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Was it a pain? If not, keep your eye out for another but in the brown wood.
the old pre '06 console was sorta mutilated on the way out due to the lack of details in the video.
That link/video does a good job of showing how the pieces unsnap. Only thing they forgot to explain is the screw holding the lower rear ash tray. This bolt is located underneath the center console inside compartment.
We realized this after following the unsnapping of the ash tray with the plastic wedge, only to realize it wasn't budging.
So my advice would be to remove the glove box door first to access the screw holding the rear vents/ash tray in place then proceed to remove the vents/ash tray if you need to remove them.
However for the sake of simply swapping out the center console, you don't need to do it as the bottom two bolts in the section removing the glove box door and the two front ones are only required to remove the center console assembly.
BTW, if you have the telephone connections in your pre '06, you will need to transfer these over to the '06+ console if the console you got doesn't have them already. route the tele cabling along the side of the console cubby after separating it from the main center console frame(piece with the leather).
I'm doing this now and it's a b*tch. The rear storage box just wouldn't budge. It doesn't unclip, it partially unclips from the top but there's definitely something holding it from the bottom. The center box itself is confusing too. I can't see any catches to release. Can someone please help with this. As with everything on this car, this part has been a pita!!
Just did the center console. A word of advice. If you're looking, as I was, to remove the whole center console assembly in one piece, don't unclip anything, don't play with the rear storage box or vent. The center console is the easiest piece. Just open the center storage box, remove the carpet like insert, you'll see the plastic floor of the box. There are 2 holes where you stick pulling hooks and pull up firmly. It should pop up. Underneath it are 2 screws and a bunch of wires. Take out the 2 screws and disconnect all the wires. Then there are 2 screws at the front of the assembly, where the cigarette lighter socket is. I'm assuming you already have the gear knob panel, the little center storage box next to it and the front ashtray assembly removed as well as the side pieces on the center console. After you take out the 2 screws in the front as well, you just lift the whole thing up and take it out.
Ironically the center console was the easiest one of all
2016 CLS63S AMG, 2017 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate, 2019 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R
Well, I got sick of putting this repair off and decided to tear into the center console today and get it done. Was a complete #&%^@* nightmare of a project just to repair one small broken wire in the shifter, but I spent most of the day working on it and got it fixed. Keyless go works perfectly again
Taking the center console apart was the worst part of this job, there are all sort of hidden clips and screws near the rear of the console and it's difficult to take apart without breaking something. Take your time, look up the MB diagrams and watch the YouTube videos on disassembling the console before you dig in.
Like the OP, I ran the wire outside of the shifter to the right instead of through the factory hole where the wire breaks. Soldered the crap out of both wires and wrapped the individual wires and then both wires with Gorilla tape. This wire is definitely fragile, so I'm hoping it doesn't break again. If you manually shift a lot, you'll eventually run into this problem as left/right movement puts stress on the wire.
Thanks again to the OP for posting such a perfect DIY how to, this will help other E55/E63 owners save a lot of money. Nice design flaw by Mercedes here, of course they won't issue a recall and cover their mistake. Another terrible design flaw is the plastic wishbone for the tilt steering that breaks which requires tearing the entire driver's side dash apart to replace a $5 part. I hope I don't run into any more of these surprises.
06-09-2015, 04:43 PM
