abruning

Just purchased with 80k miles. Fixed the leaking windshield wiper reservoir with tubing thanks to this forum. Activated the headlamp washer and a tube and plastic part shot out of each hatch below the head lamps. That was weird. Not sure what happened but I'd like to put it back together. Any advice?


Also the top chrome part on top of the exterior driver's door handle is loose.
This should be an easy fix but I'm asking for help from anyone who has done this.


Is there a printed repair manual that anyone recommends?

Soylent Green

I too just acquired my first MB. Same as yours but one year older. Anyway I searched for a printed manual and cannot find one. However there is a DVD rom put out by MB called the Star Service Manual Library. Covers models 215 and 220. You need to download a program called AutoDeskWhip to make it run on the computer. Covers everything in great detail with part numbers and special tools. If you find a printed manual let me know please. Congrats on your new toy.

abruning

Thanks for the reply. It's not convenient for me to have a digital repair manual. Hard for me to get my computer into the garage. I prefer the old fashion printed version.


A good repair manual will help me with these minor repairs. For example the headlamp jets that flew out of the car when activated. I doubt the previous owner ever used this feature. I may not either but I'd like to put it back together.


Here's an interesting dilemma: This car has no dip stick. Just a plug on the dipstick tube. I'd like to check my oil level.


Also, the 'check tire pressure' message continues to come on despite the air pressure reading fine on my gauge. Changing sensors may be out of my league, but I don't know.

Soylent Green

Yes I too would like a printed manual but cannot fine one. Let me know if you do, I think it may be like a unicorn.
You can buy a dipstick to put in the tube and leave the cap off. Fortunately for me the previous owner of my car already put a dipstick in it. I do need a stick for the transmission though.
Tire pressure sensors need to be put in when the tire is off the rim. Are you close to needing new tires?

abruning

I will break down and buy the digital version of the repair manual. It should take me through these minor issues. Where did you find the dip stick and why on earth doesn't the car come with one. I would not rely on a sensor to tell me if my oil is low especially since the tire pressure sensor is not working.

Soylent Green

Not having dipsticks in my opinion is just Mercedes way of making people spend more money on repairs at the stealerships. Go to ECS tuning in Wadsworth Ohio. They sell oil and transmisson dipsticks for our engines for about $25 each. An OEM MB dipstick will cost you $60. Screw that! As I live in Cleveland I am going to take a roadtrip to ECS tomorrrow and get my tranny dipstick.

As far as the DVD goes it is very comprehensive and well done. Don't forget to download the Auto desk whip program which you can find online for free. You will need that to get the dvd to run on your machine. I run it on our old laptop that has windows 7 and it works great.

abruning

Soylent Green, I purchased the oil dipstick from ECS and it's about 10 or 12 inches too long. I assume the one you got fit into the tube, right?

Soylent Green

I have not tried to use mine yet but from what I understand that the same dipstick us used for multiple engines. Also there are two marks to read the fluid level on the stick. One at 25 celcius and one at 80 celcius. 80 is the normal operation temp. In the dvd I told you about are complete directions on the procedure to read the fluid level. Oh and I could not take that road trip to ECS because they do not have a store front. So I ordered a dipstick off ebay for less money and no sales tax. Find a stick that is 1220 mm in length for our engine the M113. Hope this helps.

abruning

I corresponded with ECS and they were great but it wasn't what I wanted to hear. MB does not make a dip stick for this car. I can use the one they sold me but it won't ride in the dipstick shaft so I will just keep the dip stick in the garage. I will look on ebay for one that fits.

I also received the repair manual but I haven't tried to download it yet.

Soylent Green

Let me know how you like the dvd. I think it's great. Don't forget the autodeskwhip program to get the dvd to open.

abruning

The repair manual will take some getting used to. I liked the printed ones I've used over the last 40 years. They had illustrations of step by step repairs.

I'm still having problems with a leaking wiper fluid reservoir. I may enter a new post on that one. I replaced a the short tube which seemed to be the cause, but it still leaks. The new manual did disclose I am missing a part for the headlamp washers but I doubt that has anything to do with the fluid leak. I may have to remove the entire assembly to diagnose the problem. Last resort is to go to the dealer, sit in an over stuffed leather lounger in front of a large flat screen TV and drink latte before paying through the noise on what is probably a simple fix to a poor design.

Soylent Green

What is the part that the manual told you is missing. I will look at my dvd and see if I can help you figure this out. As for myself I don't really care for the headlight washer fluid dispensers. I think they are silly. If mine were not working I would just leave them alone and not filled up. I too miss a printed manual. It is much easier to me to sit in a chair and flip thru a paper book rather than use this dvd. We do always have the option of printing out the entire manual on paper. I wonder how much that would cost?