Wear on cloth covering lower B-pillar...is there a fix?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 234
Likes: 2
2006 E320 CDI
Wear on cloth covering lower B-pillar...is there a fix?
My 2006 E320 CDI sedan has the (stupid) feature of cloth covering the lower B-pillar that forms part of the front door frame. I have the seat set back as appropriate for my 6'1" height and that means whenever I sit down I slide over the cloth covering, so it has (in 36,000 miles of use) worn through and looks like hell.
It was idiotic of MB to use cloth on a wear surface, instead of plastic or something more durable, but, hey, German car manufacturers do stupid things like that (yeah, I own a BMW, too).
Anyway, is there a known fix other than replacing the worn cloth with a new piece which one can, presumably, buy from MB at a ridiculously high cost? (And that will, promptly start to wear out).
What that wear area really needs is a durable covering.
Anyone have a good/permanent fix?
- nocbs
It was idiotic of MB to use cloth on a wear surface, instead of plastic or something more durable, but, hey, German car manufacturers do stupid things like that (yeah, I own a BMW, too).
Anyway, is there a known fix other than replacing the worn cloth with a new piece which one can, presumably, buy from MB at a ridiculously high cost? (And that will, promptly start to wear out).
What that wear area really needs is a durable covering.
Anyone have a good/permanent fix?
- nocbs
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,365
Likes: 61
2006 E320 CDI 2014 C63 507 Coupe 2012 E550 4M 2016 E63s Wagon
I was suffering from the same issue, so I went to the dealer and ordered the B-pilar trim panel. Part# off my invoice is for 211-79-26-7F77 $147.
I followed 65aircooled DIY for the most part. The 45 torx bit is required, and I also have a set of plastic trim removal tools, which aren't necessary, but help.
As noted I removed the seatbelt bolt, door weather stripping, and door sills.
I removed the old panel with all the clips attached - yellow and black. I then removed the clips from the old panel and re-installed the yellow clips on the car and the black clips on the new panel.
The seatbelt hight adjustment must be removed from the old panel and re-installed. Pulling one edge of the panel should allow enough room to release the peice from its track. I cleaned mine at this point.
Reinstalling the panel care should be taken to pull the seatbelt thru, and align the seabelt height adjuster correctly. There is a circular part that needs to seat in the adjuster, and the spring loaded lever needs to actuate correctly. Press the panel into the yellow clips on the car and press the top black clips on the panel into the car's slots. Replace the sill, weatherstripping and seatbelt bolt.
Good as new.
I followed 65aircooled DIY for the most part. The 45 torx bit is required, and I also have a set of plastic trim removal tools, which aren't necessary, but help.
As noted I removed the seatbelt bolt, door weather stripping, and door sills.
I removed the old panel with all the clips attached - yellow and black. I then removed the clips from the old panel and re-installed the yellow clips on the car and the black clips on the new panel.
The seatbelt hight adjustment must be removed from the old panel and re-installed. Pulling one edge of the panel should allow enough room to release the peice from its track. I cleaned mine at this point.
Reinstalling the panel care should be taken to pull the seatbelt thru, and align the seabelt height adjuster correctly. There is a circular part that needs to seat in the adjuster, and the spring loaded lever needs to actuate correctly. Press the panel into the yellow clips on the car and press the top black clips on the panel into the car's slots. Replace the sill, weatherstripping and seatbelt bolt.
Good as new.
Last edited by rediesel; Jan 6, 2015 at 01:45 PM.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 234
Likes: 2
2006 E320 CDI
Thanks...
I'm thinking that what you did was replace like for like with a new part from the dealer. The price is not as bad as I feared, but you end up with the same crappy fabric material that will immediately start to wear. Mine was showing wear in 30,000 miles or less. Would be nice if MB had an equivalent part from, say, their taxi fleet models that is made of a nice durable plastic. Be happy to replace both sides, even.
Thank you for the input, though. If I decide to sell the thing, I may just do as you say to make the car more saleable.
I do wish MB engineers used their brains a bit more before making these silly choices. I wonder if the crummy fabric survived the 2007 update on the W211. If it did, then they truly are brain dead and deaf as I'm sure they had plenty of *****es by then from owners of early W211s. $50,000+ and you damage the car every time you get in thanks to this nonsense. Sheesh!
- nopcbs
Thank you for the input, though. If I decide to sell the thing, I may just do as you say to make the car more saleable.
I do wish MB engineers used their brains a bit more before making these silly choices. I wonder if the crummy fabric survived the 2007 update on the W211. If it did, then they truly are brain dead and deaf as I'm sure they had plenty of *****es by then from owners of early W211s. $50,000+ and you damage the car every time you get in thanks to this nonsense. Sheesh!
- nopcbs
I was suffering from the same issue, so I went to the dealer and ordered the B-pilar trim panel. Part# off my invoice is for 211-79-26-7F77 $147.
I followed 65aircooled DIY for the most part. The 45 torx bit is required, and I also have a set of plastic trim removal tools, which aren't necessary, but help.
As noted I removed the seatbelt bolt, door weather stripping, and door sills.
I removed the old panel with all the clips attached - yellow and black. I then removed the clips from the old panel and re-installed the yellow clips on the car and the black clips on the new panel.
The seatbelt hight adjustment must be removed from the old panel and re-installed. Pulling one edge of the panel should allow enough room to release the peice from its track. I cleaned mine at this point.
Reinstalling the panel care should be taken to pull the seatbelt thru, and align the seabelt height adjuster correctly. There is a circular part that needs to seat in the adjuster, and the spring loaded lever needs to actuate correctly. Press the panel into the yellow clips on the car and press the top black clips on the panel into the car's slots. Replace the sill, weatherstripping and seatbelt bolt.
Good as new.
I followed 65aircooled DIY for the most part. The 45 torx bit is required, and I also have a set of plastic trim removal tools, which aren't necessary, but help.
As noted I removed the seatbelt bolt, door weather stripping, and door sills.
I removed the old panel with all the clips attached - yellow and black. I then removed the clips from the old panel and re-installed the yellow clips on the car and the black clips on the new panel.
The seatbelt hight adjustment must be removed from the old panel and re-installed. Pulling one edge of the panel should allow enough room to release the peice from its track. I cleaned mine at this point.
Reinstalling the panel care should be taken to pull the seatbelt thru, and align the seabelt height adjuster correctly. There is a circular part that needs to seat in the adjuster, and the spring loaded lever needs to actuate correctly. Press the panel into the yellow clips on the car and press the top black clips on the panel into the car's slots. Replace the sill, weatherstripping and seatbelt bolt.
Good as new.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 485
Likes: 31
From: Concord, CA
'13 E350 . M276
I had a friend of mine who had an '04 w211 and had same problem. What he did was rather smart, he went to a junk yard with his box cutter and got a piece of leather from another MB seat that was in decent shape and he basically glued it to the his worn out cloth panel. He did it right before he sold car, and I remember it looking nice since leather pieces were kinda dark grey, and car's interior was the lighter grey.
I have not had this problem, but that is what I would do if it came down to it.
I have not had this problem, but that is what I would do if it came down to it.
