efonz

How can I remove the self level headlight motor from the xenon headlight housing? It is connected via two ball and socket joints
that I cant afford to break. I have seen them successfully removed from the housing in images but I just searched the w211 forum
and cant find anything explaining how to remove it. Its probably not that hard, but I'm just not seeing it right now. someone plz help.

this is on a 03-06 bi-xenon headlight.

konigstiger

Is this what you're looking for...

Stuttgarten

A couple of months ago, I changed my dead self-leveling motors which I bought from China. Luckily they're now working fine. However, the removal and installation of those motors was a nightmare. In the PDF attached by Konigstiger, in step #4, they refer to a proper tool to unlock the ball head from the female socket. What is that proper tool, I'm not sure. I used a small flat screwdriver and a buddy helped me with it. I could not believe the amount of force needed to separate them, and as we were trying to pry them apart, the entire light mechanism internal assembly started to wobble, so I tried to stabilize that part using screws and a metal bracket to prevent movement while we attempted the prying operation. The problem is you also have virtually no room to work inside that area. The female socket is made of plastic and appeared somewhat flexible but getting the ball out was atrocious, and it was just as complicated to insert the new motor ball in there. The entire process took about 8 hours. While working on it, many times I thought I was going to have to buy new headlights believing I would damage it in my attempts to install the new motors, but I got spared.

The red arrow points to that mechanism where the ball head is hidden inside the female socket. I'm wondering what would happen if you pushed the black tab right at the blue arrow and if that would release it. I did not do that. I just noticed it as I was reviewing the picture.

efonz

Thank you for the PDF Konigstiger per usual most reliable source of information.

Stuttgarten, I know exactly the experience you described in attempting to remove the ball and socket joint.
I also thought I was going to break it any second and just sit there with no one to blame. except this time
i win. well sort of, i didnt break it and actually managed to remove it but shortly thereafter I realized that
in my case it should have and was thenceforward very easy to disassemble. Reason is because I have the
headlight open and did not realize at the moment that somewhere in the middle between the plastic gear
and the enclosed pivot ball joint there is a point where it can be unscrewed and separated into 2 parts. of
course this being an option if you have the headlight lens removed etc.

Reason I am doing this is because this past weekend I have been removing everything inside a pair of xenon
headlights (with broken tabs) into my halogen headlight housings (no broken tabs) and although I wont have
auto level feature I do plan on it and have since bought the module and wiring that goes under the seat, I have
a friend who has an independent shop that installed an arnott coil over conversion kit so since he is familiar with
the airmatic nightmare issues i have had and i hear the two are related I figuered I should also swap the headlight
motor into the halogen housing as well. I have both headlights ready to mount back on the car now so hopefully everything
works out ok.

Stuttgarten

Sounds like you have a great project to finish. This is what I love about the W211 is that you could do a lot of work on them yourself. Yes, having the headlight open and apart gives much better access, but if all you have is the rear hatch for access, you literally have no room to work. Good luck on your project, let's know how it turns out!

efonz

I JUST TURNED IT ON EVERYTHING WORKS! OMG IM SO HAPPY
RIGHT NOW. HAHAHA ITS DA BEZZZTTTT
I LOVE IT. AND I HAVE EVERYONE HERE ON THE FORUMS TO THX
FOR TAKING THE TIME TO POST AND INFORM OTHERS. FEEL LIKE
A KID ALL OVER AGAIN. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO INDIRECTLY
HELPED ALONG THE WAY.

MUCH LOVE

EFONZZ

Tranman

I know this is an old thread, but would you happen to have the part numbers for the auto leveling numbers or know where I can get them? My driver's side isn't auto leveling and pointing down.

UPDATE: I think I found it - Hella 734857-02, right?

Stuttgarten

This is the website where I purchased motors and lens covers. Motors are not sold as separate items by MB dealer, you've got to buy entire light assembly.

http://www.oemxenonshop.com/Mercedes...placement.html

bobgodd

You said there are motors here?

Tranman

Thanks for the link. I found this forum post and seems like it's worth a shot to see if it fixes my issue before I order a new headlight adjustment motor.

https://mbworld.org/forums/cls-coupe...motor-fix.html

Stuttgarten

They don't show those motors on the website, but if you mail them year and make they'll send you a quote.