My speedometer stick wobbles and shakes at upwards of 30mph and below 65mph.

How is this fixable?

Is there a cable that needs tightening/Lubing up?

Thanks, ps2cho

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

Is this on your '88 300TE? It has an electronic speedometer....so its likely an issue with the pickup/sender on the transmission, or an issue with the gauge itself....as there is no mechanical wire connecting it.

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'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Yes for my 88 300TE.

The other gauges are fine such as the RPM. Is this a big/expensive job to have this fixed?

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

I'm not a tech... but are you sure about that? Here's the cable for it:

http://catalog.worldpac.com/mercedesshop/sophio/wizard.jsp?partner=mercedesshop&clientid=catalog.mercedesshop&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&cookieid=2781CGTPO2BN0GUNZO&year=1988&make=MB&model=300-TE-001&category=P&part=Speedometer+Cable

I have a shaky speedo on my 201, and my reseach on this site indicates that it's a common problem on these cars. Some have corrected it temporarily by lubing the cable, but the consensus seems to be that replacing the cable is worth the reasonably small expense for the permanent fix.

Again, I'm not tech, and have no first had experience in this particular matter -- (I haven't done anything about mine -- I just haven't got around to it.) -- so please correct me if I'm wrong.

jp

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Jeff Pierce

Current Vehicles:
'92 Mercedes 190E/2.3 (247K miles/my daily driver)
'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon (263K miles/a family truckster with spunk)
'99 Kawasaki Concours
Gravely 8120
Previous Vehicles:
'85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow (226K miles)'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon
'53 Willys-Overland Pickup
'85 Honda 750F Interceptor
'93 Nissan Quest
'89 Toyota Camry Wagon
'89 Dodge Raider
'81 Honda CB 750F Super Sport
'88 Toyota Celica
'95 Toyota Tacoma
'74 Honda CB 550F

From experience the 124 (88 300D) and coupe(91 300CE) have cables. I'd be surprised if the wagon was different. Also, electronic sensors tend to either work or die outright, so its unlikely you'd have the shaky needle.
G

[QUOTE=pawoSD;1793420]Is this on your '88 300TE? It has an electronic speedometer....so its likely an issue with the pickup/sender on the transmission, or an issue with the gauge itself....as there is no mechanical
cable>>

That chassis is cable..they did not use electronic speedo until '96..
All 124 chassis are cable. There is a pick-up in the speedo head , but that gets a signal from the cable rotation and is used for CC. Nothing to do with the speedo reading...........

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A Dalton

I'm not a tech either, but if there is a cable, you should be able to drive the speedo with your drill, in reverse, using a Robertson head (square) bit. IIRC, it'll show about 40mph, maybe enough to eliminate the speedo itself as the culprit.

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1986 560SL
2002 Toyota Camry
1993 Lexus

I may have found it in my Mercedes Bible in the back:

Q: Shakey needle vibrates or jumps.
A: Route speedo cable correctly. NOTE: Lubricating a speedo or cable will always result in failure of the unit.

I guess I gotta remove the instrument cluster for this right?
http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/W124InstCluster

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2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

Tighten the cable.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

My W124 speedo needle bounces a little at low (< 30 mph) speeds...did so when I bought it at around 72K miles. Never bothered it, and it hasn't gotten any worse.

But with my VW, I found that the culprit was always a bent or kinked cable...

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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

In my experience this is not true. If you lubricate put some lithium grease on the end of the speedometer cable it will not result in failure of 'the unit'. I have lubricated the speedometer cable on multiple w201 and w124 cars over the past 5 years and have yet to see any failures.

Additionally, spraying some white lithium grease on the end of the cable will often correct the high pitched noise that cable driven speedometers sometimes make.

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Daily Driver: 02 E430 4MATIC
In the family: '03 E500 // '04 ML500 // 64 220SE

Wow....I assumed the 124 had more advancements...I guess it does have a cable. Weird. My "older" 126 is electronic....

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Just want to be included in this post activity for my reference. Ben Carter

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Ben Harrison Carter
1999 Mercedes ML320 87K
1992 Mercedes 300CE 89K
1995 Corvette 29K -- Sold Dec 09
1989 Mercedes 420SEL 99K -- (Sold 4/08)
1968 Mercedes 230S (106K) (Sold 9/06))
1976 Mercedes 450SEL 130K (Just sold - 06)
1961 Mercedes 220Sb (sold years ago)

Hi,

I just purchased a 1988 300CE (65K) from the original owner. It has been very cold out & the car was kept (since new) in a heated garage.
NOW the Speedo has completely stopped (only the Speedo).

* I also hear a rattle/clicking noise as I accelerate with speed while driving. I can hear this sound from within the dash / underneath the guage cluster area.

A "bearing" is mentioned as a problem. Can someone please expand on that?

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Kieran K
Jersey Shore
1988 300CE (for sale, AUG. 2013)
1995 SL320 (88K) - terrific car
1983 300CD
-1993 400E (sold w/74k)
-1988 560SEL (sold w/49k)
- 1995 S420 (sold w/75k)
- 2005 E320 CDI (sold)
- 2007 E350 4M (sold)
- 1984 300D, sold w/305k, CA car, zero rust & over $12k invested
- 2001 E55 AMG (sold w/81k), I really miss it.
- 1982 300CD (sold, all stripped down)

Check behind the cluster. Not difficult to removed the cluster. There is a DIY.

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J.H.
'86 300E