Does anyone know how to get to the rotary knob between the center air vents to replace a burned-out bulb? Dealer wants $125 to do this!!!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

This is for the 300E...

I did check the earlier posts and found several tips. Thanks. Now I can replace the last burned out bulb I know exists...with the exception of the radio, which appears to have about three bulbs out. To hell with the radio, the cassette deck stopped functioning a month after it got out of the shop when the techs ripped out the dashboard to replace the evaporator. But that's another story.

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Apparently, the center vent bezel was attached to the dash via a screw on the right side near the passenger side ABS (nothing holding it on the left side), so I couldn't pull the entire housing out neatly. Instead, I had to detach the bezel and pull it away far enough to remove the vent and knob. The bezel holds the vanes in place so they came apart. I loosened the screw that held the knob to the main flap so that could come out. So then I had about 20 different pieces staring at me, vanes, clips, springs and an empty center vent housing! What a mess.

I did replace the bulb successfully. However, it took me about two hours to reassemble the vent assemblies, the knob assembly, and another hour to reinstall the whole thing (carefully, lest the vanes fall out before I could reattach the bezel). I somehow lost the two metal clips that secure the whole assembly, but it's a snug fit anyway.

Got the knob reattached to the air flap, and adjusted it accordingly, and now everything works fine. Bulbs cost $1.99, so I saved $123 (based on the dealership quote). Learned more than I care to about the operation of the center vents.

If anyone needs to know how to completely assemble the center main vents, I'm the man to ask...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

By the way, I meant passenger side SRS, not ABS...sorry, probably had a weird visualization as you were reading this...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

I need some help. Mine is assembled and I just need to reinstall. Check out my thread:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/124094-center-dash-vent-connector-w124-look-pics-post891934.html#post891934

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1989 300CE Astralsilber/Schwarz
1992 300CE Schwarz/Schwarz