Stupid ways you've damaged your W203 while working on it
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,275
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From: BC, Canada
2003 C230K Coupe Orion Blue
Stupid ways you've damaged your W203 while working on it
After reading this thread, I'm sure many of us have done something completely stupid while doing some DIY work and damaged our cars in the process. Wondering how you guys have messed up your rides or caused yourself some grief.
Please keep all posts relevant to DIY work (direct or indirect). No backing into a wall etc.
I'll start. Broke a coolant hose connector when leaning over to fix my vaccum pump (famous M271 leak). Sprayed coolant all over the engine and ground. Thank goodness I had a spare one lying around, and extra coolant!
Another time, I rounded a caliper bolt due to using cheap/crappy tools. Had to pay a mechanic to drill it out.
Please keep all posts relevant to DIY work (direct or indirect). No backing into a wall etc.
I'll start. Broke a coolant hose connector when leaning over to fix my vaccum pump (famous M271 leak). Sprayed coolant all over the engine and ground. Thank goodness I had a spare one lying around, and extra coolant!
Another time, I rounded a caliper bolt due to using cheap/crappy tools. Had to pay a mechanic to drill it out.
Last edited by slammer111; Sep 25, 2013 at 06:32 AM.
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 44
From: PA
09 CLK550
Broke the bolt off the front of the exhaust cam rebuilding my old CL203 
Also over-torqued the stretch bolts (x10) in the cylinder head. Broke one off and had to drill it out + replace them all. Sigh.
Also! Broke an exhaust header stud off right in the block
Also!
Broke a bolt that holds down the cam 'tray'
and later ran my fingers over with a parked car :-\
Also over-torqued the stretch bolts (x10) in the cylinder head. Broke one off and had to drill it out + replace them all. Sigh.
Also! Broke an exhaust header stud off right in the block
Also!
Broke a bolt that holds down the cam 'tray'
and later ran my fingers over with a parked car :-\
Last edited by ambit; Sep 23, 2013 at 01:36 PM.
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,295
Likes: 22
From: VA
THE C350
Well for me I have dropped my car off a jack (don't ask how) fell from probably two feet.
Once accidentally lowered an open back door onto a jack stand (side of car was in the air only held by the open door (don't know how it didn't bed anything)
While changing belt tensioner my dad and I had a torque wrench seize up and never clicked and broke the bolt off in the timing case cover. (had to drill out and use helicoil to fix)
Took out ac controls and broke ribbon cable to all steeper motors on accident and had to super glue connector back together the cable is cheap but the insulation would have killed me.
Put too much weight in glove box and the catch broke and now I have to hold glove box when it is open or it fall off.
I probably have more but that is all I can think of at the moment
Once accidentally lowered an open back door onto a jack stand (side of car was in the air only held by the open door (don't know how it didn't bed anything)
While changing belt tensioner my dad and I had a torque wrench seize up and never clicked and broke the bolt off in the timing case cover. (had to drill out and use helicoil to fix)
Took out ac controls and broke ribbon cable to all steeper motors on accident and had to super glue connector back together the cable is cheap but the insulation would have killed me.
Put too much weight in glove box and the catch broke and now I have to hold glove box when it is open or it fall off.
I probably have more but that is all I can think of at the moment
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
2001 C240
I was replacing a stepper motor in the garage late at night. I broke the plug behind the face plate by removing with pliers instead of using my fingers. I had to buy a whole new wiring harness that goes to all the motors. Luckily I was able to splice the wire. Talking about a screw up!
Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 123
Likes: 3
From: Norway
W203 C200K (2001)
After reading this thread, I'm sure many of us have done something completely stupid while doing some DIY work and damaged our cars in the process. Wondering how you guys have messed up your rides or caused yourself some grief.
Please keep all posts relevant to DIY work (direct or indirect). No backing into a wall etc.
I'll start. Broke a coolant hose connector when leaning over to fix my vaccum pump (famous M271 leak). Sprayed coolant all over the engine and ground. Thank goodness I had a spare one lying around, and extra coolant!
Another time, I rounded a caliper bolt due to using cheap/crappy tools. Had to pay a mechanic to drill it out.
Please keep all posts relevant to DIY work (direct or indirect). No backing into a wall etc.
I'll start. Broke a coolant hose connector when leaning over to fix my vaccum pump (famous M271 leak). Sprayed coolant all over the engine and ground. Thank goodness I had a spare one lying around, and extra coolant!
Another time, I rounded a caliper bolt due to using cheap/crappy tools. Had to pay a mechanic to drill it out.
That's my first mistake on this Benz so there's not so much benz action going on (yet
)I've owned an '07 Fiat Palio before, only managed to forget a wrench under the hood, drove with it for a long time until it decided to fall onto the belts and pulled one of them off the pulley, had to buy a new one (just in case).
