bmms8

believe it or not, there is a fridge in the E-class. we were on a long drive yesterday, dads going slow, nothing special, so what does a kid do, read the manual again. i thought i learned everything about the E-class in the manual but i was wrong. i am really amazed by how the A/C works in the 500. i think it might be the same in the 320, but i didnt read that part. it shows how it will automatically turn on the charcoal filter, or the air circulation. it describes a lot of things about the 4-zone A/C. i was reading it and if you look in your center console thing, like the center armrest, there are 2 pockets underneath, one is very small, like 2 inches deep, and the bottom one is a lot bigger. the bottom one can be used as a fridge, or a heater. if you look in our manual under the A/C part, it shows how you can let in the A/C being used from your car into that space. so on a long drive, if the A/C is on about 70 degrees, the compartment will be about 70 degrees. it is not a lot of air blowing into it though. very slow, and not to much, but it is there. and it is big enough to hold cans, or water bottles, just something i thought was very cool

drb

This feature was in my 01 E320.

MJH53

Also in my 99 E320 and I think it was in my 99 SL(?)

Callaway

Yes.

I think it is only for the Thematronic and not the Thermatic system on the 320.

northbenz

The first minivan in the US - beating Chrysler's Caravan by months was from Toyota and included as an option a "cool box" that even had its own miniature ice cube maker!) Like the feature you refer to in the E it ran completely off the air conditioning system.

bmms8

wow, what a piece of **** design, tell me how kids are not going to get the ice and just throw it around in the car...and that must use a lot of power!


MB- Dissaproval for toyota

mwillems

Maybe rtfm, but... how do I stop the bottom compartment from heating up? IT's very hot and some things I keep in there melt. My old C had a lever to set to "ventilate" or "off" - this caar does not appear to have that lever.

Mike

jim256

There is a lever/slide to open and close the air vent within the armrest console. The manual describes it.

bmms8

yea it is at the very front, you can see it, because there is a groove, that is the handle

mwillems

I see the grooved area, sort of chevrons, but can see no way to pull any lever or anything.

Definitely RTFM time.

Michael

etenn

The "chevrons" are the handle. Just push (hard) up or down and it just slides the cover over the vent.

I had a hard time with this also.

Ed

mrsingh

wheres the fridge... or is it just a coller box?

cant seem to locate the fridge ?

bmms8

hey mr singh, are you indian? it isnt a fridge, in your center compartment, you can let the a/c air go in it. there is a lever in the front of it, try to find it in daylight, just push it up

jabo

The forward surface of the compartment has an arrow like gray plastic "chevron" that points down.

Below the arrow is a horizontal ridge that can be forced to slide up or down to open and close this vent. Give it a frim grasp and push or pull up.

Mine seemed to be immovable at first but did eventually work.

Not gonna make any cubes in here.

benggolf

It is efficient enough to keep a couple Coke or beer cans really cold?

jabo

Hehe, I can't say much about the chilling effect because I haven't had occasion to run the A/C, but I would expect that it will stay MUCH cooler than the cabin since it is enclosed and directly cooled at a much lower temp.

The warming effect actually makes the items VERY warm, it might melt butter.

YMMV.

androza

You mean we can eat lobster dinners in our E's?

drb

Note to self: tell Jeeves to take the Grey Poupon back to the Bentley.

oggle

My dad's Sentra has a air conditioner in the glove compartment. Does that count?

mrsingh

Yes bmms8, I am a Sikh.