The FSM claims the screws are Torx, but I have removed them a number of times with 4mm hex key. Good luck finding a Torx bit that will fit without modification on a car that has a non-adjustable steering wheel.
The SRS light on a '95 124 will self extinguish when the airbag(s) are reconnected.

Easy, just order Mercedes special tool 126 589 00 10 00

Torx and inhex are NOT interchangeable.

__________________
Kent Christensen
Albuquerque
'07 GL320CDI, '10 CL550. '01 Porsche Boxster
Two BMW motorcycles

Huh?

No need to buy the special Mercedes tool or mangle the Torx head with a hex driver---just get one of these.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=33895

__________________
AlexTheSeal: hack mechanic, inadvertent drifting champ, builder of infernal devices, professional epistemologist

'87 300D Turbo, roadtrip mileage champ (for sale!)
'92 Isuzu Trooper, mudder extraordinaire (for sale!)
'82 Honda Silverwing, cockroach of motorcycles
And various boring daily drivers...

I have done this safely on my 560SL. I suspect the procedure is identical on your 124.

Removing the air bag
is DANGEROUS. If you must do this yourself, do the following steps.

1. Remove negative battery cable. Place or insulate it so it cannot contact the battery.

2. Wait 20 minutes

3. Locate and unplug the large red SRS connector. On my car it is under the passenger side foot rest (front of the floorboard). Remove carpet for access if yours is there too. After carpet is lifted, you will see a removable panel with an SRS warning label on it. Four hold downs.

4. Unscrew the two screws behind the center pad retaining the air bag. They are #30 Torx. They are tight but not too tight. Use a 1/4" socket on your Torx bit for leverage. You will need a long shaft Torx bit.

5. Carefully lift off air bag assembly and unplug the connectors. Place airbag in a safe location CENTER PAD UP.

6. Remove center bolt. It is a flat head 10mm hex. It will be very tight. Use air impact driver.

7. Steering wheel will lift easily off splines. You may want to mark straight ahead position before you do if it is not clearly marjked already.

Good Luck. It is still best left to the professionals.

That's it. Don't skip any steps if you want to be safe no matter what anyone says.

So much for the airbag. Now I guess you will have to fend for yourself with the Windbags.

I have to pull the instrument panel on my W124 to repair or replace the odometer and replace some light bulbs. While pulling the panel out of a junker at the P & P, I thought that the working room was a bit less then on the W123, but I can manage that job on the W123. I was thinking that it might be worthwhile to pull the steering wheel on the W124 to replace or otherwise work on the instrument panel. Am I looking at that right?

__________________
Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

If your steering wheel is not adjustable, I think removing the wheel is required to remove the instrument cluster. I changed the outside temperature display recently and had to remove the wheel. It's not a big deal if you follow directions.

The first time removing a steering wheel is a real PITA. you NEED an Impact.

__________________
Closing the store
Benzbonz.biz on your smart phone or tablet.

I used a 1/2" drive 10mm hex and a 1/2" breaker bar.

The best thing you can do if you decide to remove the steering wheel to access the cluster; is to, using a propane or smaller butane pencil torch heat the large Allen head bolt which secures the steering wheel to the steering shaft. This bolt has an angled tapered underside which interfaces with the wheel and it has a liberal coating of blue thread locker on its large threaded area. Those factors can make it a bear to break free especially the first time it's ever being done! If you heat it first you accomplish two things you expand the bolt ever so slightly which might not help much but it doesn't hurt at all, and once the blue thread lock gets heated to about 125 F it softens and that definitely helps! You only need to heat it enough so that you can’t keep your finger on it because it’s too hot for that, you don’t need to get it red or smoking or anything like that!

I use a 2-3 foot piece of oak flooring wrapped with a rag, laid on the flat between the spokes on the steering wheel and braced on or between my legs as a counter hold, then a good 1/2" 10 mm Allen socket driven by a breaker bar. Things come apart without much difficulty that way but you want a good tool in that Allen bolt so that it doesn't get the chance to round out and strip, it is a royal pain to get that bolt out of there if it does!

Getting good help for that job this morning. Now I am waiting for a warm day off or a nice weekend to get in there and get the job done. Could someone tell me why on my W124 the outside temperature read out is mostly covered in black. It gives the correct temperature as the front digit is legible, but you can only read the second digit if the light hits it just right. It almost looks like a fungus is growing across the inside of the glass. The car had been in inside storage in Ft Wayne, IN for 10 years before I bought it.

__________________
Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

Sure the display has not leaked? Its very common.

__________________
2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

The LCD (LIQUID Crystal Display) has gone bad, you need a new one. I have a couple in Michigan if you're not in a big hurry.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

How cute--I thought it was only dummies that called TORX "Star!"

It's a better solution than allen, of course.

__________________
Kent Christensen
Albuquerque
'07 GL320CDI, '10 CL550. '01 Porsche Boxster
Two BMW motorcycles

Torx is patented, you can't make and sell a star bit as Torx unless you pay the royalties.

Ever heard of a "cross-recess" bit (Phillips) or Hex (Allen)?

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff