300E W124 remove interior wood trim ?? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

gmercoleza · #1 10-18-2004, 10:37 AM

I am trying to remove the thin wood trim strips from my 91 300E. The strips start at the door, run horizontally across the dash and glove compartment, and back to the door on the other side of the car. I just tried prying it off on the driver's side just left of the steering wheel. Wouldn't budge, and I gouged the wood. While pryed away for a second, I looked behind and can see that the wood appears to be mounted on a piece of metal. The metal is somehow bolted to a couple of metal "arms" that go far back beyond the dash. Talk about over-engineered! I thought the wood would just be stuck on with adhesive somehow - guess I'm wrong.

Can anyone tell me how to remove these without damaging them? I have completely refinished the console, A/C, and ashtray wood and it looks great - problem is, it doesn't match the rest of the wood now.

I've done a search and found all kinds of info on removing the pieces I've already done - but nothing about the dash wood (I didn't search on the door wood yet). Thanks in advance!

G-Benz · #2 10-18-2004, 02:49 PM

STOP PRYING!!!!!

You'll destroy the panels permanently!!!!

The wood strips are BOLTED onto the door panels!!!!

You have to remove the door panels first to get to the small nuts behind them!

There is a step-by-step procedure on removing the panels, starting with the pillar covers by the mirrors for the fronts, then, the door latch and window switch bezels, unbolting the door handle at the top, then removing the door panel(s) by pulling UP, not OUT!

With MBs, you have to get away from the mindset of prying...

...moreoften, interior components on this vehicle require removal of other pieces to get to the one you really want to remove, and very seldom can you take a flat-tipped screwdriver to get anything out!

I replaced my wood console, and it is darker than the rest of the wood (Texas sun exposure, I guess), but I can live with it.

Can't comment on the wood trim on the dash, but I can bet that they aren't snap-fitted into place either!

donbryce · #3 10-18-2004, 02:53 PM

The door pieces require removing the door panels. They are held on with tiny nuts on studs embedded in the wood. You can search on door panel removal procedure, but it's straightforward for most, involving screws holding the door latch piece and armrest, and one holding the vertical trims which you can see on the outer part of the door/window frame.

speedy300Dturbo · #4 10-18-2004, 03:37 PM

The dashboard wood trim is also attached with nuts, accessed from behind the dashboard. Easiest to remove with the dash out.

Interestingly, the wood trim on the W220 S-Class and W211 E-Class is just friction clipped to the dash...

gmercoleza · #5 10-18-2004, 09:20 PM

Hi again, thanks everyone for the input. So to clarify, are you saying that the dash wood trim strips can only be removed with the entire dash removed? There's got to be a better way!!! (?)

I understand the part about removing the door wood trim - the door panels will have to be removed and the wood unscrewed from behind. That's pretty easy - about 15 to 20 min. for panel removal on each door.

But the dash - come on, are you kidding me??? Say it isn't so!!!

speedy300Dturbo · #6 10-18-2004, 09:26 PM

You might be able to access the nuts by removing both side air vents, the center vents, the instrument cluster, and the glovebox liner. The glovebox wood trim is easily removed once you take the door apart.

lino · #7 10-18-2004, 10:49 PM

So if I were to upgrade the look of my car with the wood trim, it might not be that easy by the looks of things. I always wanted the wood on the dash.

Fishslayer · #8 10-18-2004, 11:08 PM

the wood is attached to a sheet metal plate that has, for lack of a better word "stakes" that go through the dash and are then twisted 90 degrees to keep in place. They can be reached by removing underdash panels and glove box, the glove box is held in by two piece plastic pins, remove center pins then outer pins.

James