Removing rear sub on a 221 with rear reclining seats
02-24-2015, 05:34 PM
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01 ML55 / 97 E320/01 CLK55/ 2010 S550
Removing rear sub on a 221 with rear reclining seats
I tried looking for a post on how to remove the rear seats that recline to access the sub underneath the package tray but could not find it. I decided to do the job as I needed to remove the rear sub to allow the new sub in the trunk to vent into the cabin. I was thinking of ways to make the sub fire up but would end up loosing trunk space so I decided to make the box face towards the back. The bass has so much pressure that the trunk expands badly but it is what it is. Anyway, back to the removal. It is an undertaking and there is a lot to remove if you plan on doing this task yourself. First time is time consuming, second time can be done in half the time or less.
OK, first you start from the trunk so you can remove the headrest. remove the back board to reveal the components. There is a bracket in the center with 2 nuts and 2 bolts, remove them so you can remove the polyfill liner to reveal the head rest motors. On the left and right areas where the headrest retract, there is a plastic cover on one side of the side headrest, remove those. The left and right side has metal clips you have to use a narrow flat head to move the clip towards you to release it. The middle ones have plastic tabs you just move forward, then you can remove the headrest.
Now onto the interior, this is where there are a lot of things to remove. Start at the rear pillar quarter panels. Use a plastic panel popper to pop off the shade tracks and it will reveal a small torx screw at the top, remove it. Pop off the airbag tab and remove the 10mm. nut. next you pop off the quarter panel. On each side of the seats, remove the airbag plastic cover to remove the 10mm. on each side. Once you get those out of the way, there are also a torx bolt which I used an 8mm. socket to remove on each side which holds the back seat rest. Next, remove the center bottom cushion, it just pops off to reveal two 10mm. nuts, remove those. Now the top middle rest cushion, pop that off to reveal a set of those torx bolst, use 8mm. for those as well and remove them. Those hold the back left and right seats. Now recline both seats all the way forward and tilt upwards. The passenger rear now can pop up from lifting the back, this will reveal the pair of torx bolts underneath the seat which attaches to the back seat rest which makes the back seat rest move forward. I use an 8mm socket again, now you can lift the rear back passenger seat away from the wall. Now the driver rear seat, it's different as underneath, you will see two side clips, slide both and the seat will come off to reveal another pair of those torx bolts. Remove those and now the rear backrest will come off. Now you can access the rear package tray. There are plastic push in snaps needed removal, two in the rear and 3 in the front if I remember correctly, slide the package tray off and now the speaker can now be removed. It is just snapped in place. Remove it going towards you, not back. That's it, remove the sub, snap the rest back in place and reverse the process. Hope that helps those who plan on doing it themselves.
I tried to load pics but for some reason this time I can't load any detailed pics.
OK, first you start from the trunk so you can remove the headrest. remove the back board to reveal the components. There is a bracket in the center with 2 nuts and 2 bolts, remove them so you can remove the polyfill liner to reveal the head rest motors. On the left and right areas where the headrest retract, there is a plastic cover on one side of the side headrest, remove those. The left and right side has metal clips you have to use a narrow flat head to move the clip towards you to release it. The middle ones have plastic tabs you just move forward, then you can remove the headrest.
Now onto the interior, this is where there are a lot of things to remove. Start at the rear pillar quarter panels. Use a plastic panel popper to pop off the shade tracks and it will reveal a small torx screw at the top, remove it. Pop off the airbag tab and remove the 10mm. nut. next you pop off the quarter panel. On each side of the seats, remove the airbag plastic cover to remove the 10mm. on each side. Once you get those out of the way, there are also a torx bolt which I used an 8mm. socket to remove on each side which holds the back seat rest. Next, remove the center bottom cushion, it just pops off to reveal two 10mm. nuts, remove those. Now the top middle rest cushion, pop that off to reveal a set of those torx bolst, use 8mm. for those as well and remove them. Those hold the back left and right seats. Now recline both seats all the way forward and tilt upwards. The passenger rear now can pop up from lifting the back, this will reveal the pair of torx bolts underneath the seat which attaches to the back seat rest which makes the back seat rest move forward. I use an 8mm socket again, now you can lift the rear back passenger seat away from the wall. Now the driver rear seat, it's different as underneath, you will see two side clips, slide both and the seat will come off to reveal another pair of those torx bolts. Remove those and now the rear backrest will come off. Now you can access the rear package tray. There are plastic push in snaps needed removal, two in the rear and 3 in the front if I remember correctly, slide the package tray off and now the speaker can now be removed. It is just snapped in place. Remove it going towards you, not back. That's it, remove the sub, snap the rest back in place and reverse the process. Hope that helps those who plan on doing it themselves.
I tried to load pics but for some reason this time I can't load any detailed pics.
Last edited by mbmoding; 02-24-2015 at 05:45 PM.
