The power windows on Mercedes never seem to work right. You buy a car and they aren't working. Then you finally locate some working parts, spend hours and much frustration putting in new ones, then they bind, make noise, blow fuses, get stuck, and then quit shortly after. They seem to go bad faster than you can keep up with them.

So, I ripped all the power windows out of my 1979 300SD and installed manual window regulators. LA LA LA!

The manual windows are much more reliable than the electric windows and I have much more peace of mind knowing that they aren't going to quit at any moment.

The front door panels already have holes for the crank shafts in the cardboard backing. I located the perforation in the vinyl covering that is in the very center of the cardboard backing hole. Then I went one hole out on each side from it with razor blade and cut toward the center, making a +. I then pushed the + inward gently. The window crank shafts slid through during installation of the door panels.

The rear door panels have a rectangular hole to hold the power window switch. The window crank shaft slides through this hole. I am waiting to purchase a wooden console cover that does not have power window switches on it.

I like things to be simple. I will be converting the power sunroof to a manual sunroof. I will also be replacing the ACCII climate control with a manual heater assembly.

I am going to be adding heated front and rear seats, however. I have the 2 wooden console seat switches and the boxes that attach to the pillars for the 2 rear heated seat switches and the wiring harness for the rear heated seats. I need to locate a wiring harness for the front heated seats and get new heat pads for all 4 seats.

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I am happy, la la la!

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Well done.

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Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

looks good
all my cars are crank windows.
the 300SD i had the power windows were a pain in the but.

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1976 240D
1976 240D parts car
1970 220D daily driver

Congratulations, Squiggledog! I did the same thing a few years back - windows, slidding roof, and CC. Getting rid of the damned CC was the best thing I ever did. It's a chore, which requires dash removal, but you can do it!

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Don't Chrome them; polish them

I prefer power windows but I changed over to manual in my '74 W114 coupe because I had the regulators and tracks from a '72. I restored the power in my wife's '72 coupe and I kept it in my '73 280.

Had the guts been complete to my '74 I would have restored them. I like being able to roll down the passenger rear window for air flow without having to go through gymnastics. Old age creeping, hell, SPRINTING up on me I guess!

Got nothing to do with old age. I've always hated having to reach over in back to crank windows by hand since I was in my teens. I very much prefer the ease of having to do nothing more than push a button. Of course I do understand the frustration of those who have problematic windows if they are electric. I guess there really is no such thing as perfection in any situation.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

The w126 windows seem pretty robust. I fixed a sliding jaw in my rear driver side window, and had to put the passenger front window back in its track twice in 30k (takes five minutes) and thats it. I dont have ac so I roll my drivers window down like 50 times a day and its works great. The switches are the weak point

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1981 300SD 512k OM603

Forgive my new-ness, but where are the window fuses? I have a '75 300D, but couldn't tell you which chassis it is yet excepth that it's a four door (I've only owned it for a week.) My front driver, and rear passenger windows are not working, and I understand they run through the same fuse.

Your car must be a W115 body style; mine is a W116 and I think it has a very different fuse setup than yours. There is a paper inside the fuse box that indicates what each fuse is used for (if it has not been discarded at some point). A fellow W115 300D owner should be able to answer your question.

The power window fuses are located on the right hand firewall. They are in a separate fuse block.

Manual windows from a 123 will work in a 126 correct?

Wow. I love power windows. Wish I could convert my '68 230S over to them! I am a fan of manual sliding roofs, though. Climate control? If you have the clunky up- and- down pushbutton type with the servo, then yes. Out with it! But the mid- '81 on types I've found are very easy to keep working and diagnose/ repair.

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1968 230S Automatic, Elfenbein
1975 O309D Executive Westfalia Camper Bus, Blau/ Weiss
1972 280SEL 4,5 Dunkelrot
1966 VW Type 34 "Grosser" Karmann-Ghia
1963 VW 1500 Variant Pearlweiss
1969 VW Variant Automatic, Perugruen
1971 VW Squareback Automatic, Clementine Orange
2001 E320 4Matic Wagon- Our belated welcome to the 21st century! Polar White
1973 280SEL 4,5 Sliding Roof "The Bomb", Dunkelblau.

I'm not sure about that. I know W116 regulators don't fit anything else.

I sold this car a couple years ago, but now I have a 1980 300SD that I have also converted to manual windows, manual sunroof, and partial manual heat (will be converting fully to manual and getting the air conditioning to work once I move to Arizona).

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

seems i am a full time power window repairman. where do i get manual regulators fo a 1980 300sd?