I have a 2004 C230SC, and there is a large, egg-shaped grille on the center of the dashboard. I'd like to know what this thing is - is it a speaker, or a vent? I'm curious because it rattles when I drive on the freeway, so I need to get it fixed somehow. If it is a speaker, it is apparently not working, as I get no sound from it.

 

Not sure if it's the same grille your talking about, but there is a grille on top of the dash in between the console and the windshield. It is a speaker grille if you have the BOSE (or I guess the Harmon) option. Otherwise, it's just an empty hole.

Erik

 

USE THE SEARCH BUTTON, this topic has been covered MANY MANY MANY times.

 

tifosiv122, a Ferrari F1 fan or just a fan of all things Ferrari?

 

I'm sorry if I offended you, but I did search it. Center grille didn't come up with anything related, nor did dashboard grille. What title did you search under, so I know not to do this again, since it seems to bother you so greatly?

 

Both. I am more into the marque then F1, but I am a huge F1 fan as well.

Erik

 

http://homepage.mac.com/drsunilpatel/PhotoAlbum14.html

It's a Parktronic Display
It's a top vent on 2001 cars
it's a center speaker on bose equipped cars

 

Right on. As things stand in F1, it must be great being a Ferrari fan as they're sweeping everything in sight.

I used to like the Scuderia a lot until the current regime of Todt, Brawn and Schumacher took over. It's highly unlikely but I hope McLaren kicks Ferrari's *** this season.

 

I think this grille started off with good intentions. On my 2001, it is a functional air vent that allows one to direct some air from the climate control off the windshield and into your face. It can be very refreshing at times.

Problem was that the vent also cast evaporated solvent fumes onto the inner surface of the windshield, creating an unsightly film over time. (All cars with plastic dashes and plastic a/c ductwork show this "outgassing" on a new car until the solvents leech out of the plastics and dissipate over time. But the straight shot from the dash onto the windshield only inches away accentuated this phenomenon.)

I left the vent open and dealt with the mess each time I washed the car, hoping a constant circulation of air would encourage faster evaporation. After about 6 months it had diminished almost entirely, and was gone before one year was up. (BTW, I dealt with this problem for the full 7 years I owned my first Honda Accord, a 1977 model.)

Other owners hated the film so much that they left the vent closed, which delayed the inevitable process, and instead deflected the outgassing through the regular dash outlets... notice that film on the sunroof?

Mercedes must have caught wind of this discontent through owner surveys and such, and during the 2002 model run, blocked the vent functionality entirely, but keeping the grill in place, as it would have cost too much to redesign the header to eliminate it.

As it is, the area still serves to position a center fill speaker on Bose equipped cars. The speaker is at the leading corner (nearest the windshield).

 

I believe that would be on the 2003 model run. My 2002 still has the vent, and the wheel to open and close it.

 

Don't sweat it. STFF is usually the answer from a few people that probably don't know the answer anyway, but have to stick their two cents in. I learned a long time ago, there are a few very rude participants that find it more informative to say search the forum rather than provide you with a meaningful answer.

 

Yeah, it's a good time to be a tifo.



Erik

 

Mine does as well, and I definately get airflow through the vent.

 

Great! I've already got one of those in my head.

 

Oops. I meant 2001-2002 have the vent. later cars don't. In the US atleast...

 

No, I'm not really all that worried. You should see what this guy says on other posts; it's mostly just smart-aleck remarks. It's just that I've had bad experiences telling people off on forums (the thread turns into a flame war). This time I decided to try being apologetic, I got no response, and I made him look silly. Mission accomplished.

Thanks for the replies everybody. Now all I have to figure out is to see if I can drop in a speaker there and get it to work with my current system.

BTW, how did this thread turn into a Ferrari discussion? The amazing things that happen on this forum :p

 

My early run 2003 C240 had the vent with wheel. It created a problem here in humid Florida with directing cool air on the windshield which in turn caused a condensation problem. A discussion on one of these forums led me to take it to the dealer to have the problem corrected. The dealer knew there was a "fix" for this problem. The "vent" with the dial was removed and a new "vent" was put in. I think they blocked off the air flow. I can't find the service receipt for this to know exactly what was done.

Hope this helps someone.

GGM

 

I have a vent you guys are talking about, but my car is a 07.

Is there a speaker in it or what?

Because no air comes out.

 

I have an 06 as well, I think it's just an empty hole b/c no bose option. No air flow from mine either.

 

Do you know what the size of the speaker is?

Can you put a different type of speaker?

 

My South African late 2003 still has the vent & thumbwheel & Parktronic indicator. Some models have vent & speaker - see pic

 

2005+ Cost saving took out the ventilation flap and wheel, to the grille work with a mold change, but not to the HVAC box...you can add in the fresh air with or without a PTS display.

Other uses...
Obtain PTS display grille AND tray, and install radar detector
Install compass
Install speaker

 

Would be cool to put a radar detector there. Any idea what the cost would be?

 

how do you open the dash grille?

From under neath or top?

 

Top - prise it out carefully!