My front seat switches work fine but several of the plastic posts (which hold the push buttons) are broken off. Since I have not had much luck locating used switches with all plastic posts in good condition, wonder if anyone has an idea how to repair/replace these posts? One of mine is repaired by gluing a nail inside (only half broke off) and it works fine. But on the others the entire posts have broken off and I cannot figure out how to glue, etc in something else. Must be some way to salvage these switches which otherwise work fine.

Of course I could continue to reach in with a screwdriver and move the seat but that is not very elegant.

Ideas?

Maybe epoxy? I have a memory seat switch that can be retrofitted in place of the non-memory type. I was going to swap it in to my SD, but decided not to mess with my working switch PM me if you are interested.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

The problem is that you need some sort of plastic tube that will stick to the old switch body with enough strength that you can move it back and forth without waggling. It must move the switch itself back and forth. I just cannot figure out how to do it. Either the glue does not hold or the post waggles to the front or to the back without dragging the switch along with it. One of the few bad design elements from MB on this car.

You can get small carbon fiber rods at hobby stores, that should be strong enough, and epoxy will stick to it like crazy.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Excellento - on my way tomorrow.

Thx

You can buy new switches. They are about a hundred bucks but they are available.

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81 300SD daily driver/project
86 420SEL (sold)
85 380SE(in the graveyard)

its hard to fix them, i replaced mine. But good luck if the carbon fiber doesn't work because you need ONLY 81 switches UNLESS you don't mind slicing and soldering to make it work. On the 81's for some reason they decided to solder the wires to the back of the switch, instead of using a multi pin plug. Bug its all the same wires and colors so splicing them over works fine. For my passenger side i ended up getting a 126 switch with the headrest option. I broke the headrest part of the switch and used my original faceplate and youd never know. The headrest wires can just be ignored becuase obviosuly you dont have them.

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1981 300SD 512k OM603

I thought all the 1st gen SDs had soldered switches.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I have the same problem on my sd. The carbon fiber will not work. It is strong enough but the joint between the old and new is the problem. The pin is too long so that when you apply any force to it that joint will break. I think the only way to fix it would be to drill into the center of the remainig post to reinforce the joint or slide a new post over the old stub. They need to overlap some to be strong enough. Some day when it warms up a little I will attempt to fix mine. For now it is not a priority.

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81 300D Turbo 190K sold
83 300sd 319K best $500 I ever spent-daily driverw/ 2 tank WVO set up

I used small black screws thru the handle portion of switches.

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Let's see if I remember this right. The posts run down to the inside of the switch and make a T inside the switch. When you move the post it slides the T back and forth and the contacts change continuity. You cannot drill completely through the entire T. If you have a stub of a post left, there is a chance to slide something over it - something like a dowel - or glue something to the post stub.

My problem is that the posts have broken off flush with the T and there is nothing left of the post.

I went to Richard's today but they did not have the carbon fiber rods so I bought a 3/16" wooden dowel which fits perfectly in the button for the reclining switch. Cost almost $0.30 plus I expect about $100 in labor.

Just not sure whether I can get the dowel to work and it is around 24 degrees in Atlanta which is frigid. I will report back later.

Again does anyone out there have just the T part of the switches for sale?

Interesting. My 81 300sd has the standard plug, no soldering needed, maybe something they switch mid year.

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"spreading a trail of obnoxious where ever we go"
1981 300sd w/ 341,500 miles

http://www.wecrash.com/pics/ddda_banner.gif

just get the seat in the right spot
and never let anyone else drive it ever again

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commercial fisherman diesel in my blood in my boats trucks and Dear old Dad has had me drivin them since i got my first license in 1968
1986 300 SDL 427654
1999 Chevy Crew Cab Dually 225423
1986 300 SDL 287000 Dad's
1987 190 Turbo 158000 Mom's (my inheritance)

Did you ever get this fixed? I pulled the T parts out of the passenger switch of a junkyard car if you need them.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine