Everybody familiar w/ Mercedes will know that there is the flip-out compartment behind the shifter that contains the ashtray w/ the lighter. Anyways...it seems the lighter in my car is too "tall"; that is, the compartment won't close w/ the lighter sitting inside the socket when it is undepressed. I have to depress it and then close the compartment. I only have this problem when I am tryin' to close the compartment, not when I am opening...it opens perfectly.

I don't smoke, so I'm not familiar w/ the subtlties of how the ashtray/lighter compartment works...but is it that I should have the lighter DEPRESSED when I CLOSE the compartment, and next time I OPEN the compartment, the lighter will remain DEPRESSED, and then heat up...and pop up...or am I gettin' this all wrong??? I was afraid that by keeping the lighter depressed and closing the compartment, that the lighter heats up while the thing is closed...and some weird thing will happen...sorry about the weird description...but I didn't know how else to put it...

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-= 1995 Mercedes-Benz E420 (W124 - Black Pearl/Black) =-

The lighter should not have to be depressed to get the compartment closed. You might check the lighter to make sure it is fully seated into the lighter socket. There is a outer metal ring on the lighter make sure it is going all the way into the socket. You might press it all the way in and then pull up the knob just enough to dissengage but not enough to remove the lighter. Since you are a non-smoker you can always remove the lighter. If you look around you can find a "no smoking" plug that will take the place of the lighter and fill the socket.

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Tony

1988 300E Metallic Blue Black/light Gray MB-Tex leather interior

MBCA Member

The lighter should not cause a problem with closing the compartment. The ashtray insert will however. If it is not fully seated, it will prevent the compartment from closing. Make sure the release level is capturing the ashtray insert and it is not popping out.

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Jeff Lawrence
1987 300e
1989 300e
1987 BMW 325

If you look very closely there is a groove on the left side of the compartment door. If you look even closer there is a pin inside the compartment opening that rides back and forth in that groove. If the pin has become dislodged out of the groove it usually sits underneath the outside section of the groove and forces the door out of position (usually upwards) when trying to close. See if this is the case. If so you need to use a thin screw driver or something to pop the pin back into the groove carefully. Use a flash light ?

yal
88 230E (W124)