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Hi, just purchased a 2011 GLK350 and am in the market for a few parts that I'd like to replace. The center console's armrest hinges on the driver's side broken. I'd like to replace with a new or good used part. The entire upper structure is one-piece. I've noticed that some parts are similar but their profiles are smaller than mine. To better explain, my cup holders are staggered or stair-stepped. Rear cup holder is higher than the front cup holder. This stair-stepped cup holder is a larger profile than those cup holders that are one or equal level. Please see photo: top (mine) v. bottom. All said, I've pulled the center console armrest structure and have recorded the part number on the bottom of the cup holder. That part is.... A204 680 20 39, please
see photo. Colour is almond beige, according to VIN Decoder. Any thoughts on where to search for this item would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to all who reply.
I've had great luck with eBay for things like this. I entered your part number, and get some "kinda hits" - not sure it's what your vehicle has (it's very different than my 2011 or 2012 GLK center console). FWIW, the 2012 console driver-side cover (the one that is the longer armrest) hinge was broken, and I cobbled together a repair for it using some strap steel and screws. Works fine, and is only a little ugly when the compartment is open (0.0001% of the time). ;-)
Thank you for the reply and sorry for late response. I have been checking on Ebay for some minor parts. As matter of fact, the photo in my initial post of the center console armrest profile shows the center console armrest that I'd received from an Ebay seller. It is the one on the bottom of the two shown. That profile is a bit different than mine. And honestly, not sure why. I have the base model, not the 4matic. Perhaps that is the difference but not sure. Curious on how you made yours work. If possible, could you send some photos? I may be forced to do something similar. The hinge that is broken is the front hinge on the long armrest closest to the driver. I may be thinking of some type of adhesive. Something like an epoxy that works well. I know that it is not PVC, but PVC glue works in matter of seconds and is capable of handling running water in minutes after application. Not implying that PVC glue would work, but need to do some research as to what adhesive will work on plastic. Nonetheless, would like to see a photo of your efforts to correct this broken hinge. Would greatly appreciate it if you could send. Meantime, I'll keep searching Ebay for a solution as well as any salvage yards. Funny thing, it broke for a reason so even if I fix it, how long will it last?
Another interesting observation, while I'm on subject of GLK's, why must the radio be on to view the backuo camera? Is there a way around this? Software update? Seems quite odd for MB.
So far, these are the only two issues that I have noticed: broken hinge on the driver's side center console armrest and this backup camera issue.
Again, greatly appreciate your reply and look forward to your further insight from another GLK owner. Thank you.
You can see my Rube Goldberg fix in the video I did on refinishing the trim panel around the shift lever. Look around 35-60 seconds, and again near the very end of the video. The middle of the video is helpful if your "soft-touch" (aka "don't touch it!!!") paint is chipping. ;-)
It kind of makes sense that the backup camera won't work if the entire rest of the system is shut down. Otherwise, they'd have to keep huge portions of the system powered up for no other reason than the occasional back-up display. You could just put the system into the "most inert mode" you can find, and leave it there, I suppose... but most of us do end up using the radio or GPS or aux pretty regularly, I'd guess...
Thanks again for the reply......paint job looks great from the video that you took. How is it holding up? I agree that soft touch on the original gets pretty beat up over time. Bought a new one from China via Ebay and while a perfect match structurally, it's not quite the same colour. The underside matches but the visible top side is more a washed out lighter beige than the almond that I have. Code on this part is 204 which is a match by code. I went on the VIN decoder and believe that my interior is almond, code: 204. And not code: 205 is savannah beige. Anyway, going to return it and look at a wood grain version.
Regarding your "Rube Goldberg" fix of the hinge, caught a glimpse of it in the video. At your convenience, if you could please take a photo of it and pass it along, that would be helpful and greatly appreciated. I may be doing something very similar.
As for the backup camera, I don't recall any car that I had previously with a backup camera that performed like this. This is my first MB ever so just find it a bit strange for a manufacturer like MB to link it to the radio. I'm guessing that newer models have done away with this. Generally, when I turn off a car, I shut down everything. A/C goes to off, radio goes to off, everything to off. So now I've got to get in the habit of leaving radio on, perhaps no volume, when I start the car. C'est la vie!
Anyway, thanks for your comments....greatly appreciated. And look forward to seeing a photo of your efforts to rectify that console hinge when you find the time. You may have given me an alternative to searching for this part. Thanks.
The car's gotten almost no use, but I do expect that trim to hold up better than the rest of the trim in the car.
Here are a few shots of the "fix" - I used what I had available, and "it ain't my best work", but it does hold the lid on. It took longer than I'd like to admit, as every time I made a little change, I figured out something else that had to be tweaked (like grinding out the material above the screws so the lid would lie flat).
Thanks for photo....and good photo at that. Nice job fixing that hinge. I can see what you meant by grinding out the lid somewhat to compensate for the thickness of the metal piece used to cross over that broken hinge. Makes sense. I may be doing something very similar very soon. I am glad to have removed the console if nothing more than to take some photos of it and note its OEM part number on the underside of the cup holder. I've approached a couple of sellers on Ebay with both the photo showing the two distinct profiles and the OEM part number. Perhaps I will get lucky. If nothing else, maybe someone can shed light on why mine is odd. Thanks again for your information, photos, and encouragement to tackle some of these things myself. Much appreciated.
Hi Bill, thanks for suggestion. I spent last Friday morning at a pick-your-part auto salvage yard in southern California. They had a 2012 GLK 350 in their lot. When I arrived, the console was worse than mine so I passed on removing it. I will continue my search on Ebay and with salvage yards. Thanks again.
Well Habbyguy......I took your lead in repairing that hinge on my center console armrest, specifically the driver's side, which was broken. I used JB Weld Plastic Bonder. I found a small piece of metal, not too thick, and shaped it to the contour of the inside of the armrest so as to not interfere with its closing. I attached it with two #4 screws, straddling the hinge break. I bored out some of the underside of the plastic armrest with a Dremel-type tool until it closed tightly with no play. Happy with the result. Consoles that I purchased in the past via Ebay were the wrong profile. I did reach out to a salvage network, car-part.com, per Bill F.
and found what I believe was the right one and right colour. But given the price, I thought that I'd give this a shot. Thanks for the suggestion, the photos that you'd sent, and to those who recommended other options. Much appreciated.
06-28-2024, 07:46 PM
