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Making doors on the 214 open wider? Longer check strap?
One real issue I have with my fairly new 214 all terrain wagon is the drivers door (actually all doors) don’t open as wide as they did on my 2019 e450 wagon. This makes getting in and out of the car much more difficult as I use a wheelchair and I can’t get the wheelchair in far enough next to the seat to do a confident transfer into the car.
The solution actually may not be all that complicated I’m thinking. The check strap bolts to the car body with a single bolt as you can see in my slightly blurred picture. If I were to remove this bolt and gently open the door further just to make sure the hinges had the capability and the door was not going to hit maybe I could get another 2 or 3 inches of door opening (closer to 90 degrees) and this would greatly help.
The question is before I try doing so is a nut welded to the inside panel where the check strap meets the body. If not it could be a disaster if the nut dropped inside the panel and crest a huge problem. If I knew it was welded inside it couldn’t hurt to simply remove the bold and see how much wider the door opens.
If this works the check strap could be lengthened or perhaps even a check strap off a older 213 model. Not sure why mb limited the door opening on these cars more than likely safety concerns like everything else on this model.
I guess I probably should consult with a good body shop before I proceed with this modification. If somebody on these forums still has a older 213 could you please post a picture of the door check strap on this thread. If this part were interchangeable this might do the trick. All I need to do is the drivers door.
Last edited by 2012 merc amg; Mar 17, 2025 at 11:15 PM.
A nut will not drop if you take the bolt out, you'll be fine.
Thanks, I didn't figure it would but I'm approaching this mod carefully. I'm going to meet with a MB Certified body manager soon and see if they can help me with this mod. I'm being very cautious to not cause damage to the car. If someone reading this has a 2018 to 2020 MB E450 wagon I'd appreciate the same picture I took of this limiting strap on this thread so I can compare the two. I suspect it must be longer as I know the doors on my 2019 E450 wagon opened much wider. The other issue is it looks like the hinges might have door limiter stops which might also need modification for the door to open wider.
Thanks, I didn't figure it would but I'm approaching this mod carefully. I'm going to meet with a MB Certified body manager soon and see if they can help me with this mod. I'm being very cautious to not cause damage to the car. If someone reading this has a 2018 to 2020 MB E450 wagon I'd appreciate the same picture I took of this limiting strap on this thread so I can compare the two. I suspect it must be longer as I know the doors on my 2019 E450 wagon opened much wider. The other issue is it looks like the hinges might have door limiter stops which might also need modification for the door to open wider.
If you are able to make the modification to allow the door to open further, you will probably have a difficult time reaching the armrest in the door when closing it from inside the car. When the door is fully opened my wife and I struggle to pull it closed while sitting in the car.
If you are able to make the modification to allow the door to open further, you will probably have a difficult time reaching the armrest in the door when closing it from inside the car. When the door is fully opened my wife and I struggle to pull it closed while sitting in the car.
I think that depends on your height and length of your arms.
I’d be afraid of running the risk of damage to the door during a wind gust or slinging open on a steep decline. We’ve all seen door damage due to hyper extension.
I met with a guy at a Mercedes certified body shop and he recommended I not do this modification. The solution for me will probably be getting rid of the car sooner than I thought. As I get older it’s only gonna get harder getting in and out of this car. It’s a shame because my S class 4 door is so easy to get in and out. I guess for me the solution will probably be a Honda oddessey mini van or something like that.
Going to look at a Toyota Crown Signia. Has a lot of the features of the benz for around 35 grand less. Of course not as much power and I'm sure not as nice but might be an option for me as at least I'll be able to comfortably get into the car. The door opens much wider and the seat is in a far better position. I dunno why Benz had to go change it over my 2019 E450 Wagon? No way can I deal with it long term.
Last edited by 2012 merc amg; Apr 2, 2025 at 10:33 PM.
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