Problems with '96 C280... Expert Needed
 

I am currently having two problems which I beleive could be vacum related. My rearheadrests won't go down and my trunk will not release via the remote or the button on the center console, when I hit either button I do hear some noise from the rear of the vehicle, when its the headrests i hear a click and the trunk makes the sound of what seems to be a motor. Anyways I popped the hood and took at look a the vacum lines that are present in the upper left hand corner of the front of the car. I have attached some pics of it... I noticed two things... 1) one of the plugs is missing a tube 2) one of the tubes' plugs is black, while the rest are grey... Here is a text diagram

GREY---BLACK (WHITE STRIPE)---GREEN
/______________________________\
EMPTY-----------------------WHITE (RED STRIPE)
\______________________________/
WHITE---BLACK (WHITE STRIPE)---REDish ORANGE

The red one COULD have a white stripe but I couldn't really tell b/c it was dark outside. If anyone could check their '96 C280's to see if the they match my configuration or if they are different... I couldn't really find a loose tube so I am not sure if that is what goes into the empty slot. I wish I had a service manual or CDROM that would help tons, but until then I will rely on this forums abundance of experts.

Thanks

Here is the one with the BLACK connector.... The one above is the empty slot

some more pics

another pic... thanks again for all of the help

can anyone check this out for me?

I have a 96 C280, if you havent gotten a responce by then I'll check it this evening and let you know.

-Brad

thanks brad

That is your vacuum distributor block

P intake manifold vacuum (grey)
1 PSE control module (transparent)
2 A\C system (medium green)
3 A\C system vacuum reservoir (red\grey)
4 Upshift delay vacuum actuator (black\grey)
5 Automatic transmission vacuum reservoir (black\grey)
6 Open
7 Open

Check the vacuum distributor block sometime it leaks.
part number for vacuum block is 129-800-14-78
also it has vacuum reservoir inside your right front fander if the reservoir drops below 400mbar the PSE pump will starts until vacuum of approx 600mbar is obtained.

All the connections look the same on my C280 (just checked) and thanks for the information MB Stars!

did you see anythign in my pics that would lead you to beleive that my trunk and rear headrests are not releasing due to that area of the car... or could my problem lie somewhere else... i just find it more than a coincidence that both of these things don't work and are in the back of the car... any help would be really appreciated

Your rear headrests and trunk lid lock are control by PSE pump and N10-1 combination control module,PSE pump locate Inside trunk, right quarter panel,N10-1 locate inside fuse box.

I noticed that there when I was putting in my CD changer a few weeks ago, I thought about mentioning it but I didnt want to give misleading information. Again, thanks MB, as I now know for sure what it is!

-Brad