I've also owned a '69 Beetle, just dropped it of the jack, ofcourse nothing happened to it, the asphalt was hurt a bit though
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Killeen Texas
2005 C230 coupe
I've had some near misses but haven't broken anything yet. first time i got a flat in my c230. I couldnt get the rim off for the life off me. I tried the tool and followed the manual and finally got frustrated and ran a ratchet strap through the spokes and around the light post I stopped under. got the rim to pop off and also pulled the car a good 2 inches before I noticed. 
Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, ON
2002 C230 Coupe & 2010 C300 Sport
When re-dry walling the basement, I folded down the rear seats and took a little under 600 lbs of broken drywall to the dump in the back of my coupe. Surprisingly, only the plastic sheet (don't know what its called) in front of the spare tire cracked. Pretty sturdy cars...
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Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: BC, Canada
2003 C230K Coupe Orion Blue
^ Oh, I broke the same plastic tray on the car.. with my foot when I stepped on it trying to pull out a big piece of furniture out the back hatch. 
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Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Toronto, Canada
2019 C300 Wagon; '75 Triumph TR6; previous: 2004 C230 6spd sold after 17 years of driving
lowered my car and did not realize that I did not move the jack stand all the way out and it punctured the lower plastic rocker panel.
leaned on the engine and broke the plastic hose connector for the rad and hence my post https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ance-item.html
Shattered the engine cover while trying to remove it to change the spark plugs as the locator pins in the front were stuck. I epoxied (tinted) and fiberglassed it back together underneath and you can only see a faint line with a very bright light see post https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ngine-bay.html
Snapped a RAD lug bolt when changing over to summer tires, tried all sorts of ways of getting the rest of the bolt out and finally had to succumb to the dealer and they tried every method and the only fix was a new hub and bearings ~$600 incl labour
and finally almost damaged myself almost 30yrs ago when my Renault 5 came down the ramps with me still under the car, my chest got compressed by 2" and turned my head at the right moment and still here to talk about it
leaned on the engine and broke the plastic hose connector for the rad and hence my post https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ance-item.html
Shattered the engine cover while trying to remove it to change the spark plugs as the locator pins in the front were stuck. I epoxied (tinted) and fiberglassed it back together underneath and you can only see a faint line with a very bright light see post https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ngine-bay.html
Snapped a RAD lug bolt when changing over to summer tires, tried all sorts of ways of getting the rest of the bolt out and finally had to succumb to the dealer and they tried every method and the only fix was a new hub and bearings ~$600 incl labour
and finally almost damaged myself almost 30yrs ago when my Renault 5 came down the ramps with me still under the car, my chest got compressed by 2" and turned my head at the right moment and still here to talk about it
Last edited by Boom vang; Oct 17, 2013 at 10:08 PM.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,275
Likes: 236
From: BC, Canada
2003 C230K Coupe Orion Blue
leaned on the engine and broke the plastic hose connector for the rad and hence my post https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ance-item.html
Add another 2 to the list
- nicked the rocker panel with the screw part of the jack when I didn't position the jack correctly and tried to raise the car.
- rubbed some of the reflector silver off one of the fog lights trying to wash some fingerprints off.
Obviously there's no way to fix this, so I painted those plastic pieces flat black instead. You wouldn't know by looking at the lights unless I pointed it out.
Last edited by slammer111; Oct 17, 2013 at 09:53 PM.
Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, ON
2002 C230 Coupe & 2010 C300 Sport
Originally Posted by Boom vang
lowered my car and did not realize that I did not move the jack stand all the way out and it punctured the lower plastic rocker panel.
leaned on the engine and broke the plastic hose connector for the rad and hence my post Attention all M271 engines, Maintenance item
Shattered the engine cover while trying to remove it to change the spark plugs as the locator pins in the front were stuck. I epoxied (tinted) and fiberglassed it back together underneath and you can only see a faint line with a very bright light see post Plastics (engine bay)
Snapped a RAD lug bolt when changing over to summer tires, tried all sorts of ways of getting the rest of the bolt out and finally had to succumb to the dealer and they tried every method and the only fix was a new hub and bearings ~$600 incl labour
and finally almost damaged myself almost 30yrs ago when my Renault 5 came down the ramps with me still under the car, my chest got compressed by 2" and turned my head at the right moment and still here to talk about it
leaned on the engine and broke the plastic hose connector for the rad and hence my post Attention all M271 engines, Maintenance item
Shattered the engine cover while trying to remove it to change the spark plugs as the locator pins in the front were stuck. I epoxied (tinted) and fiberglassed it back together underneath and you can only see a faint line with a very bright light see post Plastics (engine bay)
Snapped a RAD lug bolt when changing over to summer tires, tried all sorts of ways of getting the rest of the bolt out and finally had to succumb to the dealer and they tried every method and the only fix was a new hub and bearings ~$600 incl labour
and finally almost damaged myself almost 30yrs ago when my Renault 5 came down the ramps with me still under the car, my chest got compressed by 2" and turned my head at the right moment and still here to talk about it
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