Somehow, my center vent knob is broken in my 1995 C280. As pictured below, the manual airflow control is broken. It feels very loose, there is not resistance, and it only moves on the top portion of the line. Pic:



That is as far down as it goes and it is not functional. Now how do I access the other side of those vents so that I can hopefully fix the problem? I can take apart the lower part of the console, but am stumped on this upper area... Can anyone help me remove these vents so that I can correct the problem? Thanks!

Another, broader picture:

__________________
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!)

From the pics, I don't believe there is much that is similar with your vents as would be on my 300E.

Pity, because I had to reconstruct the ENTIRE vent assembly just to change a light bulb, because I had to remove the vent bezel in order to get the whole unit out. By the time I got the assembly out, I had 20 pieces of vent louvers scattered on the floor of the car!

If they are similar, there should be two or four spring-loaded metal clips that hold it in place. Each is at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock position behind the left and right vents. Position a flat screwdriver upwards for the top clips and downward for the bottom ones to push and release, and gently pull the vents out towards you.

The center knob on mine has an eccentric lever system attached with a small screw. Loosen the screw to take the whole vent assembly out. There should be enough room to get your hand inside and work the lever to make sure there isn't any binding. Then check the knob also.

I don't remember much else as I sat down on the kitchen table with a 6-pack of beer to keep me company as I reassembled the unit together...

__________________
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

Thanks G-Benz.

Now does anyone know how to remove the wood/console so that I can access the vents? Thanks.

-David

__________________
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!)

Shouldn't have to remove the wood console...the clips would be INSIDE the vent assembly...take a peek with a flashlight and you should see the slots...

__________________
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

Aghh, I see exactly what you mean now... similar to my side vents! Thanks, I'll check it out and take some pictures too.

THANKS!

__________________
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!)

No Go.

Well I jsut checked it out. There were two clip things on the insides at the top of the vents. I got those pulled down with tiny screw drivers, but when I went to pull it out, it seemed as though there was something holding it from the center and/or at the bottom also!

Please, Benzmac, Steve (x 2!), or anyone help me with this!!


Here is a pic.. you can see the clippy thing up there. There's one on the other side too. But that's it?

__________________
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!)

__________________
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!)

Again, I'm speaking from a different model than yours, but I do recall that the vents were a REALLY snug fit! Also look inside and see if there is a screw holding it in place on the left or right side. Mine was anchored on the right side, and I didn't want to remove the airbag to get to it, so I bent the bezel away from the vents and watched the vent pieces fall to the floor!

I don't think that will be the case for yours, though...

__________________
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

David,

Next time you might want to post "problems"like this on benzsport as well...it will get you a quicker reply.

unscrew 2 Phillips screws at the underside of the wood venter console panel/storage compartment box.
Take out the radio and unscrew 2 Phillips screws at the top of the radio insert.
Take out the panel by pulling out the bottom part first after which the panel can be lowered and taken out from behind the bottom of the center vents.
UNSCREW 2 PHILLIPS SCREWS IN THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CENTERVENTS and release the clips in the upperside of the centervents whilst pulling it gently out...That's ALL.

The 2 screws in the bottom of the centervents (behind the wood center console panel) are giving you the hard time.

good luck & greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

FOr some reason I thought it would take all of this! Thanks for the info though G-Benz! It's a good thing I didn't pull too hard!
Now all I need is the radio removal tool from the dealer, correct??

Thanks a bunch.

__________________
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 figured there were probably enough differences between the E and C classes to make my suggestions moot anyway...good thing there are other C-class owners like MBenz (who dissects MBs down to their shells) to help.

__________________
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

Ok I finally got the radio keys to remove the radio. But BEFORE I get started... (I just want to try and avoid any problems [and sure enough, I SPOKE TOO SOON, the Radio Removal Keys are STUCK in the radio... I can't even REMOVE the radio REMOVAL keys... interesting), I am not quite sure I understand how the wood and/or the climate control comes out? I understand how to remove the storage pocket (and the 2 'hidden' screws above it), and the radio... but I just don't want to get stumped.
But then again, I'm sure when I have it all out, I'll more than likely be able to figure it out.
Oh well, thought I'd post anyway: NO HARM NO FOUL!

WISH ME LUCK! (and that I'm able to repair this baby and not drive around with a gimp-consoled Mercedes until I get new, only IF irrepairable [unrepairable...? is this really not a word?!], center vents.)

__________________
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!)

Well I will post the turn-out as I usually do.
My entire console, from the shift panel wood all the way up to the center vents were disassembled tonight. While I was in there, I got other things fixed too!

1. When I finally got the center vent assembly out... I realized that fixing the problem would be a real pain because everything is basically sealed! There was one small whole where I could shine the flashlight in and BARELY make out a plastic peice that was not in place. I slipped a paperclip in there and got the peice (don't ask how) connected back to the flap. It's not perfect... the adjusting knob is loose, but for the most part functional again like before. I pondered buying a new unit... but I made a quick call to Phil, but @ $91, it just didn't seem to be enough bang for the buck!

2. About a year ago, a HUGE coke was spilled onto my center console while camping. No adverse affects resulted of it though. Except the right rear window switch sticks in place when pushed, and has for the past year. Well I decided to take the switch out and clean it in the kitchen. OH MY GOSH... could they make a little switch more intricate. I popped the switch off and and little metal peices sprung everywhere! I then wiped down all of the contacts... and proceeded to put back the many peices (45 min of tedious work [mostly trial and error] later...) which included 2 ball bearings (?), 2 tiny springs and 2 tiny cylinder things.

3. My ash-tray has NEVER opened properly. Ever since I got the car, you have had to push it 3 or 4 times for it to open... and then it opened so slowly (no force). Well it was a real bltch taking apart! But I got the plastic peices back in alignment and adjusted the tension springs so that it would actually open with force as it's supposed to (again the assembly was VERY intricate!)

So that included the grunt of my night. I believe I have now disassembled every part of my car (excluding engine). In the 14 months I've had the car, I know how to take off or remove any interior (or trunk) part.

Anyways, thanks for the help G-Benz and MBenz on this topic. BTW, the radio keys only cost 90 cents!

( I wish I could have taken pictures of the process... )

__________________
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!)