I am in the process of re-covering my door panel speaker covers...If anyone is interested in a do it yourself on this I am more then willing to take some pics and answer any ?s....let me know...Thanks

 

I've recently done this on my SL600. The speaker grilles are available as spare parts, costing about $30 for the large ones and $20 for the smaller ones. Actually, I found that soaking the old ones in household detergent improved them alot, so you only need to purchase new ones if the old ones are actually damaged and not just dirty.

You will need to remove the door panel which involves removing a handful of screws (in my car, two in the storage bin, one behind the SRS logo, 3 on the chrome door jam and one around the door lock. You can then lever the panel away from the door with a flat wide blade. I recommend you buy some spare door panel clips since these often break when the panel is removed. You will also need to remove the triangular panel covering the door mirror fixing. Make a note of how the door rubber seals sit before you do.

You will need to disconnect the electrical connectors to the seat control and the door courtesy light. You will also need to disconnect the cable to the door release lever. Make a note of how the hook engages with the lever.

The grilles can then be replaced by undoing some self-tapping screws and all you then have to do is put everything back in reverse order. I recommend you disconnect the battery if your door has air bags to avoid any possibility of detonation. The air-bag is riveted to the door.

If your speaker grilles are stained, this is a worthwhile afternoon's work to improve the appearance of your car.

 

Blue,

I have spent a great part of this rainy afternoon reading threads in this forum. I have been really impressed with the dialogue exchange, as I am the proud new owner of a 1996 Black Opal SL500. I have admired these cars since the 1990 introduction (had to buy a house w/ 3 car garage before the wife would give the nod).

At any rate, I wanted to change my speaker grilles as well, and the dealership quoted me $80 for the large and $50 for the small. I have searched the net and called around. I have not found anyone that carries replacement grilles. If anyone has this info, I would greatly appreciate it.

I look forward to being an active member of this forum.

 

Hmmm, I think I got the prices wrong then, maybe that is what I paid in pounds so multiply by 1.6. Even so, the dealer prices you're being quoted are higher than I expected.

I replaced my grey ones but the old ones were only grubby, not damaged. If it is just accumulated dirt, they clean up well soaked in household detergent. However, if they are damaged through being kicked or the material has "pulled", replacing is the only option with the standard Mercedes part. I don't think it would be possible to replace the fabric as it is glued around the edge of the frame on the reverse side. Just be grateful you don't have to replace the whole panel...

Of course, you have to take the door panel off to remove them for cleaning. Ideally, you need to decide whether they will clean up well before starting out. Otherwise, if you decide they have to be replaced, you'll have the door panel off and need to order the part. I'd definitely recommend not putting the door panel back on until you are done because the more times you remove it, the more likely it will get bent or damaged itself. It would also be a good idea to order some of the press studs which fit around the panel and press into the door, they can break when the panel is removed and cost pennies. From memory, there are 8 or 9 press studs on each panel.

Best way to get the panel off is to use a flat blade, like a 1 or 2 inch filling knife inserted between the door and the panel to gently lever the panel away from the door all the way round. You want to apply even pressure to avoid marring any visible surface. The panel hooks onto the door along the top edge and is held in place with the press studs and the screws.

When the panel comes off, note carefully how the chrome door handle connects to the cable which opens the door. There's a plastic clip which holds the end of the cable and because I didn't think of it, I couldn't remember how they connected and had to take the other panel off to see.

In true Mercedes style, the fixings are hidden, so if it doesn't come off easily, you've missed one of the screws. The main one holding the panel to the door is reached through the front wall of the door pocket. If you look inside the door pocket with a flashlight, there is a small plastic cap which you can prise off, which will expose a large self tapping screw which taps into a captive nut in a bracket riveted to the door. This is the screw which takes the strain when you pull on the door handle to close the door. There's three more screws on the chrome door jam, one more on the side wall of the door pocket towards the back and one more behind the SRS badge which pulls out - be gentle with that because it has barbs on it which hold it in place.

I don't want to make it sound a difficult job - it's not providing you take your time and really improves the interior appearance of the car. The speaker grilles tend to pick up scuffs from shoes, especially if you have to get in or out in a confined space.

My car is the same age as yours, so if you have any specific questions, I'll be pleased to answer them.