OK Folks,

I think I qualify for an expression a friend of mine used... "poster child for stupid". My hood release handle broke. I found one - for the surprising low price of $6! So now how to get in there - and this is my key - without breaking anything.

The good news is with the little bit of disassembly I have done already, I can see the end of the cable going to the hood. It has a cylindrical shaped piece of metal on the end that slides into a hole on the new hood release handle. The problem is the cable end is buried about 4-5 inches deep in the dash. I bought some long needle nose pliers, but the cable doesn't seem to come out far enough to hook it in the new handle.

So I think I need access to get above or below it. Then I can put the new handle in the slide that supports it and use pliers to insert that cylinder into the hole in the new handle.

One option... there is a small panel with the headlight switch in it above the release handle. Does the headlight switch knob just pull straight off? Then how would that panel come out... small tabs around the edge that should be pried out?

Second option... there is a lower dash panel that goes under the steering wheel. I have removed several bolts, but it still seems firmly attached, particularly near the center console. This may be just push in / pull out type pins, but I don't want to yank on it and break / bend something.

Any help would be appreciated on this.

Thanks,
Chuck

Hi Chuck,

See attached image.

Air grate (1)
push out with plastic wedge.
Screws (2 and 3)
screw out, hold cover down for access.
Screw (4)
screw out.
Screws (5, 6 and 7)
screw out (8 mm ).
Nut (8)
screw off (10 mm ).
Cover (9)
pull down and remove.
Reinstall
in opposite order.

It's been awhile since I took my lower cover off, but I could swear that the two screws referenced as items 2 and 3 above were actually a type of spring loaded clip that hooked / snapped onto two metal brackets mounted in the dash. I gently persuaded the carpeting away from the seam between the lower panel and dash using a clean putty knife so I could see in there. I think I used a flat blade screwdriver to disengage the clips. I could be wrong, like I said, it's been awhile and I don't have any pics. Maybe you could take some good digital pictures of this and send to me? I'd like to add them to my website (with your permission, and credit for the photos would go to you).

Pete

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__________________
1995 S600, 1 of 618 (sold)

"Speed is just a question of money...how fast you wanna go?"

LONG LIVE THE W140!
Visit my Web Page at www.v12uberalles.com

Pete,

Thanks a lot! I had found 1, 4,5,6, and 7. 2 & 3 were nowhere to see and # 8 I should have seen. I'll try to get at it this weekend.

What manual / source did you find this in? I think I'd tackle a lot more things on this car if I could get around all the trim pieces.

Chuck

This is from the ALLDATADIY subscription - the best $24.95 you ever spent on your 140.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

ctaylor is correct. I have an Alldatadiy subscription. A lot of people seem to knock it, but I love it. For the money, it's the best thing available. And my suspicion is that the people that don't like it, don't really know how to search for what they need. If you're thinking of signing up, can I ask that you use this link? I get a small commission that helps me cover the costs of my humble website. Thanks.

http://www.myaffiliateprogram.com/u/alldata/b.asp?id=1900

__________________
1995 S600, 1 of 618 (sold)

"Speed is just a question of money...how fast you wanna go?"

LONG LIVE THE W140!
Visit my Web Page at www.v12uberalles.com

For most jobs, you get the book labor hours, which is very useful. You can use it to decide if you want to take a job on, and how long it will take you. And you will have some idea what you are getting into if you have a shop do the work.

This is stuff written for professionals, so it tends to be on the terse side.

IMO, better than the CD's.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

Chuck,
As Pete says, older 140s like mine 92 had two hooks instead of screws 2 and 3. See picture of my dash removed for evaporator job. I marked the hooks with red arrows. I used a small screwdriver to undo them. I don't know how, but I was able to do it. Just take your time and don't brake anything!
Mike

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Folks,

I appreciate the help here. I'll have some time this weekend to dig in. The pictures and diagrams are great for me, I'm a visual person. I expect after I remove #8 I'll have a little more wiggle room to figure out 2 & 3.

Mike, if you remember - did you go after them from the seat side or pull the bottom of the panel down and come in from behind. Mone's a 93 so most likely to be similar to yours.

Chuck

I did it from the seat. I don't think you could do anything with this cover from the back.

Folks,

Thanks to all your help I replaced the handle. I though I had removed #5 but hadn't. It is located at the top of the vent, so it is a bit tricky to see. Removing that and #8 then the carpeted section dropped down a bit. #2 & 3 on my car ( 93) consist of a small u shaped bracket on one side and then a V shaped bracket on the other. The U fits into the V, locating the front of that trim piece. There were no connectors or clips that I had to remove, just a little wiggling. The one closest to the center console did not completely disengage, and I left it that way. Plenty of room to get at my part.

The trick on replacing this handle is to pull out the wire a bit with some needlenose pliers. At the end of the wire is a small cylindrical piece of metal that goes into the pull - handle. The handle has a similar shaped hole it drops into. Once in place you then have to route the cable through a small slot to keep it from coming out. I found sitting on the ground next to the car, holding the pliers in my left hand, the fiddling with the cylinder and cable with my right worked best.

All is buttoned back up .... but. The hood still doesn't open. I tugged pretty hard, not wanting to break the new handle. I moved the car to see if there was some sideways torsion keeping the latches from opening. And then had my daughter pull the handle while I pushed down on the hood in numerous ways. I guess it's time to put it up on ramps and look underneath.

THANKS again to all for your comments. These seemingly little acts of assistance are a great help to those in need.

Chuck

The beauty of coincidence.

My relatively new to me '97S320 has developed an irritating rattle that is coming from somewhere behind the dash on the driver's side. It happens when I drive over a bump or irregularity on the Driver side. Sometimes it sounds like it's in the door. Could be two separate rattles. These are the things that are difficult to identify. I don't think my auto stethoscope will work. Really need an actual stethoscope in order to drive and listen at the same time.

So the removal of the lower panel will be made easier due to this thread.

Steve

Just a quick thank you, to the group that responded to the question. I have also been interested in how to remove the lower dash/knee bolster.

On my 92 500SEL 140.051 Screws 2 & 3 are latches. I found a push button, it was a gold color and just a simple push and the left side released. It took a few minutes to find the button on the right side. I took some pictures of the latch and the release button.

Now that I know how the release works, there is a place to put your finger and it will hit the button and release the latch.

Chuck sorry to hear that your hood release is still broken.

Thank you for the help.

David
W140 The Original Slab Sided Beast

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I found my rattle and feel really stupid.

After removing the driver's side lower dash panel, then driving and listening to what at times sounded like rattle from behind instrument cluster, and at other times sounded like something loose in the door, I realized what it must be.

By the way, mine is a '97 S320 and it too has the clips as previously mentioned.

I installed new Bilstein shocks about 3 months ago. Apparently, I didn't tighten the upper nuts enough. The driver's side had loosened just enough to cause this annoying rattle.
I re-tightened both sides and rattle is history.

Just for kicks, I thought I would remove the air vents and speaker grills just to figure it out. On the driver's side vent there is a hole in the plastic at the bottom. There is a sensor, presumably temperature, that is sealed on with a shiny black sealant. On the passenger side, there is some remaining sealant, but no sensor. I can only conclude that some ham handed mechanic has been in there and knocked the sensor off. Then he decided to leave it off. I see no trace of the sensor or the wires.
May have to take off the passenger side lower panel and investigate.
Can anyone verify that there should be a sensor there?

Steve
'97 S320 116K
'92 300E Sportline 242K