how can i remove the wood plating to expose my window switches with out breaking the wood? this is being done in an 83'300sd

I am just taking a guess here, but with my 190e, it looks like you can just take a screwdriver and pry up the panel to expose the switches....verify this before doing it!!! hehe

J Shep...
The window switches can be removed from the console by using a thin bladed screw driver(and I do mean thin) and gently pry the switch out of the console. You can take the switch apart and clean the inside of it with a cleaner (I use carb. cleaner in a spray can). Be carefull and don't loose any of the tiny balls. This cleaning is really fairly easy to do and you will save $40-$50. I have done it many many times.
Bill Lewallen Lexington,Ky. The Blugrass State, but the grass is really green, and we use the green antifreeze.

thank you everyone. i got my switches out and cleaned them but still no cigar.
3 of my window motors still do not work and the other i just found out has the arm broke off from the window
ie: rivets no longer attached.

dumb me i took apart the mirror switch to clean that out as well and now it keeps popping my fuses
is there a way to tell which direction the little white box goes, it's not marked in anyway and when i got it apart, the box fell out and i cant figure out which direction it goes.
i'll probably be better hitting up the olé junkyard and grabbing one.
eww one more thing i did remove the wood plate and it is amazing how much change you can find just lying there lol

but out of curiosity how to i change the light bulb in my gear shifter. something tells me thats going to be a pain job.
and just too the left of the gearshift box there is this little plastic piece that came out it really dont seem to do anything and now it wont go back in it kinda looks like a T

thank you all again

jeff

I'm sure this is in a FAQ or archive somewhere, but I'll give you the skinny from memory in case you can't find it. To remove the wood panel on the console, pull up the carpeting aft of the wood and you'll find a phillips head screw holding a tab down on the back of the wood piece. Remove the screw. Using a credit card, pry off the black plastic piece that protects the shifter opening. Now carefully lift the wood piece from the rear, and the switches will separate and the wood piece will come out. There are two tabs in the front edge that tuck into the lowest vertical piece of wood on the dash.

The shifter light is now easily accessed. Alot of times it only needs to be put back into the socket that directs the light upward, but if you've got the thing apart and have a new bulb, just replace it. When the wood piece goes back down, be careful not to bend the prongs on the fader switch as it goes back into place. This happened to me and I spent a good while figuring out what happened to my radio.

I don't recommend pulling the switches up through the wood aas someone else did, they are meant to be accessed from below. You will see how they are fitted once you get the cover off.

Uh, No...
 

Not on an W-126, '83 300SD!

Sorry Mike, but you are wrong!

To remove the center console, you remove the ashtray, unscrew the two phillips screws to remove the ashtray holder, then remove the change tray, and gently push the wood panel of the consloe forward until it releases.

And jshepardson, that little plastic piece that looks like a "T" is one of two, and needs to be pushed back in until it's flush. As I recall, you need to have the gear selector in a particular position to do this, and you might even have to wiggle the shifter a little while doing it.

I stand corrected. My description was for a 124 chassis. Thanks for pointing out my mistake in such a friendly manner.

No Problem, Mike...
 

I knew what you were talking about, and had already removed my center console on my W126 not too long ago.

Actually, I could have been even nicer, so to make it up to you, enjoy this link with my compliments and a cold "Natie Bow":

http://www.slanguage.com/baltimore.html