W140 Rear View Mirror Replacement - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Ken Griffith · #1 07-22-2002, 02:38 PM

My 96 S500 rear view mirror has started to wobble. I would like to replace it. It looks the same as my 98 E430 mirror. How do I remove it? Is there anything special to get the autodimming function to work or is that just a feature of the mirroring.

I have seen some posts that say to just pull it down gently. Is that correct.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

KG

Benzmac · #2 07-22-2002, 08:20 PM

I have figured out how to repair them. It will save you the $1,000 or so. If you want to box it and send it to me with a return tag, I will fix it for you.

Call Phil at the number under PartsShop for the address to MB Autowerks, or just get it off of the website. MB Autowerks

Ken Griffith · #3 07-23-2002, 01:11 PM

That's just it. I don't know how to get it off. Its got the autodimming function and also the controls for the autolocking and alarm system in it. I need some detail on what I'm doing.

Can you provide any insight?

KG

KenP · #4 02-17-2003, 06:03 PM

Ken, found this post while doing an archive search...
Did you ever get your mirror out and repaired? Can you give me some tips?
My '96 S500 mirror (also has IR locking rec'r, alarm, dimming) is also loose and not sure how to remove and repair.
Thanks, KenP

Ken Griffith · #5 02-17-2003, 06:38 PM

Nope, it's still flopping around.

KenP · #6 02-19-2003, 02:08 PM

Ken, well, no guts, no glory. Was home from work today, so went out and removed/repaired the rear view mirror on my '96 S500. Like yours, it has the IR sensor, etc internal to it.
I took a number of pictures so I could show you how they break.
Regardless of other postings, I would not recommend you simply pull down on it. If yours is like mine was, the internal mounting is loose from the back of the mirror glass. If you pull on it, you will break the housing.
Instead, take a small screwdriver and pry the trim piece off the miror base... see the attached picture. This will reveal the electrical connectors (one is power/grd for the dimmer, the other is the IR system) and the method of mounting. Mercedes used a horizontally mounted spring to hold the mirror into the roof bracket. This bracket also hold the Bose tweeter in the center of the windshield.
After you remove the trim piece and can see the associated pieces more clearly, pry the mirror base loose with a screwdriver. Pops right out. Just unplug the wires and you're out.
If yours is broken like mine, you can now shake the mirror and hear the broken plastic pieces rattling inside. This is not a good thing. :-)
Anyway, pry the lower housing (has the IR sensor) off the mirror head.. it just pops off. Then you can take a small screwdriver and separate the mirror head into two pieces revealing the interior and glass.
I was pretty disappointed... internally, this thing is poorly designed and made. Looks like a kid's toy. You'll see the ball mount (where the mirror head is supposed to swivel) is loose from the back of the glass assembly.
There are two metal retainers that are supposed to hold this all together... but, in my case, the tiny, weak, (did I say weak?), mounts for these retainers were broken off.... releasing the mirror internally.
I fixed mine by making substitutes for these mounts. Took about an hour total. Better than 900 plus bucks for the replacement, eh? Frankly this mirror doesn't have more than 5 dollars worth of stuff in it... Mercedes should be ashamed of this thing.
I'll post a picture here to also show how its supposed to go together inside... look where the screwdriver blade is holding the retainer and you'll see where the piece is broken.
If you want more pictures (I took a bunch) of the repair, send me your email and I'll send them to you.
Regards, KenP

KenP · #7 02-19-2003, 02:10 PM

Picture of trim, base, and mounting.
KenP

KenP · #8 02-19-2003, 02:15 PM

This is what mine looked like when I opened it up...
KenP

KenP · #9 02-19-2003, 02:19 PM

Pardon last post... operator error.... here's the pic.
KenP

myarmar · #10 02-19-2003, 07:38 PM

The original 92 - 95? inside W140 mirror was power/memory autodimming (from 93) mirror (but no IR receiver) it had two electric motors with position sensors and autodimming circuit board. Price was $900+. Then MB had power/memory feature eliminated, but it appears they "forgot" to correct the price. Here is a picture of the "original" mirror:

daddiojiggy · #11 02-19-2003, 07:51 PM

can you still do the mirror repair for s-class?how much will it be?

Benz_man600 · #12 02-21-2003, 01:20 AM

I have the Power/memory, auto dimming mirror in my 93 W140. It's been flopping around for over a year now, and when Mercedes said they wanted $1000 to fix it I figured i could live with it flopping about everytime I hit a bump. But, now that i know....Can i simply fix mines like you stated above? And, when my fathers 99 W140 didnt have the power mirror i thought it was odd, why did Mercedes stop putting these in the S-class?

KenP · #13 02-21-2003, 08:05 PM

Its clear when looking at the internal pictures of the two types of mirror assemblies, they are virtually identical with the exception of the motor drives located right on the adjustment ball.
I'm sure they all break in the same place, leaving the whole assembly wobbling around on the post.
The picture posted by Myarmar seems to show the mirror glass piece glued to the mount. There was certainly no glue on mine when I disassembled it.
When I reassembled the pieces, in addition to fashioning some catches for the retainers, I used a little RTV adhesive between the mount and the mirror glass.
From the pictures, the mounting to the roof is identical, so it certainly comes out the same way.
So, I'd say go ahead and pull it out and fix it... and pocket the grand for something else...
KenP

Benz_man600 · #14 02-22-2003, 01:35 AM

That's is just what a 17 year old wants to hear!!!

Ken Griffith · #15 03-06-2003, 11:15 AM

Well, I fixed the mirror. I took off the plastic pieces to get to the post to take down the mirror, but couldn't get it down even then, so I disassembled the mirror in place. Just as described, the plastic piece holding the retaining pins had broken off. The whole mirror border must cost a dollar. I am here to tell you, you can't find any pieces of that mirror anywhere. Because Mercedes still wants 900 bucks for the whole mirror, every recycle parts place within a 100 miles is sold out of those babies. Anyway, only way to fix it was to "create" two new bases where the retaining pins would attach.

I drilled through the plastic molding and looped small wires through the molding. The retaining pins then went into this new "base" and held eveything in tightly. Everything remounted and working beautifully. Can't see anything externally from anywhere.

Thanks for all the help on the Mirror Dissassembly. Never would have been able to do it without the forum.

KG