MBClub

So finally, I had the clicking sound from my friend's 2002 C230 fixed. I read other people's post and what seems cause this problem is that a white plastic arm on the stepper motor broken, but in my case, its not that part but the motor itself.

Two days ago, me and my friend decided to fix this bad clicking noise, so we took everything apart on the front dash, and after bloody long time we finally had the stepper motor out. Surprisely, not like other people's saying , mine had a very good condition arm on the motor. But we still put a new arm and thought the old one is the cause of the noise. But after put everything back, the noise still there, just bit softer

So today, i had everything took apart again, and after may tests finally found out the noise was came from inside of the stepper motor, let me show you the pictures, and tell what happened




It took me one and half hours to took everything apart.




Half way of the work







Radio frame










This is what inside of stepper motor looks like, i guess nobody has ever posted this before. Alot of stuff inside it. I took it apart, and found out a large white gear on the left had one tooth filled with black plastic, so it jammed. I cleaned everthing up, put grease and put everthing back, test the motor, nope, not working, it still stuck and make clicking sound, i guess the white gear was damaged.



Damaged gear, no way to fix it, unless i can make one. The electric motor inside is working fun, so it is kind of a wast to junk this assembly




Later I went to the dealer and bought this new one for 200 include tax, BTW i forgot to tell you, when i took this motor out, i unscrew only two bolt while the other one i just cut the mouting off, this saved me from taking all the upper dash and metal frame apart. Because the last bolt hidden behind the dash metal frame, and no tool can reach it.

If take the frame off, sh*t that gonna be a huge job. steering wheel, instrument cluster, air bags all have to come out. I think better just cut that mouting point off, and its not hurt anything, and with two srews holding it in place, the motor should work fine.




so later, when put the motor back and connected with wire, start up, yeah no clicking sound no more! job done!

Reinstall everthing back with patient, the car back to normal again!

outnabout

I realize you had everything broken down, but as a FYI for the future, you can buy the stepper motors from the online retailer autohausaz for about $65 each. There is a reason that MB quotes a price to change all 10 motors (on my C320 wagon) at one time when they start clicking due to the amount of work to get to them. I didn't change all mine at one time and now as a result can break everything down in about 45 minutes. The motors that are on top of the fan at the glove box are the most difficult to get to.

anonymousmoose

After you've done a faceplam upon reading this question; what does this stepper motor do?

Glyn M Ruck

They move all the HVAC directional flaps.

W203E35

You must have a lot of patience

MBClub

Thanx for you information. I didn't know there are 10 motors on this car, wow, and do you know how much dealer charge to replace one motor?

MBClub

lol.. its not very hard, but too many things to take apart

outnabout

Your 230 may only have 6 motors, but my 02 C320 has 10 with the auto climate control. The first time I replaced a couple motors, my wife just about fainted when she saw all the parts laid out on the garage floor and the interior of the car. I laid them out in the sequence they came out, so it would make it easier to put back together.

Last I heard dealers were asking about $1500 to replace all of the motors (10), but that was a while back.

akproctor

How did you test the car to find out which stepper motor/arm had the issue?

samaritrey

To test you either have to figure out where air does not come out of or get the car hooked up to a star system.

psionic001

Images are missing from original post. Any chance MBClub is still around and can upload again?

thx

Matt

outnabout

Go to this thread: https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...g-hissing.html

Post #18 has a write up and 3 pdfs at the bottom with all of the instructions on the breakdown and replacement.

Johb Hackett

hey mate have you any help or instructions on how to get at the clicking noise in the glove box

Johb Hackett

<br />hey mate have you any help or instructions on how to get at the clicking noise in the glove box<br />

cutin

Removal windshield steper motor without dashboard disassembly: https://mercedesw209.blogspot.com/20...wego-m216.html

I had performed this job recently and I have a better solution than cutting of the screw. There is also way how to recover the stepper motor if you have a gear teeth broken. I made this tutorial and it's in polish but you can translate it easly.

Dollard02c240

I have an 02 C240 that does not blow air out of the dash vents (the ones directly facing the driver/passenger). Which motor do I need to replace?