Early 210 door handle receiver, help!
 

Surely I can't be the only person to ever have this problem. I can't find the right string of words to find anything in the search results.

97 E class with the lousy style remote. Uses those little three color plastic receivers in the door handle and trunk. The one in my driver's door is cracked, broken, looks bad and won't work. I don't think you can buy them without a door handle. Hope I'm wrong. But even if I can find a used handle, will my key talk to it? Anyone have some good info/experience on this thing? Over 30 years dealing with these cars, first time I've run into this. I think I need to look in the 140 and 202 forums also, maybe the same issue.
Appreciate any help you can offer. Thanks.

you can point the remote at your rearview mirror instead I guess.

OK,
 

thanks for that deep insight. But that's not me, not only does it not work but it looks bad. I have confirmed that this piece is NLA from MB, and you must buy an entire door handle ($500). It would appear that what I need is a used door handle from a early 210 or 202 so I can hijack the reciever out of it. If anyone is parting one, or knows of one being parted, please let me know....

The piece you're looking for is almost certainly available from Aurora Auto Wrecking in Seattle, WA:

Aurora Auto Wrecking
9217 Aurora Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103-3292
(800) 426-6464

One word of caution. They charge shipping both ways, even if they screw up. I paid $20 in round trip shipping on a $45 part because they sent me one from a pre-facelift W210 rather than a post-facelift. They screwed up & admitted it, but still refused to pay the return shipping. I'd make absolutely certain they had the right piece in hand before I gave them my CC info. Depending upon the size & price, I might even go so far as to demand a photo.

Thank you...
 

for that info. I have never used them, but it can't hurt to try.

These handles with the infrared are just like having a key made. One from another car won't work, at least not with your remote. Mine got brittle and cracked, I picked out the plastic, the red and green inner pieces are still there and work. I thought about replacing the driver door handle with a rear handle. Or pay for the right one. I may call around as the prices vary, but you need to take your registration and ID like buying a key.

Interesting...
 

as this is the opposite of what my wrench and the parts guy at our Benz store tell me. they say it's nothing but a light show, and that all instructions from the key come to the receiver in ther mirror unit. the whole thing is quite frustrating....

Did you give Aurora a call? If you could get a salvaged part at a decent price it may be worth a try. I'm not sure how these things are put together, but maybe you could remove the lens from a donor handle to replace cracked lens in yours. That way all of the electronics would stay the same, and you'd have a better looking lens. I realize that would mean throwing down an exorbitant amount of cash for such a small piece, but if it's important enough to you then that won't matter.

Precisely....
 

that's exactly what I had in mind. I just have not found a driver's door handle for one yet. There have been a few on ebay, very reasonably priced ($30-60), but there is just not one out there right now. Yes, I was just going to steal the little lens out of it and go on. Just looks really bad.
Any help is appreciated, thank you.

Since you're just going to steal the lens is it possible that a passenger side one would work if it came available first?

Have you tried Aurora Auto Wrecking as listed above? I bet they'd have a driver handle.

Or get a piece of plastic of some kind (clear or smoked) and glue it in place.

Or some type of silicone and fill the space and trim the excess.

Uh, no....
 

I won't be doing any gluing/siliconing etc. Not my style.