Hello,
I have a 86 190E 2.3 8V and I am soon to have my tachometer, clock, and odometer fixed as I really need to get this done asap. I was wondering if the Mercedes dealership is the right place to take it, or will I be getting ripped by high labor prices when a local shop could do it? Also, has anyone else had this done? How much am I looking at spending? Thanks guys

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Scott Chaffin
1986 190E 2.3 8V
http://www.geocities.com/scotty-c_2000

what do you mean "fixed"? for my W123 200, when my oil pressure gauge developed a leak, I decided to change the whole instrumentation panel with a used one for new VDOs were ridiculously expensive, and they sold each "panel" seperately.

So I will have to buy all new gauges just because my tachometer, clock, and odometer have stopped? They can't "fix" them at all?

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Scott Chaffin
1986 190E 2.3 8V
http://www.geocities.com/scotty-c_2000

The odds of all three of these instruments failing at the same time are not very good.

You probably have a blown fuse or a disconnected main connector at the instrument panel.

Check fuses and then pull out instrument cluster far enough to check all connectors.

Good luck,


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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 523K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

Thanks Larry,
I wanted to tell you that all three of these instruments did not fail at the same time. First, the clock has not worked since I purchased the car, the tachometer stopped, then recently the odometer stopped. I will however check my fuses, but I really think you may be right about the connectors. The problem is that I have never pulled out the instrument cluster. I thought that you could explain briefly how to do this and what connectors to check? You would be a great help if so. Thank you very much, Scott

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Scott Chaffin
1986 190E 2.3 8V
http://www.geocities.com/scotty-c_2000

There are numerous shops around the country that do instrument repairs. Here are a few: http://www.paspeedo.com/ , http://www.continentalimports.com/ .

I am partial to the second because I own it, but the first is Top flite. I would have added United Speedometer but I didn't have their site or Nichol's Speedometer because they don't have a site. United is in Ca. and Nichol's is in N.Carolina. Numbers can be found if they are more convenient.

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Steve Brotherton
Owner 24 bay BSC
Bosch Master, ASE master L1
26 years MB technician

When I purchased my MBZ, the clock and odo were inoperable. My shop did the removal and installation, but actual repair was done by Palo Alto Speedometer. Steve B. has posted their website -- you can talk to Harmut Mees when contacting them.

Brian

Removing the cluster is easy so long as you don't follow any of the instructions that tell you to remove the steering wheel first.
1. If you have small hands, remove the kick panel, lower dash cover, lower climate control duct pipe and work your small hand behind the console and unscrew the speedometer and pull away from console (big nut, about 1.5" in diameter, in the very center of the console).
2. If you have big hands or don't want to take this all apart, disconnect the speedo at the transmission linkage below the mid-point of the car. Having trouble finding it? Follow the speedometer cable from its grommet in the firewall and note where it is visible linking into the tranny.
3. After speedo is disconnected, get 2 coat hangers (or one, cut in half); make a straight tool about 6 inches long with a one inch L bend at the end. Make another tool. Using both tools, insert between the console and the dash on either side. Push to the back of the console and turn the L's inward to grab. The console is held in by friction only. (I never use the tools, I just grip the sides of the console and use friction to edge it out.)
Start checking the various connections on the back, noting where they plug in and how. Make a diagram, if you need to.
Replacement is reverse of removal.

Oh, by the way, for heaven's sake...check all fuses in the fusebox, first.

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John J. Meadows
'83 300D 3.0L 260k mi.
'85 190E 2.3L 99k mi.