Greetings,

The Question:
Can one replace an instrument cluster on an 2003 E320 and have it work properly?

I have been told and read it can ONLY be coded for your vehicle by MB dealers.

I have also read about people who claim to have replaced the cluster and coded it themselves some how. How they properly manage to code it they don't explain.

I have an instrument cluster that MB says I should replace. It won't pull codes, and I have some permanent idiot lights on and its not holding on too its history either.

At $1000 for a part I can find for $100-150 and is four screws and a connection this is hard to swallow, but I don't want to get a cluster to find out it won't solve anything.

Thanks in advanced.

 

You could certainly use any cluster from a W211 and it does not need to be coded by dealer. Only issue is that if you want to keep car's original mileage, you will need to swap your IC's chip into the donor cluster, otherwise, your donor cluster will show dashes ------ in mileage reading. There are some threads on this forum on how to swap the chips, just do a search.

 

then what is the coding for that people talk about on the boards?

I am not concerned about milages, but more concerned about having accurate readouts of my problems.

 

You will find all sorts of stories out there. I've swapped ICs a few times, mine is now an AMG, but my car is not☺ If you swap and run into problems, you could always go back to your stock IC, but I don't believe you'd have issues if you did it by swapping chips.

 

How do I find out if a 2004 E320 IC will fit in a 2003 E320?

I can't find a site for parts numbers.

Mercedes is new to me and I am not having as much luck as I thought I would online for this.

Thanks

 

Removal: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...eplacement.htm

Board swap current to replacement for mileage (CLK – same for 211): https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...ml#post6787959

See attachment for compatible part #s.

 

Thanks...Greatly appreciated......


This wasn't suppose to be a project car, but one, but I want to keep it now, so..........

 

Get yourself an IC for your W211 off eBay with speed limit no higher than 160. A few AMG ICs go higher than 160.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but what is AMG? (After Market Gauges?)

Do you agree there is no need to code a new cluster? If not what does the coding do that people talk about?

I haven't seen it specifically stated, but a 2004 E320 IC should work in a 2003 E320 from what I have gathered.

It seems 2003-2006 should all work for an E320.

 

"AMG stands for "Aufrecht Melcher Grossaspach," which comes from Hans Werner Aufrecht (A) and Erhard Melcher (M) who were the two main partners, while Aufrecht's birthplace of Grossaspach (G) is the third letter in the name of an independent division of Mercedes-Benz. It basically designs and manufactures all the AMG vehicles of Mercedes-Benz. AMG vehicle's engine are hand built on their famous "one man, one engine " philosophy. Each AMG engine builder stamps the engines they produce with an engraved plaque depicting their signature. According to Mercedes-Benz, there are only about 50 AMG engine builders." Quora.com

No need to code, as you'd be swapping chips and would not be necessary. A dealer would code a new IC getting installed in any car to match it with that car.

Yes, a 2004, 2005, and a 2006 E320/350 would work with a 2003 E320 IC.

 

I wasn't planning on swapping the chips. Is that a bad idea not too swap chips?

 

When people said chip I thought it was one chip, but it seems to be the entire back board?

I am worried about disconnecting all of the connections because of its age.

 

That is very interesting information.

Thanks. I appreciate it. As I have had a HUGE influx of Mercedes info in the past week.

 

If you're not up to the task, there are some repair outlets and here's one I found online, they charge $400.

http://www.fastoem.com/products/MBZ-...s-Cluster.html

 

I have just been to the AMG plant in Affalterbach and there are definitely more than 50 engine assemblers. They also make the V12 biturbo's in Manheim so the AMG division grew a lot lately, thanks to the american market (as they pointed out).
The new 600HP 4L V8 biturbo