The odometer on my 1979 450SEL quit working last year , however the speedometer still works fine.
To-day I decided I would try to fix it. I removed the instrument cluster from the dash then removed the spoodometer/odometer assembly from the cluster. Everything appears to be OK, all the gears mesh and nothing appears to be jambed up..I attached the end of an old speedometer cabel to my cordless drill and stuck the other end in the opening to which the actual cabel goes on. I ran the drill and again, the speedometer registers various speeds depending on how fast the drill runs,But the trip odometer and the odometer will not register any miles. All the gears are turning when I perform this test right up to the actual odometer numbers , that is where the movement stops.

Has anyone else experienced this problem and what is the fix?
Thanks....Bill

Try doing a search, using the search function at the upper right corner. This issue has been discussed many times. There is info in the threads on how to repair at home. I opted to farm the job out to Palo Alto Speedometer http://www.paspeedo.com, about a 3 day turn around, working great now.

The problem is the grey pot metal gear on the odometer number stack. It is supposed to be a press fit to the shaft and spin with the shaft (or spin the shaft, one way or other). For years before we started repairing speedos professionally, I fixed the problem by pushing the shaft out with a suitably sized drill bit; the bit then supporting the number wheels with the shaft removed. Set the shaft next to the stack and see where the metal gear sat. Then take a sharp punch and dipple slightly the shaft (at that point) and press back inside. The dimples, like knurling will make the shaft bigger and will require some force to go through the gear.

We currently replace the metal gear and do a complete diassembly and recalibration. Over the years we found most of the reasons why the speedo/odo repairs we had sent out kept coming back. Lack of or dryed out lubrication causes the wheel to drag and the gears clash causing the drive wheel to break free (or break period on later plastic drives). Proper cleaning, lubrication and adjustments (new bushings etc. can make them last as original. See our site:
http://www.continentalimports.com

Odometer Repaired !
 

Thanks Steve, your fix was right on the money. It's so nice to have this site when you run into these little problems.
Thanks again for your help
Sincerly;
Bill

Damn Steve, I didn't know y'all did VDO repairs too. If I had known I would have shipped my speedo to you, just because of this site (another way to support those who donate vast quantities of expertise).

Steve - I couln't fix the odometer on my 300SE. I went into your site and tried to post an enquiry on whether I could purchase (and ship) one unit of VDO to Malaysia. And if so, what are the terms. I am concerned if upon installation, the VDO don't work. I have had 1 unit returned to the MBShop as the needle just went Up and Down, Up and Down ...

Like the problem listed here, the speed needle is fine, but it doesn't count the miles anymore.

No problem Mike, radio and speedo repair are a small part of our business and I don't push it as the two people involved have a hard time keeping up.

My brother Scott handles that area. He also manages our shop computer network and we have projects backing up due to how busy they are. I personally would rather give the projects the emphasis.

Y.M., we don't normally sell OEM installed VDO. If you look at our site you will see all manner of gauges except those used in specific applications like MB or BMW. We could provide a speedo for a 300SE but we wouldn't get it through VDO. We have repaired radios and speedos since 1985 but have only been selling new product for about 4 years. Our biggest sales of new instruments have been the boating and trucking industries.

http://www.continentalimports.com

I have a similar problem on my 87 190D. The trip odometer only works on the tenths wheel. The first 3 digits remain at 0. Is there a similar repair?

Thanks,

Chris.

Steve:
Thanks for the fix. You described the problem with mine exactly. I 'knurled' the shaft with a corner of a set of vice grips and now it seems to be working fine. It seems odd that the pot metal gear is just pressed to the shaft. It would be better if the shaft and gear had matching shapes that nested together.

The fixed worked perfect for me. Thanks again. This site makes owning an older benz possible.

Steve