w126 - Mystery instrument cluster connector
 

Hi Guys,

I finally pulled out the instrument cluster this afternoon so that I could count the teeth on the odometer. E1 was disintegrated, but I counted 16 teeth on E3 for my particular car.

Anyhow, I started to put the cluster back in and ran into a problem. I don't recall if there was something connected to the 2-pin rectangular connector just above the right side of the outside temp gauge, of if you like, to the right of the round speedo signal connector. I looked around in the dash but couldn't find a matching connector, but could have sworn that I did disconnect it, though all the gauges seem to be working so far...

Anyone know what that connector is for, or if it's even used? I'll be digging in again when my gears get here, so any help would be appreciated!

http://i54.tinypic.com/jggu1l.jpg

edit: reattached picture

Please try posting pic again. If you can't get it, maybe you can upload pic to a web album and post a link.

yes....not seeing any pics on this end...

Sorry guys, it was a bit late last night when I posted :)

OK, so not to seem dense, but trying to figure out the connector you are talking about now. I think you mean on the right (as you look at the picture) of the outside temp display, above that one real prominent phillips screw, and up above in the white plastic area? Sort of a D shaped opening?

Hi Gilly,

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately, I don't have photoshop on my computer at home, but here's a cropped image of the connector taken from the picture above.

It is, as you mention, to the right as you look at the picture, in the white area, above the outside temp display, and to the right of the speedo signal cable, which is the hacked off black with green wires.

http://i56.tinypic.com/15g5s74.jpg

I just did this; I don't recall anything being there, thoough. My car is a 420.

Hi Randy,

Thanks for your input. Seems kind of weird that they'd put a 2-pin connector there and not use it, though I've seen pics of a version of the cluster that just had a hole there without the connector on the PCB. Did yours have the 2-pin on it too?

Your link for ebay comes up blank...no items.

cruise speed signal?

I don't think anything connects to there. Mine doesn't have anything. It is actually the backside of the trip reset button on my gauge and has some contacts but they don't have anything connected.

Correct, nothing out right now. I pick up on it more in the cold season here in Wisconsin. It's just something I do for spare money when I have stuff laying around I don't need, which is "usually"

I don't see terminals in there either, so I don't think anything goes there. The basic rear cover could possibly be used by VDO for other Mercedes or even a non-Mercedes vehicle which would require that area to be cast like that. You see other examples in the picture of weird protuberances that have no function.

Could have also been used by the VDO factory for testing before sending on to the manufacturer, like feeding in a speed or fuel level signal to test those gauges.

Thanks for the replies guys! I was concerned that it looked like you could plug something in there, but the cluster is working, so I won't worry about it. Thanks for calming my nerves :)