Every year NOT every 2 years, LOL. thats how bad they are. Everything dries out, doesnt stick, etc. I am in RROC (Rolls Royce Owners Club), but am not familar with the first aid kits, I have heard that a lot of them came with a real good tool kit though, not sure on those, good question though.

Perhaps they were expecting the cars to get into more accidents therefore requiring more use of the first aid kit.

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Scott Diener
89 300E
93 300E
92 Volvo 740 Wagon aka "Mutt mover"

The reason the cars have first aid kits is because it is a German law that cars have first aid kits in them. Also all cars are required to have emergency triangle. When I bought my car, I was very surprised to find a first aid kit sitting in the first aid compartment. It was still sealed, however I knew it could not be the original one from 1980. The case is black nylon with a zipper and says Mercedes-Benz on it. I suspect that in 1980 the kit would of been in a metal or plastic box. This kit and the one in my father's '85 300D were made for Mercedes, by a company here in the USA.
My 1999 VW Passat wagon has a compartment labeled with a green cross. This is where the first aid kit is meant to go. I say meant because VW did not put the kits in the cars bound for the USA. I was able to buy the kit at the dealer. This kit has enough burn dressing, gauze, thermal blanket, and surgical scissors for cutting. Everything in the kit is written in German, English (UK), and French.
Just as side note about German car safety laws. It is also required that cars have one rear, red fog light on the driver's side.

__________________
1999 MB SL500 (101,000 mi)
1983 Porsche 911SC (149,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (205,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (75,000 mi)
PCA member
MBCA member

My car doesn't have a triangle? In the trunk lid, on the inside, right? Maybe this was discontinued on later models as I don't remember seeing them on new cars.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Your right, they dont have the triangle. I think the triangle is only in European cars and were not put in the US cars.

I am not sure of this, but from all the MBs i have, none of them have a triangle although the instruction manual says they do.

And the nylon bags are with the newer cars/production, the old ones ARE in a metal box or plastic box (my 84 300D)

The pictures I have seen of Benzes in German show the triangle to be mounted in the trunk lid. Like the tool kits on BMWs. So when you break down on the side of the road, the triangle is displayed to on coming motorist when you open the trunk to get to the spare tire.

__________________
1999 MB SL500 (101,000 mi)
1983 Porsche 911SC (149,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (205,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (75,000 mi)
PCA member
MBCA member

All our MBs come with the triangle fixed at the trunk lid. I don't know whether its intended to face at an angle when the lid is open though.

__________________
... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

In the US, they don't come with the triangles on the inside of the trunk-lid, atleast not anymore, I think they might at one time (?). I see a slight molding in the interior trim of the trunk lid where a triangle COULD go; must be for the ones elsewhere.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

I've been driving the 280SEL this week, as my 300D is in the shop, and the 280 does have the triangle under the trunk. Of course, the 280SEL is the European version, and it spent its first 50,000 miles in Germany. My 300SD did not have the triangle, but it did have the mounting areas. I'm relatively sure that all W126 sedans will at least have the mounting area.

__________________
Ben

The MBs:
1976 300D (W115) - 330K and still going (sort of)
1991 300D 2.5 Turbo - Sold at 221K
1983 280SEL - Sold at 206K
1981 300SD - Sold at 232K

The aid kit in my '82 300D Turbo is the original one, and it looks like it didn't see much use. In fact the Asprin has an expiry date of something like August 1982! I should really replace that.


My dad told me that in Europe all cars are required by law to have the first aid kit, emergency triangle, and a fire extinguisher. I wish my Benz had the triangle, but like most North American models it doesn't. I asked my dad to buy me one when he was in Europe last summer, but he could only find metal ones that where too heavy as it would have taken a large chunk of the allowed baggage weight limit.

My 98 C-Class has the warning triangle mounted in the bootlid and the first aid kit in the parcel shelf.

The law as to what must be carried varies throughout Europe. The previous posts about German legislation are correct. In France and most other European countries you must carry a spare bulb kit, too. In fact this is a very useful piece of kit and I'd recommend carrying one. In Spain, if the driver wears spectacles, he must carry a spare pair.

Some European countries require the driver to have his driving licence, insurance documentation and certificate of ownership available in the car at all times which is a bit draconian (France is like this, but then in France one gets the feeling that the cops are more dodgy than the crims).

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JJ Rodger
1999 SL 500
1993 320 TE
1986 500 SEC

When my wife looked in the first aid kit in my 83-300D, she told me not "to use that old first aid kit on any of our grandchildren". I wonder if she meant that I could use it on myself? LOL After looking at it myself, I put some fresh first aid supplies in the glove box. Are these old kits valuable?

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Thank you, Jay
83MB 300D 241K "The silver coffin"
10 Prius lll 1K
95 MB E300D 120K Mable
02 Saab 9-5 Areo 131K
Cannondale SR500
www.thecornerstonefamily.org/

I've never used it but my 7-year-old grandson loves to dig into it. The first aid kit and the wheels are his two favorite things about MBs!

Robby,
I am glad you are teaching your grandson well!! Good to hear!

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)