Removing Front Door Panels - 400E
 

Folks:

Can anyone help me regarding removal of the front door panels (Actually the map pocket and speaker enclosure.) on a '93 400E? I have a blown passenger side speaker, and need to replace it. I am sure I can find a replacement speaker based on the information several contributors have provided here, but I know removing the door panel is a trick!

Also - does anyone have any suggestions regarding sound proofing the door panel? These things rattle like crazy!

Thanks - Mike

Mike:

These are fairly easy, if not exactly intuitive...

Pry the seat control buttons off (don't lose the headrest button, it gets away). Pull the triangular trim at the mirror handle off (clip usually breaks, plan on gluing it back up).

Pry the trim around the seat controls off. Pry the trim from around the door lever off (I think they are in that order, one covers the edge of the other and must be removed first). Push lever housing forward (or pull it back, I cannot remember) until it releases, and pry the latch wire out of the lever.

Unscrew the 10 mm head bolt under the foam insulation at the top of the armrest.

Unscrew the lock button and the trim around the latch.

Pull door panel STRAIGHT up until the four or so hooks unhook from the door, then lift away from the door. Watch for speaker and bottom courtesy lamp wires, they aren't very long and will break if you yank them.

Installation is the reverse. Make SURE you have the hooks all in place, or the armrest will pull apart.

The armrest and the pocket are held to the door panel by melted over hollow plastic pins, and likely they are broken off. Get some stainless steel sheet metal screws that will screw firmly into the hollow plastic pin, and some washers large enough to secure the parts properly (the bigger the better!), and screw the loose bits back in.

Rattle may in fact be broken off hooks in the door from someone attempting to remove the door panel by prying it away from the door. Breaks them off every time, along with ripping the armrest and pocket off! You can glue them back together with JB Weld or similar. Don't use 5 min epoxy, it's not strong enough.

I'm not sure, you may be able to get to the speaker without removing the door panel. Check the DIY section of Mercedesshop!

Peter

psfred pretty much laid it out regarding door panel removal on the 400.However,you can not get to the sub speaker without removing the panel.If you attempt to access the speaker via the speaker covering on the door panel,you'll only crack the plastic covering.The speaker if OEM is fairly heavy duty with a large magnet in a sub woofer box.It's retained to the door frame with four nuts.There's also some type of sound retaining baffling around the speaker area.It could be updated if required.