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  #1  
Old 07-25-2003, 05:51 PM
Carl L.
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They ought to wear a mask!!!

I just brought my '97 E320 in to the local dealer for some "minor" issues. These are what I would consider minor annoyances that I just didn't feel like contributing an entire Saturday to fixing myself

FIRST ISSUE: The spring that holds the driver side, side view mirror in place became unhooked. The mirror stays in place, loosely, in the current situation. I couldn't see where the spring attaches, so I thought this would be an easy fix for the dealer, just re-attach the spring, right, wrong!

DEALER RESPONSE: $550 to replace the entire workings of the mirror!!!!!! They told me the spring actually broke the connector and the entire mechanism needs to replace, all except for the color coded housing.

SECOND ISSUE: The light socket for the inboard park light, also on the driver side, will not stay connected to the back of the reflector. Upon examination, it looks like one of the tabs that hold the socket in place is broken. Easy fix, right, re-connect a new socket to the existing wiring, wrong!

DEALER RESPONSE: $380 to relpace the socket and all the wiring back to (through) the wiring harness.

I can not believe the dealer would expect any rational being to pay this amount for these minor issues. I told him no thanks - I'd figure something.

Has anyone out there had similar issues and how'd you fix them??

Also, it seems to me the overall hardware integrity of the E320 is signifancly worse than the older 300Es. I never had pieces break off my 300E!!!!!

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  #2  
Old 07-25-2003, 06:52 PM
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: San Diego county
Posts: 64
Re: They ought to wear a mask!!!

I've never had the occasion yet to look at any Mercedes lamp sockets, but if it's just a round hole of maybe 1-3/4" (metric of course), any reasonably stocked auto parts store ought to have universal sockets that can be spliced into the existing wiring and snap into the hole.

Failing that, I'd just grab one off another car at a wrecking yard, with or without harness. I'd do the same with the mirror.
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  #3  
Old 07-25-2003, 07:30 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 236
Bought 4 tires from the Tire Rack and asked my dealer to mount and balance them using MB wheights. When the job was done, they were not the wheights I requested and I pointed this out to the service guy. Said he would re-do job as requested. When they were done, they said there would be no charge as they thought my time (45 min.) was more valuable to me. Not a bad way to do business.
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  #4  
Old 07-25-2003, 08:07 PM
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Location: Santa Monica, CA
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Peter,
Since dealer service depts. have such a bad rep (often, but not always, deservedly so), when one like that comes along, give us the name so we can know who the "good guys" are.
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Last edited by jbaj007; 07-25-2003 at 10:00 PM.
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  #5  
Old 07-25-2003, 08:30 PM
Gilly's Avatar
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Location: Evansville WI
Posts: 9,616
I'd almost have to see the mirror problem to know what they're talking about, but you're not the first with a loose mirror plate. Sounds like just the wire bale is missing.

The parking light has always been a big 210 problem up to 98 or 99. There is a service information bulletin about retrofitting a newer style socket, should NOT be a big deal and the dealer should know about it. Possibly they could do it for free, unsure if this was a service campaign or not, if it is, should be covered by MB, possibly they can't since you aren't the original owner, but even then I'd bet they could if they wanted.

Gilly

ps Maybe Dr D or ILUVMILs can check out to see if the parking light socket updates were a service campaign or not.
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  #6  
Old 07-25-2003, 08:34 PM
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MTI MTI is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
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Not to "rub it in" but my wife just took her new Altima to the Nissan dealership for routine service. She had an appointment, but because the service dept. was running behind and she had to wait for a half hour . . . they comp'd the whole service visit, oil change, vehicle inspection, and they washed the car. If the MB dealer did that here, some of those "blue haired lady" Benz drivers might have a heart attack!
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  #7  
Old 07-25-2003, 09:29 PM
Carl L.
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Thanks to all for responding.

On the park light, I think picking one up at a junk yard is my best bet. I don't think they manufacture the original socket any longer and I don't think the guy's I've been working with would do anything for free. I'm not sure what the retrofit would entail and not sure I want to attempt it myself.

On the mirror, I may try to re-attach the spring myself - I'll bet there's more than one place to hook it up.

About the service bulletin on the lamp socket, if anyone can find it or point me in the right direction, I'd love to revisit the issue with the dealer.

I've been working with Park Place Motor Cars in Bedford Texas.

Still looking for a good indy shop - (that forum hasn't yeilded what I'm looking for).

thanks again
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  #8  
Old 07-25-2003, 10:04 PM
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Location: Evansville WI
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Carl:
The retrofit for the parking light sockets is super easy.
If Dr D or ILUVMILS doesn't respond sometime this weekend, I can probably try to get some info for you locally on Monday.
I can at least get the part number, and inquire if this is a campaign or not and if it is eleigible to be done on second-owner vehicles. Worst case scenario is you go buy the update kit at the dealer and install it yourself.

Gilly
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  #9  
Old 07-26-2003, 03:26 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Puget Sound, Washington St.
Posts: 522
There was a SI dated 5.2.99 on this. There is and update repair
harness for inside the lamp units. part of this replaces the marker
lamp bulb socket.
PN#'s as follows.
210 540 55 33 for Halogen
210 540 56 33 for Xenon
If I remember correctly, one kit for each side. not sure thought.
This only applies up to 99 cars or so, so if you own a 2000+
don't bother with this kit.
DR.D
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  #10  
Old 07-26-2003, 10:14 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 236
Try Motorworks of Barrington, Il. They may be a little pricey, but they seem to be well organized. They also sell at least 5 other brands and many of there customers are Chicago Bears. I've seen Michael Jorden out there. Obviously he has a lot of cars, but I know one is MB.
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  #11  
Old 08-09-2003, 04:26 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Republic of Texas
Posts: 92
Got the Kit

Gilly / Dr. D
Thanks for your council (new log-in - my last one got zapped). I got the kit for the park light socket (halogen). The kit contains 2 new sockets and bulbs; 2 six inch, 4 wire harnesses with large german connectors; small black connector covers; and 2 spare head lamp bulbs.

Here's my question... the new socket has 2 wires a brown and gray with spade connectors on the ends. Both these wires are about 4 inches long

The current config has the brown (this seems to be the ground) connecting to a plug at the base of the high beam socket and the gray running the length of the light cluster housing to a connector on the outside of the housing.

I don't have enough wire on the new socket to copy the existing config. Also, I can't figure out where the harness provided goes.

I aked the parts guy for a copy of the S. I. and he told me he couldn't pull it up. I'm assuming this will give me the direction needed. Anyway to get the S.I.?

Carl
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'86 300E Smoke Silver / Burgundy (retired at 198K)
'63 Austin Healey 3000 Mk II (BJ7) (reluctantly retired)
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  #12  
Old 08-10-2003, 05:58 PM
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Location: Evansville WI
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I may be able to still get a copy of the SI for you, not very easily though. Someone in the SHOP at that dealer I'm sure would get it for you faster, it's too easy to have the parts guy say they can't find it, well DUH it's not their job (just ask them ) Ask the service writer.
BUT, maybe I can explain it to you.
The HIGH beam bulb is NOT the issue with this kit. It's the smaller halogen "parking" light located below the high beam bulb.
The old style parking light socket has 2 wires running to it.
Disconnect these wires from the socket, twist and remove the socket and discard (save the bulb/bulbs if they presently work)
Install the small halogen bulbs to the sockets with the pigtails, being sure not to handle the glass, use a tissue or something.
Install the new sockets with pigtails into the headlamp. Connect the pigtails on the new sockets to the existing wiring (that used to connect to the old sockets), keeping the colors oriented the same. The positive terminal gets the little funky plastic "elbows" snapped over them to prevent a short if it touches bare metal somehow. Tuck the wiring into the headlight and reinstall the rear covers.

The BIG harnesses:
They plug into the headlight wiring between the existing harness and the headlight assembly. They are located over near the fender side of the back of the headlight, so on the left headlight, look over near the left fender on the back side of the headlight. You'll see a similar looking connector on the chassis harness where it connects to the headlight. Disconnect the harness, plug in this new section to the chassis wiring harness, then the other end connects to the back of the headlight where the harness was plugged in. There is a resistor built into that new piece that i guess cuts down the voltage slightly to that parking light. You can't see a difference in the brightness, but the bulbs last a heck of a lot longer.

Also DO install the new headlight bulbs that are provided, there is a difference in these bulbs and the old ones.They are for the low beam headlight.

The only difference between the Xenon kit and the non-Xenon kit is with the non-Xenon kit, you get these new H4 bulbs to install.

Gilly
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  #13  
Old 08-12-2003, 09:14 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Republic of Texas
Posts: 92
Thanks - I'll take another look at it. I'll keep you posted on my success!
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'86 300E Smoke Silver / Burgundy (retired at 198K)
'63 Austin Healey 3000 Mk II (BJ7) (reluctantly retired)
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  #14  
Old 08-31-2003, 02:17 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Republic of Texas
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Gilly:
Thanks - worked like a charm. All operational on the park light.

On the mirror - I bought a spring for 75 cents - holds the mirror in like a champ!

I saved about $700 on both these jobs - thanks for the support!!!
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'97 E320 Black Opal
'86 300E Smoke Silver / Burgundy (retired at 198K)
'63 Austin Healey 3000 Mk II (BJ7) (reluctantly retired)
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  #15  
Old 08-31-2003, 05:49 PM
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Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 47,447
Carl,

If you're loking for a good independent shop just look next door to Park Place. Zims Autotechnik. Wayne Hall is the shop manager. All they work on is Porche, BMW and MB. I was refered to them (off the record) my Park Place.

Zims has been working on my car for over a year and so far I have no complaints. They do very good work. Seem to be very honest. They do repairs rebuilds before they will put new in. I got tired of paing through the nose for Park Place.

The fon number is 817-267-4451

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