Hello all - I'm a new member here and have learned a lot from all your posts. Thanks!


One clarification for this thread - The W208 bodied CLKs do not seem to have the plunger switch release mentioned above, probably because the 2 rear headrests are linked together by a heavy metal beam. In the process of repairing my stuck up rear headrests, I removed the complete assembly to figure out if they can be retracted manually. Will report back when I find out -

 

You might get more help specific to your car in the W208 forum.

 

Sorry to have bothered you. I am still trying to navigate this site.


I will not post any more comments so as not to further annoy you.


Thanks again for allowing me to read others' posts.

 

Chris, I was not admonishing you - I was just suggesting that you might get better help in the W208 forum since its roll bar and soft top system is different then the W209's. If you were asking engine or suspension questions, then I'd be able to help as those are pretty much the same.

 

I am now UN-registering so I can only read the threads.


Again, sorry for intruding on your forum.

 

damn it Rodney.. look what you did..

 

Gosh, I as really trying to be helpful! I do wish I knew a bit more about the W208, but I've never owned one and never worked on one. I hope Chris finds the help he/she needs and gets things working again.

 

I have a 2003 and Im just not finding this little switch you speak of... I've watched a million videos a million times. Ive stuck everything down the side of that headreast from coathangers, allen wernches...goat horns... Somebody PLEASE send me a pic of your finger pointing where I should be looking on my 2003 clk430!

 

MY2003 cabriolet isn't a W209 - it's a W208 and the roll bar system is different.

 

Thisvideo was the best i have seen. Solved the problem for me

 

So is mine.

 

"MY2003" = Model Year 2003, not "my 2003". You have a W208, not a W209. The guys in the W208 forum might be of better help"

https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class-w208-5/

In fact, a quick search there for "roll bar" yielded this post:

https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...ering-how.html

 

2005 CLK convertible: Just wanted to dig this up again as I got into the wife's car & the rear view mirror was kinda blocked. I asked her, "OK, what did you hit?"
and of course, got the "Nothing! I noticed that a few months ago." me: "not quite. I just washed & vacuumed the car less than 2 weeks ago" her: "It must have been 2 weeks then"


Uh huh. This time I noticed I could move the one headrest to the left enough to peer in & see the trip-lever. More towards the front of the headrest than the back. I used a long flat blade screwdriver. Phillips works too. As noted, the first lever is a stinker to find. the next is much quicker. There is a youtube video though the mook blocks the view when he tries to muscle the headrest down.


And, we are back in business with a functioning convertible.

 

Yeah, I think your dealer is a crook

 

If you are right-handed you will be holding the release spring down with your dominate hand and trying to force the very heavily spring-loaded head rest down with your non-dominate arm in a very cramped space where you can get no leverage. I couldn't do it. I attached a vice grips to the rod I was using to hold the spring down and was able to wedge it against the top and hold the release spring down and freeing my right arm. I was then able to wrestle the head rest down using both arms.