Hello,
If you intend to replace your “vanilla” grille with the Panamericana or the diamond versions, here is how you do it.
1. You buy the grille from a Chinese eBay seller for about $150. Make sure the seller is in China otherwise it costs more.
The picture above is from the eBay seller but it shows the before look. The grille is inserted in the bumper. The AMG look bumper is different and will not accept this grille.
2. Buy the LED star that specifies for C/A class 2017-2019 from a Chinese eBay seller for about $40.
There are 2 important features on the LED star because there are about 4-5 different types and there are not interchangeable. The most important is the thickness of the star. It should be about 3/4” not thicker, or it will not fit with the radar sensor (I will insert a picture when I get mine from China). If you don’t have that sensor then other may work. The other important feature is the 2 diametrically opposed clips circled in red. They must be present and one should be positioned at one of the star spokes. If you don’t have these and the thickness is ok you will have to get very creative with Dremmel and glue to make it work.
3. It helps if you have a lift otherwise lift the front on jack stands or if you only have a jack you can do it one side at a time.
4. Remove screws that are holding the front bottom corner piece and remove the piece. There is also a plastic fastener.
5. Remove the side plastic fasteners and 2-3 plastic nuts that are holding the wheel well black plastic front half cover. Remove the cover, it will make your life easier.
6. Unclip the black plastic wheel well arch protector where it meets the bumper and release it from the bumper.
7. Remove the 2 screws located inside the bumper at the joint between the bumper and the top piece of the fender. You need a long extension, they’re almost invisible.
8. Do the same on the other side.
9. Remove top screws, there are 7 or 8.
10. Remove 2 screws located at the extremities.
11. Under the bumper you will find 3 torx head screws at the joint between the bumper and bottom front paneling, remove them.
12. On the RH behind the black wheel well cover that you removed you will find 2 connectors that you will disconnect. You may need to cut a tie wrap.
13. On the LH you will disconnect the temperature sensor connector.
14. Now you will wiggle the front bumper carefully and pull it forward for about 4 inches. You have now access to the fog lamps connectors. Undo those. If you have a helper here it would be great.
‘Remember that now you are messing with what are being called in automotive A surfaces so be patient and careful not to scratch or damage anything.
15. Now pull the bumper away and place it on a table.
16. Using a piece of wood and a hammer gently tap the center star counterclockwise until it releases.
17. Behind it there is a bracket holding the front radar. Disconnect the connector and remove the bracket together with the radar unit. Mount it on the new grille.
18. Below that is the front camera. Remove the clip holding it and release the camera.
19. Cut all the zip ties holding this cable to the grille. Pull the zip tie clips and mount them on the new grille.
20. The grille is held on to the bumper by a lot of clips but only clips. Try to release one at a corner and create a gap between the grille and the bumper. Once you’ve done that the grille will release easy.
21. Install the new grille in the bumper, route the cable and secure with zip ties. Reconnect connector and mount the camera and it’s clip.
22. Now is time to preinstall the LED cable. The LH front headlight is held by only 3 screws (yellow) and one connector and if you remove it you will have room for next step.
23. Use a ring connector to install the ground wire to one of the 2 ground posts visible below (red).
24. Remove the fuse box cover. You will see through the fuse holders a hole on the bottom on the box that you can use to fish the positive wire through.
25. Get an inline fuse jumper similar to the one below from auto store and connect a male blade connector to one end and the other end to the LED red wire.
26. Inserit the blade connector in the spot marked below. Do not try to find a parking light line to tap, there isn’t one. That fuse spot was left by MB there specifically for the center star power supply and is on with ignition on. Check with meter that you have 12V with ignition on at the wire. Use 5A or 2.5A fuse.
27. As MB WIS instructions say, installation is the reverse of all of the above.
In the end it looks like this and I am very happy with it.
Just installed mine following your directions, appreciate the post! Removing that bumper was a ***** lol never again but hey, 6 hours later and I’m $600 richer 👍🏻
Just installed mine following your directions, appreciate the post! Removing that bumper was a ***** lol never again but hey, 6 hours later and I’m $600 richer 👍🏻
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