Did MB ever correct the Evaporator Core issues? - Benzworld.org

86300EStick · 01-06-2006, 12:56 AM

Is there a safe year not to have the evaporator core issue? Or do all of the w140's have this issue?

W140Gill · 01-06-2006, 02:22 AM

The change happened during 1995, so make sure you look at a 1996+ model to be safe.

**Nimrodthewombat** · 01-06-2006, 06:20 AM

or get one that's had the evaporator replaced with the updated one

S500L · 01-09-2006, 03:31 PM

Sorry, but ALL production years (1990-1999) of ALL W140s models had problems with the A/C evaporators.

The problem was its original design, which combines copper and alluminun (not a good material mix).

Sometime around 1995 MB started fitting BIGGER evaporators which were retrofited to the older models when they failed, although these units had the same problem with the materials mix and sooner or later they tend to fail too.

Cars that have been serviced with a new evap unit from M.B. will FAIL again. I have seen W140s here that had the evap units changed already THREE TIMES!!! (even late facelifted models from 1997/8).

The only way you can (more or less) avoid the issue is to fit a full copper evap unit, which was marketed by an aftermarket supplier in Germany. These units have a very low failure rate.

pbrennan10 · 01-09-2006, 03:34 PM

I have a 1997 s320 and it had a leaking evaporator

NZ Benz · 01-09-2006, 03:52 PM

Is there a way to tell from a cursory examination if your evaporator unit has been changed. The AC in my 93 works fine and because of the age of the car I think it may fail soon so how much should I keep aside in funds for when it does?

68882 · 01-09-2006, 08:36 PM

The fix is that they put a smaller evap from an E-Class in the car and a plastic baffel to take up the extra space. The E-class evap apparently does not have this problem. Of course if they stuck a new faulty S-class evap in, well it will fail in the future.

S500L · 01-10-2006, 04:40 PM

I don't see the E-class evaporator as a smart solution. Being smaller it should provide less cooling.

The best solution, as I mentioned before, is to the the FULL copper evaporator. It is a little more expensive the alluminun-copper unit, but its worth it.

Anyway, the most expensive cost related to the evap problem is not the evap itself, is the cost of removing the WHOLE front dash to install it. That is where the money really goes.

I hear in the States an evap change goes usually for US$3000 to US$4000. Not cheap!

james411 · 01-11-2006, 11:00 PM

I know that the 99 E class uses a new style evaporator there are no tubes like a typical evap, but now the problem is with the expansion valve. Also I have found that if you do get a leak somewhere and your gas leaks out and you recharge it, the compressor won't work (it kicks on and shuts right off ) - seems you have to go to the dealer to reset the computer or something. Anybody know more about this ???