Dale B

I'm looking for part number 1298000275. The part has been discontinued. I have looked all over the world to no avail. The part controls the flap in the center AC/heater vent in the dash above the console.


I am totally surprised that the part has been discontinued. I thought that Mercedes supported their cars better than this.


Does anyone have a solution or know where I can get the part?

Plutoe

You have been given very bad information--129 800 02 75 is a good part number !!

Dale B

I know that it is a good part number, but it has been discontinued. As in no longer manufactured. 129 800 02 75 contains a servo that opens and closes a flap in the center AC/heater vent in the center of the dash. It is a common failure as the servo is activated when ever the car is started. If you no longer have air flow from the center vent, you need 129 800 02 75.


I have checked North America, UK, Europe, and Asia looking for this part. If you know where I can find one, I would sure appreciate you letting me know where I can get one. I have looked for NOS everywhere I know to look to no avail. Due to the normal wear that this part experiences, I would rather avoid a used one from a junkyard. That is my last resort.


If you have one, I will buy it.


To anyone that has the capability to manufacture or rebuild this part, there is an opportunity for you as I am not the only one that needs this part. Anyone that drives an R129 will eventually need one. There is no inventory that needs to be flushed out before you can start selling an equal.

Lee Wireless

Can you post a picture of the part?

Lee Wireless

You can also try calling the MB Classic Center for parts. Maybe they can help. " If you need immediate assistance please call 1-866-MB-CLASSIC (622-5277)."

Dale B

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that there was a Classic Center for parts.


I have ordered the part several times from online sources that have said that it was available and then they refunded my money after further checking. I will call the center on Monday.


After a lot of searching with no results, we put the dash back together without taking any pictures. I will try to find a picture online.


My big concern is that apparently some parts are no longer available
and it will only get worse. I just purchased a 1999 SL500 with less than 60K miles. There are a lot of them available with very low miles for a small fraction of the original price. I guess that if Mercedes discontinues the parts, then there is good reason for the low prices.


I had planned to buy a R230, but my mechanic changed my mind when we discussed the high cost of maintenance on a ten year old R230. I still have ownership of a V12 on my bucket list and may have to add a SL600 to the stable, but if parts aren't available it may have to stay on the list.

Lee Wireless

There are plenty of parts out there. I have a 95 SL500 and have had no problem finding any part I've needed from the dealer except a MAF. I found a rebuilt one from Pelican Parts. I can assure you that a junk yard will have the part. Might not be new but the odds are it will work just fine. Isn't yours repairable? What's wrong with it? Also keep you eye on eBay.

Dale B

I believe that this is the correct picture of 1298000275. I haven't opened one up to see what is inside. Mercedes doesn't seem to think that it is serviceable. I am hoping that maybe they will make a small production run, but I'm not holding my breath. Or at least that is what I plan to talk to the Classic Center about.


A junkyard is my last resort. I would rather have a new or rebuilt part. I'm still checking all over the web. My last order was from Nebraska, but they called back with no joy. I have one on order from Latvia, but I expect the same thing. Pelican Parts shows that they have one, but the shelf is empty.


This part is a common failure. I hope that someone will come up with a solution. Maybe I should call Jay Leno?

Lee Wireless

Looks like it comes apart easily. What is actually wrong with your part? Broken diaphragm?

Lee Wireless

https://cpprohomeky.car-part.com/ima...k%23%20E11269#

Dale B

Thanks Lee,

I believe that the part receives an electrical signal and then uses pneumatics to open the flap. Jim, my mechanic, checked to make sure that it was receiving the proper signal and it was. At this point, we aren't sure if the problem is in the electrical side or the pneumatic side of the part. Repair of the part is beyond my expertise and Jim may be able to do it, but I don't believe that I want to pay his rate for him to look into it.

I have had to rebuild parts from my old military vehicles. Try finding a master cylinder for a M35A3. I have field repair manuals and engineering drawings of parts to go by as well as specifications for components. I can figure out what o-rings I need with a little digging. I can figure the size from the drawings and what material from the specifications. I don't believe that that information is available for Mercedes parts.

Thanks for the help.

Dale B

I got this email today as a follow up to my inquiry about part # 129 800 02 75 from Mercedes Benz Classic Center Parts:



BAD NEWS DALE
129 800 02 75 NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND NO REPLACING PART

Kind regards, / Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Jon
________________________________
Jon Siggson
Parts Advisor

MBUSA, LLC

Dale B

The servo on my part 1298000275 is what is bad and decided to buy one of the other servos that controls the side vent and use it as a source for the servo for the center vent. The part number for the unit for each of the side vents is 0018000975. I should have seen this one coming. Part number 0018000975 has been discontinued.


If you have a R129 and have problems with the control of the vents, you are SOL.

Frank_S500

Well, you can still buy the part since it is included in the heater box. A1298302962

Cheers, Frank

Dale B

Thanks Frank. I had not checked on the larger assembly from Mercedes. That is an option. It does increase the cost of the part by a factor of almost ten. I was faced with having to buy the whole assembly from a scrapyard anyway as no one wanted to sell just the part I needed and it's not an easy part to remove.


Thanks for your help.

Nexus

Now the heater box, A1298302962, is also no longer available to order!!

Dale B

Thanks for the information Nexus.
I am afraid that this problem is only going to get worse. A 15 year old Mercedes is obsolete. I expect that that will only drop to ten years or less in the future.

The number of sensors and computers in these cars has increased ten fold in the last few years as well as the lines of code to keep them running. The complexity is hard to imagine. I expect all of those parts to be discontinued at ten years or less in the next few years.

Those guys that buy these cars and baby them with less than 3000 miles a year will be in for a shock when they discover that their SL or AMG that is 10 years old with 30,000 miles is only worth 5% of what they paid for it because parts are no longer available. The AMG guys are probably in the worse shape with the special parts and low production volumes.

One of the things on my bucket list is owning a V12. After this experience with a SL500, I don't think that I want to go through the frustration of not being able to keep a V12 running because parts are no longer available. I don't mind paying a high price for the parts, but to not be able to buy them at all is frustrating.