar cover cracked coming out, of course the garage was probably 20F before I put the torpedo heater on. The dash and similar components should be more pliable when warm. For that matter, liberal application of armorall (general application wouldn't hurt anyways) to sliding surfaces like where the dash and windshield seal meet would help you out.

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CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?