California

Has anyone replaced the middle A/C vent plastic piece with wood?

I got great service from Jerry at http://formymercedes.com/mb.asp and he sent me that middle piece with instructions to drill out the original plastic piece.

Drilling seems scary to me! Have any of you guys replaced that piece, and is there a way to just pop it out? Thanks in advance, here is the bracket beneath the disc:

Yidney

I think if you search for "remove center vents W209" or something similar you'll find how to remove that whole assembly. I've seen posts on it. It more or less pops out I think. Once you have the assembly out you'll be able to evaluate how it all goes togther and if drilling is really necessary.

California

Thanks Yidney for all this, I think I'll go to the dealer, kind of scared of messing it up...

Rudeney

I just posted this in the other thread about cabin filters, but that center piece is super easy to remove - no drilling needed! Just use a plastic wedge and start at the bottom between the padded dash and the trim piece. Pry out and the bottom edge should pop out. Now run the wedge upward, behind the trim, in the middle and pry outward. it just pops right off. If you look at the new part from Jerry, you'll see about 6 or 8 plastic tabs on the back that snap in place so you'll see what you are pulling against.

Nealgobert

Drilling is by far the easiest way to remove it, as well as the safest way in preventing damage to the surrounding parts. That piece is clipped in there very well and by drilling out the clips and inserting a screwdriver in the hole to use as leverage it will pop right out. It's not like the original piece will be reused anyway.

Edit: Sorry Rodney just noticed your post. I was the one that initially suggested drilling when I installed it because that seemed like the safest and easiest way to remove it at that time. But if it is easy just to pry around it I'd give that a try if you aren't comfortable drilling. I was just worried about causing damage to the surrounding parts (which I was told was a major issue at the time. Maybe it was just that there wasn't anyone willing to try it?)

California

The drilling thing scared me but then I read about how easy it was to pry out.

So I went and pried it out but accidentally scraped off the fake chrome trim on the side vent.

The key to doing it right is to pry it out from the top or the bottom, not the side like i did.

The original piece came out very easily, though I broke off one of the tabs. I'm pretty sure there is a way to do it without breaking off the tabs.

AugieAscot

California, is this an ebay item? I'd like to get a set, what should I expect to pay? I also need a shift knob.
Anybody do video of the removal vent removal yet?
augie (new to Mercedes)

California

I got it and other wood pieces from Jerry at http://formymercedes.com/mb.asp

Great guy, great service.

Rudeney

California, I don't see that part on Jerry's site - is there a direct link you can provide? Also, since you scratched the chrome trim on the vents, if you want to repalce them, they are only about $50 at parts.com (#15 on the diagram):

http://www.parts.com/parts/2007/MERC...iagram=5770510

California

Call Jerry here about that part!

California

Rodney look at my post above, it was not listed on the site, I just asked Jerry about it.

Rudeney

Thanks - will do!

Evileye

Thanks for the parts.com link I just ordered that vent center piece for my 2009 CLK350 in Anthracite.

My MB is a Florida car and the sun obviously melts that piece and it is sticky and finger printed.

I will post pictures as to removal and install. The For my Mercedes guy who supplies the wood interior trims said he did not have that piece in wood and did write that you should drill the old one out to prevent damage to the dash and surrounding areas. Where you drill will be dependent on what the new one looks like on the back.

Ordering info:
Collision Catalog - 2007 - Mercedes-Benz - CLK550
body hardware, instrument panel, ducts, center cover anthracite
$0.00 $27.00 Sub Total: $27.00 Tax $0.00 Shipping $10.99 Handling Fee $2.00 Total: $39.99

Should be here by end of week I hope.

Rudeney

The drilling makes no sense whatsoever. I've removed the OEM plastic piece in my car and it required no drilling - just a gentle pry with a plastic wedge trim tool. Now, there are screws underneath that that hold the vents into the dash, and the OEM plastic piece has recess on the back of it to accommodate these screws. Maybe what Jerry means by "drilling" is that the wood has to be contoured to fit over these screws? That's all I can figure.

Evileye

Thanks Rodney. I think I can pry or pull it off. One diagram I downloaded shows a hook type tool for pulling it off. I can make one and try that.

I would like to save the piece and see if i can figure out a way to fix the soft decal.

I am surprised there are not more fixes for this, every MB CLK I looked at had this problem. And I looked at at least 20 cars.

Rudeney

No garage should be without a few plastic wedges or trim tools. Even if not working on the car, sometimes a good plastic tool is just the ticket to pop plastic parts open without scratching or breaking them. You could also try a "popsicle stick" or other slim wood slat. Just push the tool in between the bottom edge of the part and the padded dash and pry out. It's just held in place by six or seven plastic tabs. Keep prying firmly but gently, insert the wedge (or popsicle stick) up under the center. It will eventually pop loose.

As for the gooey soft-touch coating, you can remove it - just use a microfiber cloth and a good surface cleaner (I like Pledge Multi-surface) and rub until the coating comes off. It will then just be a solid plain piece of plastic. The indicator arrows are molded into the plastic (for being back-lit) so they won't be bothered. Actually, you don't have to remove the piece to clean it.

Evileye

Purchased the 2009 CLK air vent panel piece from Mercedes to replace the sticky one that was on mine. I used a credit card to slide behind then a plastic spatula (George Foreman grill cleaner) to get behind that and pried it up and "pop" it came. The new one snapped in place no problem. Then I used mineral spirits to rub down the stickiness on the old one and it is now like new. Pictures attached.

Rudeney

LOL! I have also had a George Foreman Grill, and the spatula makes a nice plastic wedge tool. If you are ever looking for some good plastic tools, I have found the toolwarehouse.net to be a good place that sells them at a reasonable price.

mitviet

hey guys, what are these plastic 'wedges' or trim tools that you are talking about? what do they look like? I have many plastic paint removal scrapers in different sizes : are these the same as plastic wedges?

Evileye

Yes, really any plastic piece that is thin and firm. I started the space for the Foreman grill cleaner with a Walgreens preferred customer wallet card, a little thinner than a credit card. Basically laminated paper. Then once the space was made I slid the Foreman grill cleaner (looks like a spatula) behind that and pried the center air vent panel off.

Rudeney

Here are a few I like:

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-65...ody-21730.aspx
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-19...ent-df609.aspx
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-24...raper-set.aspx
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-18...atic-4524.aspx

Clkboi

does this piece come in CF?

Evileye

What is CF? From MB it comes in the various interior colors. BTW I used mineral spirits on the old piece that had this sticky film on it and after some vigorous rubbing it all came off. I then put some Armor All on it and appears like new again. So I now have an extra piece.

Rudeney

I assume CF = carbon fiber. I haven't seen that, but I supposed someone out there could make one, or at least replicate it with the stick-on CF stuff.

California

If anyone wants my OEM gray vents and round plastic disc thingie, let me know. I slightly dinged the plastic "chrome" trim on the side of the vents and bought a new piece -- also my plastic disc is fine i used a credit card to take it off. You can buy that plastic chrome trim on ebay cheap for a perfection repair.