Speakerdude

Long story short:

I have a bad front left actuator. I have the interior door panel off, screws out of the door for the actuator, loosened the allen screw for the handle, cannot get the exterior handle off. I have searched several forums and cannot find the procedure for the front door. If anyone knows how to take the handle off I would GREATLY appreciate the input.

Thanks:

Steve

DSPTurtle

I could use the exact same information!!! I am working on the same issue right now. And, I have an '83 944. Wait, are we the same person?

55fanatic

there are two allen screws the you can barely see... I believe benzworld has a good write up, search for machine gun door locks

mihir_d

These things are expensive...but around $210 is the cost of the actuator itself, so I am not feeling too bad paying for about 2.5 hours of labor for 2 door panels...

55fanatic

Its not that difficult of a job... I did mine last fall... the first one I did took me forever... if I had to do it again, MUCH MUCH quicker... whole process should take about an hour or so... you do need to be very careful as you work behind the air bag... I drilled out the rivets on my door and moved the air bag, did my work and used 4 new rivets to attach it

mihir_d

Looking back at my service history, all 5 of them (including the hatch) on my 2000 ML320 have been replaced by now..

The 2 front door ones were replaced under warranty in the first 4 years...and 3rd one failed in the 6th year and 2 more failed recently in the 9th year.

It seems to me like poor quality manufacturing more than being a design flaw...Made in Mexico?

I am just praying they don't go bad anymore...even with a DIY, just the cost of the actuator hurts...