Just bought a '88 190E 2.6. Amazing car. Couple of concerns though:
1. The odometer is stuck. The three left digits are ok, but the three right ones seem to be inbetween numbers. The reading is 165 537 km. Over the last week, it has changed somewhat from 165 536. Also, for any Ontarians here, isn't it a seller's responsibility to make sure the odo is working? (I know that the odo was working recently because I got a Carfax report on it before buying it).
2. I can't lock/unlock the trunk or glove compartment with the key. Do I have the valet key, by any chance?
3. The idle is a little rough, I think. If I'm in Drive or Reverse, at a standstill, the car goes through cycles of smooth idling, then slows down a bit, then smoothens. This happens every 10 or so seconds. It's really not an issue because I can only notice it if I pay attention. Also, I calculated that I'm getting maybe 7 km per litre (less than 20 mpg). Is this normal for my car? So could the mileage and idle mean the O2 sensor needs replacing?
Oh yeah, and I'm absolutely not mechanically inclined, don't have a garage or tools.
Congrats on your car !
yes, as far as I know, it is a seller's responsibility to have the odometer working.
my tripmeter has the same issue, but knowing it is a tripmeter only, I will not bother spending too much
time and money and repairs.
As for the idling, yes it might have to do with the O2 sensor... they normally need to be replaced every 60,000 miles. FYI I have a brand new O2 sensor for sale for your 1988 2.6 if you want it. I can have it sent to you for US 75.00 incl shipping.
It is a genuine Bosch sensor, no cheap stuff.
Please let me know
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Congrats on your car !
yes, as far as I know, it is a seller's responsibility to have the odometer working.
my tripmeter has the same issue, but knowing it is a tripmeter only, I will not bother spending too much
time and money and repairs.
As for the idling, yes it might have to do with the O2 sensor... they normally need to be replaced every 60,000 miles. FYI I have a brand new O2 sensor for sale for your 1988 2.6 if you want it. I can have it sent to you for US 75.00 incl shipping.
It is a genuine Bosch sensor, no cheap stuff.
Please let me know
Thanks for the feedback. I think I'm going to wait on the idling thing. It's hardly noticeable now. Plus, I want to get the odometer fixed so I can get accurate mpg calculations. Maybe I'll get in touch with you after my next oil change, when I'll ask my mechanic to have a look at the idling...
Go to a Mercedes dealership with your vehicle registration and license and order a new key for your car. Should be about $25 and might take a week, but it will be the proper key, matched by VIN number, for the car.
As for the broken odometer, it's probably cheaper to buy a used cluster and use an electric drill to drive the speedometer to get the mileage to where you want it to be, then replace, rather than repairing it. The key is to get a cluster with the same warning light layout, since earlier models didn't have the same dash warning layout.
The VDO odometers from this period are notorius among Mercedes, Porsche and Volvo owners for breaking, especially if the reset button is pressed while the car is in motion.
Yeah either buy a used cluster with the gears or you can buy brand new gears from http://www.speedometerplus.com. Thats the cheapest place I have seen for new gears.
Go to a Mercedes dealership with your vehicle registration and license and order a new key for your car. Should be about $25 and might take a week, but it will be the proper key, matched by VIN number, for the car.
As for the broken odometer, it's probably cheaper to buy a used cluster and use an electric drill to drive the speedometer to get the mileage to where you want it to be, then replace, rather than repairing it. The key is to get a cluster with the same warning light layout, since earlier models didn't have the same dash warning layout.
The VDO odometers from this period are notorius among Mercedes, Porsche and Volvo owners for breaking, especially if the reset button is pressed while the car is in motion.
So there is such a thing as a valet key? I called a local dealership and a guy said "There is only one key for everything" and he didn't even consider the possibility of a valet key. Yeah, I think I'll drop by a (different) MB dealership tomorrow. Also got to get some touchup paint for a little rust spot....
Got the Odo fixed - been working for the last 20 km. Now the guy who fixed the odo didn't do such a great job. The rev counter stops working if I push the cluster further into the dash (It's not 100% flush at the moment). Taking it back is not an option because it was paid for by the previous owner who obviously doesn't want to hear more about it (it was hard enough to get him to do this much as it is).
Should I just let it be or is there a simple wire/contact for the tach that I can just tighten?
Linear Mode
