I've done a lot of searching and think I have the answer, I just would like someone to verify it for me. I need to remove the right rear door panel on my 93 400E (124) and after a lot of prying I have come to the conclusion that all 124 's are not alike. Can someone verify that the post by "psfred" - (copied below) will work for my car.
thanks in advance.

psfred
Take the ashtray and ashtray housing out, it holds the bottom of the door in with two hooks.
Otherwise, remove the trim around the top of the armrest, remove the bolt, remove the lock button
When you expose the door latch lever, pry the link up and out of the lever, then push the lever and housing back (or forward, I forget) to unclip it and remove.
Pull UP on the door panel when everything is loose -- the panel is held onto the door by four or five hooks. If you pry between the panel and the door, you will break them and end up needing a new panel. Don't forget to remove the trim around the door latch, too.
Watch for the wires to the bottom lamp if you have one, the panel won't go very far!
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Basically he's right about it. But if the panel has never been removed before, it will be very hard to get loose from the clips that hold it at the very top near the rubber window trim. Mine was probably just a bit rusted there and I really had to pull hard in an upward direction to get it loose. Otherwise, the latch trim just pulls straight out to expose the housing of the latch. That is pulled forward and then out - and then you can pop the door opener rod out of the holder that connects it to the latch.

DS

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DS
2010 CL550 - Heaven help me but it's beautiful
87 300D a labor of love
11 GLK 350 So far, so good
08 E350 4matic, Love it.
99 E320 too rusted, sold
87 260E Donated to Newgate School
www.Newgateschool.org - check it out.
12 Ford Escape, sold, forgotten
87 300D, sold, what a mistake
06 Passat 2.0T, PITA, sold

Las Vegas NV

Thanks, two more questions:
Does the arm rest get removed from the door panel, or come off with the panel? And, I have pried and pulled on the center portion of the panel (which is somewhat seperate from the rest of the panel), and have pulled some of the clips off. Can that section be reattached once I get the entire panel off?

The arm rest is part of the panel, it all lifts off when you finally get the clips at the top to let go. They can be a pain if they've never been done before, but once you learn the trick, you can pull off a door panel in about 2 minutes. I had a rattling section of wood trim on my right rear door, and it took me longer to hunt for the right tool in the toolbox to tighten the nut on the back of the panel than it did for me to remove the panel in the first place.

You may be able to re-attach the plastic with some sort of glue, possibly one that will melt and weld the two plastic portions together - not sure how much stress that will be able to withstand though. I've been lucky, and only broken one clip on the driver's door map pocket.

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Steven Harrison

1993 300E2.8 - 196K
2001 E320 4MATIC - 86K

Thanks, I do it tonight and post results.

Thanks I'll do it tonight!

I got the panel off, thanks guys. I found the window laying in the bottom of the door and I can't see how to put it back together. I find two ends of a cable routed arround pulles that seem to somehow fit onto a metal piece at the bottom of the frame that the window sets in. There is another metal piece that was in the bottom of the door that must be somehow involved. Can anybody tell me how it fits back together? I hate to take the other panel off just to see how it fits together!
Thanks

I don't think those window regulators are repairable, it'll be both easier and faster to purchase a new one and fit it.

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Steven Harrison

1993 300E2.8 - 196K
2001 E320 4MATIC - 86K

It looks the cable came apart from a fitting that holds it to bottom of the window frame. Is that part of the regulator?

Sounds like it, but it's been a while since I did a rear one, maybe these pictures help:




The white tab in the picture above is the part that slides into the guide rail on the bottom of the window - is it from there that the wire cable has become detached?

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Steven Harrison

1993 300E2.8 - 196K
2001 E320 4MATIC - 86K

Thanks Steven, A picture is surely worth a thousand words!
I think maybe I see where the piece that was in the bottom of the door came from. Yes that is the spot. I have to go and look again. It looks in the picture like there is a small bolt or rivet that holds the part together to hold the ends of tha cable.
Is it a big job to take the whole assembly out to repair it?
Thanks

It'll take some thinking... I remember when mine needed replacing and this huge part arrived and I saw I only had a small opening to squeeze it through. Twisting and turning it helps until you can slide the motor portion out of the hole, and the rest should just follow.

As DIY jobs go, I rate this as "easy, but requires lateral thinking"

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Steven Harrison

1993 300E2.8 - 196K
2001 E320 4MATIC - 86K

You will need to remove the regulator to repair or
replace it. Disconnect the power wire and make
sure the regulator is no longer connected to the
bottom of the window glass. Slide the window
glass all the way up by hand and keep it there by
using a wedge. That makes room to maneuver
the regulator out of the door. The regulator is
held in by 3 nuts, 1 bolt and a metal tab at the
top.

The part that usually breaks is called the regulator
guide jaw. I have repaired them with epoxy and
jb weld, but they will not hold up. It is very hard
to find a regulator guide jaw that will fit, but
purchasing the whole assembly is expensive.

Darrell

Thanks Guys, It looks like this will be a busy weekend. I replaced front break pads last night, and have a starter replacement, plug wires and this window problem yet to go. At least I have the old starter out! Who ever relpaced it the last time didn't have it tight, and the heat shield was holding it together. It wore the bushing in an elongated fashon, locked up and got very, very hot
I didn't realize how much I liked this car!
If all goes well I'll have the window regulator assy. out and will report what I see.
Thansk again