ChrisMTS

Hi All,

I have a C230 Kompressor Sport which clearly has a blown center speaker (which I deduced by using the fader and panning everything to the back/far left/far right etc. to get rid of the distortion coming from the center). Once the center/dash grille is off, it should be a fairly simple case of replacing the little speaker underneath. The problem is, the best way to cleanly remove the grille without causing any damage.

I've seen pictures here showing the center/dash grille removed so I know where the clips that hold it on are located. One suggestion was to prise it of using a thin flat screwdriver but the space around the edge is so tiny that I can't imagine doing this without leaving some kind of indentation in the surrounding dash. I have a tiny carbon-steel pulling hook which I've tried using to prise it up via the perforations at the very edge near where I know the clips are. However, while I can pull it up about half an inch (and I'm convinced a little more pulling might pop the clip successfully) each pull leaves a upward bubble in the grille and I'm worried that the little extra force required might actually rip through the perforation and tear the grille.

Has anyone done this and can share the best way to get this grille off?

Many Thanks
Chris
p.s. Congratulations on a fantastic forum!

Glyn M Ruck

Gently with a butter knife/thin cloth - very gently - On a new dash you can be a little rough & it will return to shape. On a well sun exposed dash you need to be careful.

Glyn M Ruck

If your car has the thumbwheel start there - sometimes easier dead centre front.

ChrisMTS

Thanks for the excellent information Glyn. I'll give it a shot - very carefully.

lkfoster

Getting the speak off of the grille may be a challenge also. Once you get the grille off you'll find that the speaker is held in by push-on lock tabs. When I changed my center grille over to the older style with the vent I found that I had to cut the plastic bosses off in order to remove the speaker. No amount of trying to twist the lock tabs seemed to work.

Glyn M Ruck

I've only watched this job being done with a friend. I did his door installations while he sorted the center dash speaker. He got it all off without damaging anything - bit of bad language but that is normal DIY on a Benz.

Excuse the terrible top picture - that is not my car - that's a dirty mess!

ChrisMTS

Let me try to get the grille off, then I'll post back if the speaker seems to be an issue all it's own.

Thanks guys.

maverik259

whats that lil wheel for anyway?

Glyn M Ruck

To open the screen vent that you can see in the pic above. Very useful

LILBENZ230

I am not making assumptions about your intelligence here, so please don't be offended by this question:

Are you sure you have a center speaker? It doesn't say what year C230 you have. Do you have the Bose system (01-04.5) or the HK Logic7 (05-07)?

And for the general forum knowledge - the standard, non-premium systems do not have speakers in the center dash or in the rear shelf. They have 2 tweeters on the front doors and a regular speaker in each of the 4 doors (sedan).

lkfoster

MB deleted that in the mid-course update for state-side cars. Had to have saved all of $2.

Adding it back in is one of the few mods I've done on my '06. As Glyn says, it's very useful to have. It keeps the center vents from blowing in your face.

Glyn M Ruck

Yes - I can't understand why it was removed other than stupid penny pinching.

Moviela

German market cars have a heating element to cook saussages on the grill while you drive. The wheel rotates your wennie so it gets done on all sides.

maverik259

mmm sounds delicious.

Glyn M Ruck

Be careful you don't cook your sausage (Blutwurst)

BF_JC230

I have an '05 as well - MBENZNL - and my local Dealer hooked me up with parts to convert to center grille with Parktronic PTS PDS display and added venting with wheel...I plan to unclip from bottom by pulling dashboard horizontal main vent...I’ve seen the clips in there as opposed to going from the top/prying on the dashboard...

OneOfaKindTrini

LILBENZ230 is probably right that's why he figured the speaker wasn't working.

That is a SMALL little speaker.. Or is it just the picture?

lkfoster

The speaker is just a center-fill for mid-frequency vocals. It doesn't need to be as large as full range speakers.

ChrisMTS

Thanks for all the advice. My car is an '05 with the Harmon/Kardon (according to the logo on the rear shelf speaker). All I know at this point is that there's definitely something producing a horribly distorted version of the audio under that grille.

For now, I've ordered a decent set of thin non-marring tools and I won't proceed any further until they arrive (my nylon bowl scraper just wasn't cutting it and I don't have the nerve to even try a metal knife). The dash is in impeccable shape and I'd really like to keep it that way.

Thanks again. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Chris

Glyn M Ruck

Probably a very wise move if it's being stuborn!

ChrisMTS

OK. With tremendous thanks to everyone who chipped in with advice, my non-marring pry tools arrived today and I was able to disassemble everything as described without any damage to the dash!

The speaker is part# A203 820 72 02 which I now need to order (any suggested good sources in the U.S much appreciated). I can also see the problem described by lkfoster as the speaker is pretty firmly held on with one-way lock-tabs/washers which dig into the plastic pins on either side. Does any have a reliable method for removing these without breaking the pins? Even if there's a safe way to cut them off, I'm pretty certain I could find replacement lock tabs and long as the pins are intact.

For now I've just disconnected the speaker connector underneath and put everything back together. The distortion is completely gone so at least I'm sure that replacing this speaker will solve all my audio problems.

Thanks again for all your great advice.
Chris

pupracer

Hey Chris, I had the exact same problem with my '05 H/K system last year. The glue around the edge of the speaker dried out and distorted the sound.

Anyway, long story short. The lock washers are cheap base metal, bend them back and forth a few times and they'll snap. That will leave the posts in good condition for the new ones. You should be able to pick up new lock washers at a hardware store (not big box) or a friendly car audio store.

As for the speaker, if the glue dried out you can buy a speaker repair kit and re-glue it. Or you can just buy a new one. I ordered mine from the dealer ($$ mistake), I've been getting pretty decent prices from a different dealer with an online presence. I'll send you the site in a PM since I don't want to upset any mods. I looked up the part number you posted and they have it for around eighty-eight bucks.

BF JC230: What is a PTS screen?