Ron Jr

I thought it wouldn't but last night it did. The rear door pins broke yes both at the same time if you could believe that. I picked my Daughter and her friends up at the mall to bring them home. The two kids in the back seat live right next to each other so I usually just pull into one drive and both get out. Well they go to unlock the doors and snap both are looking in shock at the piece of platic in thier hands. You could cut the silence with a knife and I bet both girls thought thye would be sleeping in the bottem of the bay that night. After saying sorry about a hundred times each I finally convinced them that I wasn't mad.
When I got home I took the two unused pins I have and tried them on for fit. No good they stick up way to much when locked and unlocked you can see the bottom of the pin. I break out the drill and go at it. Test fitting and it is siting lower so I keep going when I figure I really can't drill much more I test fit and it seems to sit about the same as the stock not flush and I debate cutting the bottom but decide against it. Now how to hold it in? Gorilla glue should work. I use a dowel to put the glue as far down th tube as I can and coat the sides, This is strong glue and should hold.
I proceed to drill out the second pin while the first sets. To make a long story short Gorilla glue expands to fill the gaps and since gravity pulls downward the glue travelled in the direction. Yes I glued the door in the locked position. The electric release doesn't and I am very upset worse part is when I pull on the chrome pin the damn thing comes off. There is almost no glue left in the barrel.
I am screwed or so I thought. the pin not staying on was actually good as it gave me access to the actual cable which I grabbed with a pair of needle nose vice grips and pulled upward. That glue is tough but I won and broke the lock free.
It now works fine I just have to think of a better way to secure the chrome pin to the cable. I was thinking of a rubber tube inside the chrome pin and use it like a pressure fitting. Maybe some 3m tape wrapped around the cable then push the in on? Any suggestions? No super glue please.

AkaSigFreak

Sorry to hear about your situation. Welcome to the club. My car is at the dealership AGAIN right now having both of my pins replaced (2.5 hrs each). I told them they better not glue the pins on this time. If the pull off- they pull off and leave them off. I was hoping my other set of pins would have come in so I could get this over with. I told my service advisor what I was planning and she agreed. She also said the front pins looked amazing.

trial0r

are they not covering that on warranty?

Azn_C300

hmm, I was thinking about this...basically would have worked if not for gravity. Why not fill the empty pin with that glue, then cap the bottom with some kind of gum or gum like material. The gum would keep the glue from falling out and you can stick the door assembly pin through the gum which should reform around and present a near airtight seal. Eventually the gum and the glue would harden with the glue holding tight. Dunno.....this is like one of those out of the box interview questions.

AkaSigFreak

They are covering it by warranty. The problem is the part they replace it with is the same part (no remedy). I already had mine fixed one and it's back at the dealership again.
Just got a call that while they were fixing the door- the scratched my $300 Formula Pinnacle Ceramic tint and they can't fix it til tomorrow. I'm beyond angry right now.

trial0r

hey at least someone got the part number for your euro plate holder.

AkaSigFreak

lx Raven xl

I think this door pin problem is in US only. I did not see any door pin problems in Europe so far.

AkaSigFreak

European models do have different pins. They sit flush with the door when locked so there is no chance of someone pulling on them.

white_glass_top

i keep reading threads about broken door pins, i dont usually have people in my rear SEATS, lol, (i just had to type it like that), but could they be breaking b cuz auto door lock is engaged???? and actually the door pins arent meant to be functional??

Ron Jr

Well I solved the install of the metal pins. I took a piece of neopriene air line for fish tanks and slid it into the pin cover then pushed it onto the cable. Acts like a commpression fitting on a watch bracelet. I tried to pull it off and it is solid maybe suction has a bit to do with it also. Unfortunatly I could not get the rears to sit flush they still sit high when locked but that is OK as they are lower than the stock and it isn't near anyones arms like the fronts.

who8888

What kind of pins did you get? I am lucky so far in that my kids are still too small to open the door. I though about just covering the pin hole if they should break since there are door lock/unlock from both the driver or passenger side.

Ron Jr

Search E-Bay for w203 door pins. I think the sellers name was Redline. The fronts just unscrew but the backs well I think you read of the mishaps. Don't bother with the surrounds they don't sit flush. I think they were 32.00 or so.



I've put the stock surrounds back on.

Did a quick E-bay search and found them for you.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...spagenameZWD1V

RickP330

Ron,
You jinxed me, my pins broke Friday night LOL.
RickP

Ron Jr

Both or just one?

Will617

Does anyone know if MB is addressing this problem
When I visit they Dealer next I will ask him if perhaps there is a Bulletin concerning this issue
It seems to be happening to numerous people and it worries me it will happen to me too. I sure hope they fixed it on the 2009 Models.

syrAMG

I've heard a case where all they did was pressed the unlock button from the drivers console and the rear pins popped out.

I have talked to several people at MB of Manhattan
but nothing so far.

and the thing is, if the part came off from the root there is nothing to worry about, you can just stick them back in; however if they were ripped off leaving the root in the car, its going to cost you a bit for service charges, because they need to remove the door panels off to get the pin left behind.
they really need to resolve this issue.

I hope they made changes for the 09 W204's. if so maybe we can get them upgraded.

RickP330

Just one, we went out to dinner Friday night and my daughter was cranky (one year old in car seat) on the way out, so my wife sat back there with her on the way home. when we got home she said, Oh, the door is locked. I was like don't..... as I'm fumbling for the unlock switch and the next thing I hear is Uh-Ohh. LOL.
RickP

aprince2die4

are the door pins not covered under warranty if they pop out?

micropower99

They are but as you can tell their a b*itch to get replaced

AkaSigFreak

Covered by warranty but it takes 2 1/2 hrs to replace Each. From my last event- it appears MB has attempted to fix the problem. My new set (drivers and passenger) were on extremely well. I really had to pull to get them off and when they came off- they were not cracked at the bottom like before. Seems like a stiffer, stronger plastic. I pulled them off anyway and put on the aluminum.