210 chassis rear window regulator
 

You know, I'm beginning to understand why some folks are a little PO'ed about their Mercedes. I just finished going through a heck of an ordeal with a broken off glow plug. Then I changed the coolant and buttoned everything up figuring that I was finally ready for some troublefree miles with this car. So my wife took the car out today and the rear driver's side window goes crashing down into the door while she was driving. Ths is a common issue with these cars and it didn't surprise me that it finally happened. I ordered the part today for $70 and will fix it myself, but if I was paying labor charges for all of this I'd really be upset. Even so, this is way more than one should expect from a Mercedes.

Parts will be here in a few days. In the meantime if anyone has a good tip or two for doing this job, please let me know. I've found some good posts via the search function, so I think I know what to expect.

Len
'99 E300TD 72,000 miles

Did you get a reply on this matter.. It is a very easy job.. you can do a search ..

Thanks Peter - yes, I found it via a search and finished the job this morning. It went relatively well. Only problem I had was getting the rivets to pop. They never did, but I think they are seated well enough to outlast the regulator.

Len

Same happened on my 96 E300D. Where do I get the regulator for the rear right window? The motor is OK, so I just need the cable system. What is the procedure for replacement?
thx
henryk

Cheapest place I found it was Caliber Motors. Got the MB part from them for less than the World Pac guys. Do a search. Lots of info on the how to there. Bascially drill out the old rivets and pop in the new rivets. Don't forget to buy the rivets too and have a heavy duty rivet gun on hand.

Len

regulatory failure
 

I had to replace 3 of these plus 1 was fixed under warranty.

Do you know how I fixed it? I don't put the back windows down. After the regulators are 1 year old the white connector fails. I told Mercedes that this was an engineering defect. They called the factory and said 'no'. I asked Caliber how many they fixed each week. They said 14. Seems like a defect to me. Maybe it is to keep kids in the back seat from getting their arms stuck in the window.

Also, I have gone through 3 air mass sensors. They seem to go out when I am in the mountains.

Do you want to know how I fixed it? I don't take the Benz to the mountains.

Needless to say, this is my last Benz. I'm switching to Toyotas.

Just happendend and fixed on my '96 E Class
 

I hardly if ever lower the rear windows ... but ... I took my dog for a drive (yes I am a lazy old man) ... and figured she'd like the rear windows down ... and crunch, gnash, crash ... the rear left window would not go back up. Darn it .. I found a great DIY pictorial at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210-e-class/1226700-diy-pictorial-window-regulator-replacement.html

Then I called Phil and made sure I was ordering the right regulator ... got the aftermarket part for about $50 and paid for next day air ... ordered it at 2PM yesterday and got the part today at 10 AM ... great service. The OEM part from another supplier was more than twice as much ... and I just could see paying $127 for a frame, some wire and three sprockets.

Inspite of my stupidity (I riveted before attaching the slider and had to cut out the new rivets and start over) and my clumsiness ... I got the new part in by 2PM today. I was surprised at the cheapness of the OEM window regulator that failed, you would think MB would use better parts. Yes .. I ruined my crummy old rivet gun and had to buy a new one .. yes ... I had to make two runs to Home Depot ... to buy the new rivet gun ... and then the 3/16 in rivets cause I ran out of the rivets I ordered with the new regulator... BUT .. I got a job done! For a retired old guy ... the sense of accomplishment is a big deal! Total cost about $120 and about 6 hours labor ...a less clumsy guy could do it in 2 hours without any problem at all.

I've had a rash of problems. Five years ago the rear view mirror just felll apart ... literally split in two. I fixed it myself after learning how much MB wanted for a replacementt. Three years ago the MAF died ... easy fix but pricey. A couple of years ago the SRS light came on ... and the crash sensors had to be replaced. I went to the dealer for that ... they charged me $840 for two little black boxes and in the process blew three dash lights ... which I made them fix since they broke them. Oh BTW ... the dealer's mechanic left me his cigarrete ashes, part of his lunch and the old parts rattling around in the footwell for my enjoyment. After that lesson-learned I found a local MB mechanic and would never go back to the dealer ... for anything.

Last year the seat controls on the driver's side died ... I had that replaced by a great local MB mechanic that used to work for the local dealership.

Last month I had to have the instrument stalk replaced ... I had it done by the same local MB mechanic because I was recuperating from an illness - cost me $340.

There are some other little things that don't work like they did when the car was young, but I live with it. And ... I had a bad repaint when I bashed the front end into a post ... clumsiness again. The clear coat is peeling off the front bumper ... but I have come to terms on that ... it is what it is, life is not perfect.

A couple of weeks back I noticed a small oil leak ... there was a small bit of oil under the engine - mid motor, right side. I had the head gasket replaced under the extended warranty about 7 years ago ... and they typically do not releak in the 104 engines. But .. the oil is coming from somewhere. I've decided to let it leak ... and see how it goes. I have a spare valve cover gasket ... maybe I'll work myself up and change it ... or maybe not.

I figure the car has 69,000 easy miles now ... and its 13 years old ... gonna have some leaks and some problems. I drive it less and less and it barely gets 3000 miles a year nowadays. I drive my Miata most of the time if its not raining ... and I usually just jump on a 150cc scooter for short hops ... so ... yes, I wish the old Benz would have held up better ... but its still better than any US car I ever owned ... but not as good as the japanese cars I've owned. Oh well ... and so it goes ...when and if the old Benz dies ... I'll go buy a V6 Hyundai Sonata ... if it is anywhere as good (reliable, low maintenance, high quality) as the 2005 Hyundai Tucson that replaced my wife's 1998 ML320 ... I'll be a happy old man.

Thanks for the post, I just did the job and frankly, having become accustomed to the old MB slogan "why make something simple when it is so easy to make it complicated" I doubt I would have presumed the thing was that simple to replace. Had to buy a couple of bits and a riveting tool, but overall a very simple task. Thanks for the instructions and the link!

Jim

Your most welcome ... looks like the old 1996 E320 is going to a new home ... my nephew wants it .. its got 72,000 now ... never fixed the oil weep ... I ride a Harley now ... wife rides the scooter ... and I don't want any more cars to worry about ... I'm getting old now ...

That's hilarious, usually it's the other way around.

I did mine the less-expensive way, which is great so long as your cable isn't all messed up (kinks would be the issue). Every failure I've heard about has been the slider breaking, this procedure replaces just the slider. I added to this thread at BW so I'm happy linking it here: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210-e-class/1400231-right-rear-window-regulator-slider-crash.html