Just curious if the following is true or at least close to the truth.....

1996 C280 A/C will not blow cold at all.

Dealer says there is a box that contains all of the A/C unit and that replacing the entire box is the only way to fix....says once you break the box open there is NO resealing....so you have to replace the entire unit.

Any insight or suggestions on checking other things that may e affecting the cold air??

Thanks as always,

A2Benz

Not sure about the w202's but I really wouldn't bother with the dealer for 11 year old cars. Find a decent indy and you're set.

Sorry...."decent indy" ???? Help me with the term please

Independent mechanic, i.e., not a dealer.

How can there be "one box" with everything in it? Do they mean the evaporator?

I wondered if it was the heater box, also. If so, $1400 must be for the parts only?

What's the total price the dealer quoted?

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

Whoa...slow down.
First, there are a lot things that can cause an A/C to stop blowing cold and many of them are very inexpensive to fix.
Second, there is no such box as you described.
Third, start with the basics. You can use the climate control system to determine the refrigerant pressure, evaporator temp, and a host of other things so that you have some idea of what is going on(see fourth).
Fourth, search this forum and you will find dozens of other people who have gone through issues with W202 A/C problems and succesfully fixed them.
Fifth, try to be a whole lot more specific when you post here about what the dealer is tellling you. "Box" means nothing. All of these parts have names. Have the dealer give you a written estimate and post here what they said.

Try to find in indy in your neighborhood that you can trust and use as your go-to guy with this car. You need a second opinion on this if you really are looking at $1000+ for the repair.
Good Luck, Dan

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2012 E350 Bluetech

Actually, they do sell the heater box complete with the evap, heater core and all the pods.

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

Well, being more specifif when the actual mechanic standing in front of me says that the entire A/C "BOX" has to be replaced.

I asked to explain what he meant by "box". He stated that there is a black "BOX" sealed with all A/C components inside and if you break the seal to try and fix anything on the inside....you ruined as you cannot reseal...

The Mercedes dealer manager and tech said the "BOX" needs to be replaced. The A/C Box with all components...

That was my detailed report and estimate. They told me that they DO NOT write up estimates with detail any longer as people used the estimates to order their own parts or took it to a INDY to have the work done.

I cannot even get a parts price and number over the phone these days..

There are many INDY's in Ann Arbor, BUT they are just as expensive as the dealer and many of them WILL NOT touch your car IF YOU HAVE WORKED ON IT YOURSELF...

When replacing my water pump I stopped by a INDY and asked for a quote...after the quote hit $700, I asked for a detail....he did this right in front of me...

"Well, the water pump costs me $130 so your cost is (tapping on the calculator) $290, the thermostat kit is $5.31 for me so it's $49 for you, the serpentine belt cost me $2.67 and will run you $75....now the labor is 3 hours at 90 hour and that does not include any other things that may extend our time"

I asked this question...If I do any of the work, will it save me any money?

His response was "if you ever worked on this car, I wont touch it"!

HUH? What? Did I miss something, it's my car and I work on it all the time I just have never done a water pump.....

Nope I wont touch it....have a good day !

So, again I am sorry for the BOX, but it seems that everyone knew or knows what I am referring to except one that says there is no such box...

I have W202 CD's and W124 CD's in which neither refer to A/C components being sealed in one large box...

AND YES, the $1400 was for the "BOX" only and no labor....whew

That there is a sealed black box with ALL the A/C components is gibberish. The compressor can't be in that box - it's driven by a belt off the engine. The climate control unit can't be in that black box - it's in the passenger cabin. You still don't have an intelligible diagnosis, but I wouldn't spend too much time trying to figure out what these people are saying - you wouldn't want them working on the car anyway. You need to start over with a proper diagnosis from a legitimate shop, or do it yourself. If indeed there is no such thing where you live you, and you are unwilling to get involved, you should probably consider getting rid of the car.

I'd never heard of "the box" either, but I've never owned a w202. It's certainly possible that there's a box that holds the evaporator, the heater core, and the pods, but those items are related to the heat in the car and the flow of the air in the dash (the pods). It completely neglects the compressor, the drier, the orifice tube (or expansion valve, whatever the car has), and the condensor. If you have failed compressor or a leak anywhere in the system, replacing "the box" will have no affect.

Bottom line, skip that dealer and find a good independent - it sure sounds like the dealer is trying to make some good money. If you're AC isn't blowing, you need to find out why it isn't blowing, then fix what the problem is.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

If the dealer writes up a good estimate, you can find out ahead of time if he's full of it, or if you really need the work.

If you do any work yourself, you just might figure out that the indy completely tortured your car.

Maybe they mean the "control unit", N22 in the W140 cars. That 'box' does do the climate control operations.

Many people feel the box is not fixable but many times it's a cold solder joint on the pc (printed circuit) board that can be fixed.

My reasoning for this conclusion is that an A/C evap repair is much more expensive than $1400 as all here will attest. So that's the only 'box' that has "something" to do with the car's climate control and specifically the A/C.

Maybe you should ask to have the "box" pointed out and explained as to what it is??? As the others have said, if they won't, then go someplace else.

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Regards . . . . JimF
-------------------
'94 S500 Cpe

Visit my Mercedes Web Page

So the dealer wouldn't even divuldge what the labor charge would be? Is it going to be a surprise for your birthday? As bad as the dealer sounds, he still sounds better than that indy you mention... I would follow forp's advice and also check out the forum section about local shops for a better place to get a second opinion.

Mike

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

Sorry if I mislead anyone as the so called box alone is $1400 and then another $2000 for the complete job.....total around $3400.....

We ALL know that t he car is NOT even worth that....ie, why I laughed at them both....maybe in their way they were scaring me off instead of ripping me off....who knows...

It's a nice car so I'd liek to keep it....I have the total interior stripped out right now carpet and all to clean, really clean...

Seats come out easy, center console a breeze, then one piece of carpet comes out the door....amazing !

Amazing what you find when you take all of your seats out....money, french fries, kids toys, crayons....you name it and I think I found it. I found things that did not belong to me as they had to have come from the previous owner....

Anyway, tearing this thing apart has been fun so i may type up some W202 DIY as there are not too many listed here....

Do you want to hear the cool thing, and I know that I should not do this as it will hit me next week, but I have not touched my brakes or rotors in over 75k miles !! Better start reading up...

To say that the heater box has a magic seal and once the magic seal is broken all is lost? Bull.

You could replace your evaporator yourself. Parts including replacing some bad pods, exp valve and drier would be less than $500.

Do a search. Lots of us have done this job.

Assuming a leaking evaporator is your problem and it looks like the stealer thinks it is, since he wants to replace the box and that's the only part in there that would cause your AC not to cool at all.

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560