Help me remember a few things about the 202 chassis, mainly the O/S mirror - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Gilly · #1 03-22-2010, 08:29 PM

I got a guy where I work now who has a 98 C280 he just bought used. He's having me replace the front brakes for him later this week, no problem there.

The drivers side outside mirror glass is just wobbling in the housing, the glass doesn't adjust. I can hear the mirror motor running. I am thinking it might be the 2 plastic stubs that engage in to the motor. Main question I have is how to get the mirror glass off so I can see what's going on in there. I know MB used various methods, i just want to make sure I don't make things any worse.

He is also complaining about the plastic cladding on the lower part of the car, between the wheels (under the fender and I assume extending back under the doors). He has resorted to duct tape for now. I don't recall this as being a big problem back when I worked on these, are there some clips that it needs? Commen problem?

Thanks all
Gilly

mpolli · #2 03-22-2010, 10:07 PM

For the cladding, are you talking about the engine "under cover"? That is the only thing I can think of like that. It is held with 4 screws and I have not had any trouble.

For the mirror, maybe this might help:

How does outside mirror cover attach to 98 C230?

Gilly · #3 03-22-2010, 10:31 PM

No, on the lower body, what you might refer to as the rocker molding. Lowest point on the car body on the side, starts just behind the front wheel on the lower fender, extends under the doors, as far as the rear wheel well. Not anything to do with the engine.

Main question is removing the mirror glass. I did find a thread elsewhere that tells how to pop the painted cover off the outside mirror, that might work too. Just to get a look at what's going on, like is something actually broken, or just out of place.

Gilly

vince · #4 03-23-2010, 08:04 AM

The mirror glass is held onto the motor by a short length wire "spring" - basically a straight piece of music wire pivoted at one end that hooks under a tab on the back of the mirror glass. There is also some double sided tape between the back of the glass and the motor.

The painted mirror housing has to come off first. To do that you have to flex the whole mirror housing forward and reach in a retract a stainless steel spring clip. It is a PITA. Then slip the cover off.

Just hope the anchor for the big spring doesn't break.

Gilly · #5 03-23-2010, 05:26 PM

Thanks Vince, I'll try to get the cover off, after that hopefully I can figure it out.
To me it seemed (when I looked at it a month or two ago) that the mirror is attached to the base, but the motor didn't seem attached to the base. I am sort of remembering these white plastic stubby pieces that the motor acted on which made the mirror base move. The motor makes a collar rotate, and these stubby pieces are sort of threaded, like a bolt, and makes them go in and out, but of course they have to be indexed (snapped in) to the back of the mirror base or they'll just spin. So hoping they somehow came unsnapped from the back of the mirror base.

Gilly