This is the front driver sidr

This is the damage to the speaker

Speaker damage

Window button damage

I have a problem where the door will not lock by itself but it will unlock by itself . I have to love the driver side by the actual put in door key.

This is the color of the vehicle ignore the cosmetic damage on the outside


Hello MB Forum Members,



I hope this message finds you well. I’m a college student and a passionate Mercedes-Benz enthusiast. I recently purchased a 2004 Mercedes-Benz, and I’m currently dealing with a couple of issues that I could really use your expertise on.



The initial problem began with the driver’s side speaker, which stopped working shortly after I bought the vehicle. Occasionally, it will turn on for a few minutes before cutting out again, but most of the time it remains inactive. The passenger side speaker works perfectly, so this issue appears isolated to the driver’s side. My original goal was to fix that speaker, but things took a turn.



In attempting a DIY repair, I unintentionally caused a new issue with the door lock mechanism. While the window controls are still functioning, the central locking no longer responds to the remote key—at least not fully. I can unlock the car using the remote, but I can only lock the driver’s side door manually using the physical key. It seems like the lock mechanism is either stuck or has partially failed.



I’m now considering replacing the interior door panel, ideally with one that matches the original color. So far, I haven’t had any luck finding a good match locally or online, but I suspect eBay might be my most affordable option. If anyone has experience sourcing parts or has recommendations for reliable sellers (especially within or shipping to East Tennessee), I’d greatly appreciate it.



I understand my attempt at a repair wasn’t the best decision, but I’m trying to learn through the process—and hey, at least I successfully replaced my reverse light (I know, not quite the same &#128514.



Any suggestions or advice on resolving either the speaker or door lock issue—especially cost-effective solutions—would be sincerely appreciated.



Thank you all in advance!



Best regards,
only the physical key in door . I don’t know what to do to fix it . I think I may need a new interior door it would be great to find one the same color I can’t seem to find one . I mean honestly I think it’s the cheapest to find one on like eBay or something like that . If you guys have any suggestions or ideas please send it my way. I know I’m stupid for doing it my way but hey I mean I did put in my reverse light 😂 I know I know not the same thing but I would appreciate the suggestions and help

 

Welcome to the world of DIY. Guessing you damaged the wiring (specifically the individual wire that sends the "lock" command).

Based on the photos, you tried to access the wiring the incorrect way. The correct way is to completely remove the interior door panel. The speaker grille and speaker area are accessed from behind the panel. The good news is I imagine the door panel isn't actually damaged, though you'd have to check the tabs that hold the window switches in.

The grille can be purchased separately from the dealership. It is held in place by tabs that are "melted" from the inside. Because of this, they're "one time use". Once you remove the door panel and look at it from the other side, it'll make sense.

There are posts on removing the door trim. You'll need a plastic pry tool (do not use a slot screwdriver!) and a T20 screwdriver. Not sure exactly where the screws are for the sedan, but on a coupe door there is a screw a) behind the SRS logo (the thing just pulls out), and b) beneath the arm rest (look for a circular cover).

From there, I would poke around and look for damaged wiring.

The speaker can also be replaced (I'd recommend something from a local wrecker), assuming the mounting hardware isn't broken.

The one big thing to remember for any repair job is that the entire car was assembled in a certain order/member. To properly access a part without damaging anything, one has to disassemble the car in the "same" but reversed order. In this case, the speaker and lock switches were attached to the door trim, then the wiring connected to the other door modules (hidden near the interior door latch handle).

FYI YouTube is your friend for a lot of these DIY type jobs. Not every video out there is 100% correct, but watching these videos will get you 90% of the way there. Lots of good information out there.

One last thing - having the proper tools is half the battle. Yes you will have to spend money buying a collection (a good Torx screwdriver set and plastic trim pry tool set in this case), but if you plan on keeping the car and/or doing more DIY jobs in the future, the tools will pay for themselves multiple times. Depending on the damage in this case, you may also need some soldering equipment (soldering pen and a few pieces of shrink wrap), and maybe some connector removal tools.

Good luck.

 

If memory serves, there are 2 torx under the armrest, 1 behind the SRS logo, and 1 for a "C" shaped trim piece around the door latch. Unscrew your door lock button, pry off the upper speaker grill (carefully!). The window switch uses a cam lock to connect to the wood trim. The wood trim is held in place by 4 torx screws from underneath. The wiring to the switch is also a cam lock. (look for a lever and rotate it). Remove at least one of these so the door "card" (what they call the interior of the door) is free of any wiring. You can now lift straight up on the door card. There are hooks at the top. Next, you will have to disconnect the interior latch cable before everything is free.

The speaker is mounted directly to the metal door once you remove all that. There should be access holes to look at the other interior bits and wiring. Having the window up is most useful to get to these things. Having the window down will be easier to remove the door card.

What's always helpful to me besides YouTube is if you have a Puck-n-Pull type wrecking yard near you, find a similar car (preferably one with less than perfect pieces so you don't mess things up for someone else) and figure out how that one comes apart. If you break things, ohwell. Now you know what not to do. I recently had to figure out how to remove the exterior door trim to replace mine. Hint: there's a torx screw inside on one end and then you slide it off to the rear. Prying it off will just break the clips.

 

HA, I Thought he'd already done that! You mean that's his ACTUAL car? He did this to himself? You gotta be kidding!
Wow, what a mess! Friends shouldn't let friends who don't know a screwdriver from a wrench
possess tools!

These are attempted REPAIRS?


And even after he screwed one part, he kept going and screwed EVERYTHING up.
Dude, step away from the tool chest.