odometer gear conspiracy?

[greg walsh]

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Mercedes at one time promise a new Mercedes to an owner who achieved something like a million miles on theirs? I wonder if that's why they designed the odometer gears to self destruct. Any thoughts on the matter? Both of mine aren't working, my 81 300SD and my 86 300SL.

[compu_85]

It's more a VDO problem than a Mercedes problem... VWs and Audis suffer the same issues in their VDO instruments.

-J

[meltedpanda]

Originally Posted by greg walsh

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Mercedes at one time promise a new Mercedes to an owner who achieved something like a million miles on theirs? I wonder if that's why they designed the odometer gears to self destruct. Any thoughts on the matter? Both of mine aren't working, my 81 300SD and my 86 300SL.

be tough to prove in court since they self destruct at mileage from 45K to infinity

[rowdie]

Just be thankful you don't have a pre '86 model with the front subframe problem. Or the '81-'83 US 380SL with the single row timing chain. Or a '78-'81 with the Chrysler designed automatic climate control system.

[meltedpanda]

Originally Posted by rowdie

Just be thankful you don't have a pre '86 model with the front subframe problem. Or the '81-'83 US 380SL with the single row timing chain. Or a '78-'81 with the Chrysler designed automatic climate control system.

WHAT!! and spoil all the "fun"

[nobby]

Originally Posted by greg walsh

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Mercedes at one time promise a new Mercedes to an owner who achieved something like a million miles on theirs? I wonder if that's why they designed the odometer gears to self destruct. Any thoughts on the matter? Both of mine aren't working, my 81 300SD and my 86 300SL.

I'm guessing that any owner that had that milestone in mind would probably go get it fixed.

Mileage for these gears doesn't seem to be the breakdown factor. It's the calendar that dissolves the gears.