How do you replace a 1988 Mercedes Benz 300E ignition switch?

Answer 1

disconnect the battery first

remove the horn cover

use a 10 mm Allen 3/8's drive and remove the steering wheele its very tight

the steering wheele will slide off without a puller

remove the 3 screws holding the blinker/cruse switch housing in unplug them under the dash on the left side of the steering shaft. slide the steering shaft cover housing off and set aside

insert the key turn it to the on position and now you can remove the hole ignition housing from the steering shaft

if only trying to change the ignition and not the housing

insert the key turn it to on and unscrew the outside of the housing and then pull it out then remove the the tumbler housing

Answer 2

pull out air filter box ( the old hose can be brittle so be careful) and battery. the starter is a small unit that the positive battery wire leads to. It is held in place by two 14mm bolts, a small lead wire from the ignition switch and the battery cable and is located under the speed control unit. you will have to gentally twist it out after you remove bolts so you don't break the often brittle vacuum tubing. then just reverse the process.:>

Answer 3

first you have to remove the bezels around the headlight switch and the ignition cylinder. the one around the key simply pulls off. to get the one off from around the light switch, pull the knob until it comes off and there is a nut, size 24mm, the unscrews to remove the bezel. once these are off you can remove the leather dash pad and the plastic kick panel from the under side of the dash.

there is a small gold bolt that is on a cable going into the housing. this is the shiftlock override that keeps the car in park when the key is removed. unscrew this and secure it out of the way.

now on the evaporator housing, behind the radio, there is a rubber cover that comes off just by pulling with a little force. pull on this to remove it and set it to the side. there is a retaining sleeve on the of the ignition. loosen the bolt with a 10mm socket and slide the sleeve to the right. turn the key to position 1. using a small drift punch, push the pin that was exposed when you moved the sleeve out of the way. you can now pull the whole housing out to the right and down out of the steering column.

remove the plastic wiring connector off of the back of the ignition housing and take the housing out of the car. turn it so that you can see the back where the pins are located. there are 3 Phillips head screws inside of the switch. take the screws out and the switch will fall right out of the housing.

to install, follow directions exactly opposite.

Answer 4

Same as any. Grab... think it was 13 or 15 mm socket.. Unbolt the two bolts.. back it out and replace. Its a little up and out of the way compared to some. Careful not to strip out the holes or bolt heads. It can be a little tight. but it can be done. Did it in the dark by the side of the road first time I ever had to touch it.

If it is a 300D / TD / CD / SD, you need an Allen socket, universal, and a LONG extension to fit alongside the transmission and the body, it is near impossible to get a socket wrench and your hands up in there. Then there are 2 10mm bolts in the front.