Hey All,
Today's adventure is this. All of my electric windows stopped working (in the up position, thankfully).

I'm assuming it's a fuse problem since none of the switches work. My questions are:
1) The owners manual says the windows takes two 16 A fuses. If one is blown, are all the windows inoperable, or just two? I'm asking this because I don't know why you'd have two fuses for four motors unless it's two motors per fuse.

2) Where are these fuses located? All I can find is that they are "accomadated in the engine compartment." I'm assuming that they may be up by the firewall on the passenger's side, but there seem to be fuses sprinkled in a couple of spots. (The rear-window defroster is on the wheel well by the steering column. Go figure.)

Any help is apprecaited. Thanks!

__________________
Thomas Viano
'72 280 SE 4.5, over 100,000 miles

It is two windows per fuse, LF/RR RF/LR.

The fuses should be under the hood. On a 108, they are on the firewall, passenger side (if LHD). There you should find four square plastic covers. Three of the four will be lift off one will be retained with a screw knob.

The screw knob is for the radio. One of the other three will house the two fuses for the windows.

Hope this helps.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Ok, I replaced the two closest to the fender. The others didn't seem to be fried.

I don't think it's the fuses since all four went out at once. My next step is to remove the console where the window switches are. Maybe there's a lose wire??? I hope.

The switches on the back doors don't work either, now. So, I think something came loose or blew somewhere. I am sorely missing my electric windows now.

__________________
Thomas Viano
'72 280 SE 4.5, over 100,000 miles

I would look for a relay. I don't remember about the 108 car but all the others have a relay that powers the fuses. I would suspect it to be in the same area (firewall, passenger side).

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Ok. This may help. There are two round and one square in the same area. Big looking things. Any way to tell if these things are bad by looking at them either installed or when I take them out? I'll have to be careful. Some of the sockets look pretty fragile.

And I need more advice. What's a good book to get for this car? I have the factory book w/ all the tables w/ the part numbers, but that doesn't prove to be very helpful in situations like these.

Thanks. I'll try the relays and let you know what I find out.

__________________
Thomas Viano
'72 280 SE 4.5, over 100,000 miles

The book you need is the 108, 109, 111, 113 Service Manual. I have recently lost out on two ebay auctions for one of these. Mine is the most wore out manual that I own.

One auction was for a new manual in celophane wrapper still. I raised my allowable bid by a hundred dollars twice (to $300) but still lost it with 10 seconds left. Went for $301.

The other was lost at about a hundred dollars, I forget because there was a flury at the end.

From now on I will only bid even increments plus 2 dollars.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Steve,

I'm sure you know the number 1-800-FOR-MERC. That manual can be had new in the wrapper for $35.00 + S&H for a total of $42.00 (at least for Zone 6 - CA). Not sure how long the supply will last now that the CD's are out, I'd give it a try. Sure beats paying the going eBay rate.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Thanks, Mike.

With so many of the print manuals discontinued, I presumed the 108 manual would be. I suppose I should get a new list of available literature. I'll give them a call and find out.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Hopefully they haven't discontinued them yet. I got mine in late December 2000 or early January this year. The full array of CD's hasn't been out that long yet, so I imagine they should still have a few copies laying around.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Thanks to all for all the advice. Turns out there's some problem w/ intermittent power to the window system. So far, jiggling the relays and switches seems to "fix" the problem. I think there's a little project here regarding cleaning the sockets and connections. It's pretty dirty.

Thanks again, all your help has been extremely helpful in this time of window inoperabability.

__________________
Thomas Viano
'72 280 SE 4.5, over 100,000 miles