1987 190D how to remove center dash console?
 

I've seen lots of videos and guides on removing the center dash console (where the HVAC and radio are) on the 190E, but my 190D is different. Most of them seem to have some screws under the ash tray and then the bottom of the console just pulls out. On mine, the screws holding the center dash console to the floor console are underneath the shifter trim (areas circled in red on the 2nd picture). I want to remove the center console so I can remove the floor console so I can more cleanly run the wiring for my new stereo and to assist with removing a bunch of the old speaker wiring and whatnot that I won't need anymore. How do you do this? Does the whole dashboard have to come out?



https://i.imgur.com/7j2610dh.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/i6BoMWhh.jpg

If you’re trying to take out just the black console and not the lower tan part, looks like you already have the two screws out from under the ashtray. There are also two screws I believe at the top of the black console under where the center vent would be. Once they are removed pull / rotate out the bottom of the black console. The top will clear the center vent area once the bottom is pulled out first...

J.G.

I can't pull the bottom of my center console out, because there are "legs" for it that go under the shift area where those red circles are.

The black console must come out before you can get the lower tan console out. Once the upper and lower screws come out there are no lower legs that hold the black console in. It is a tight pressure fit. There Is a ledge at the top of the black console that holds the top of the console in until the bottom of the black console is pulled out first...

I took a short video of the problem here - https://photos.app.goo.gl/uGmAt3x1dhGnDt6y7

There's a picture of the plastic bit that's preventing me from pulling the console out below:

https://i.imgur.com/XbaO0Yph.jpg

From the videos/guides I've seen for the 190E, it doesn't have that bottom plastic bar like mine does, it looks like it's just hollow under the ashtray.

https://i.imgur.com/vtnv8aP.png

The last photo is of the 1990 and newer console...mine is an 87 and I’m not sure of mounting differences for the newer one...

So does your 87 center dash look the same as mine then? I might could get a pry bar and put under it and see if I could wedge it out that way, I just didn't want to start going brute force unless that's just the only option.

Mine looks like the first picture you posted (console without cassette holders)... once the two top and two bottom screws were out, I just pulled from the bottom...you may need to lift the console a little to get the bottom to clear that Velcro looking strip that is between the lower tan console and the top black one. Once it comes loose, pull the bottom out until the top ledge clears the lip above the fan speed switch and it should be a clear shot from there...

Well you were right. It did just take what I'd consider an inordinate amount of force. Luckily nothing broke. Hopefully going back in I'll have the same luck... this definitely will make troubleshooting and cleaning up this electrical system much easier though!

Great!...glad it worked out. I know I was surprised by how tightly wedged in it was in my car...Mercedes set some tight tolerances back in the day...

J.G.