Hi, new guy here. Sorry my first post is a want ad but I'm stuck and hoping you all can help. Wasn't even sure if this belongs here but I did not see a 'parts wanted' forum.

Anyway, I am looking for what's called the cluster lid, or the trim/border that sits over the instrument cluster. It's a darker grey than the rest of the dash and has a sort of rubberized coating on it. I'm not sure if it can be separated from the rest of the dash. See the image, it's part #4.




If you have the part and are willing to sell it, please PM with price including shipping to Huntington, NY 11743.

Pics would be helpful too. The part really has to be top notch - no marks, nicks, scratches, gouges, fading... you get the idea.

I need to replace one on a customer's car that got scuffed up pretty bad while replacing the SKREEM module. I probably should have taken the dash out but I was trying to make time (not possible) and butchered the thing. You're supposed to remove the steering wheel to remove the cluster but I didn't. The cluster came out but while reaching my hands in there to fish out the wiring and replace the module, the edge of the cluster lens was essentially grating the left side of the lid. Unfortunately I didn't realize it until it was all back together. Luckily I knew the guy so I told him I'd take care of it.The rest of the car is still very nice and well taken care of so I felt obliged to come clean without realizing what a challenge it would be to track this part down. It's been a few weeks now and I have not been able to come up with anything.It's starting to get a little tense so I need to get this handled in a hurry.

Thanks for your help. looking forward to seeing what you might have so I can put this to bed.

Regards,

- Greg

 

It's bonded to the dash pad. If you find you can purchase it separately, please post. The dealer tells me it can't be ordered on it's own. I found a vendor via MB forum,viponds paints in Australia who could provide the rubberized paint (tautflex) that is a very close match in colour and texture. I ended up respraying the cluster lid and the cluster bezel to ensure continuity. The lid can't be removed without damaging it, and I felt removing the dash pad may have resulted in collateral damage so I ended up wrapping the entire interior in plastic sheeting and spraying it in place. I recommend stripping the old paint first as it may lift after applying a new coat. Good luck.

 

Well, thanks for the info but I have to get the part itself. This is a customer's car, I need to replace the damaged part with either a new one or a really nice used piece.

If I need to take the whole dash, I guess it will have to be. New from the dealer is about $1,100.

 

What are you up to now, modding the interior or just repairs?

 

Dave, I had it finished at WDC, the mods are very subtle. I removed all interior trim panels and refinished them with the rubberized SLK paint. I also had all the light coloured trim panels and headliner recovered in an off white headliner material, same weave as original, removed the useless visors and smoothed out the hatch panel by filling in the handle detent. Added some LED lights in the center console, under the cargo cover mount and behind the rear cargo area panel. Also added another factory cargo light on the passenger side. Oops nearly forgot, added SLK sport bars too! Next will be the paddle shifters.

 

Best of luck to you, the paint is very delicate (as you already know).

 

You never said, I would have liked to see it. Next time.

 

Problem solved. Dash was removed and sent to a body shop for paint. I do not know what product they used but it came out decent enough, just a little lighter than the original color. At least it's not all nicked up and the guy does not have to look at it while he's driving. So far the car has not come back with any complaints so no news is good news.

I was just unable to find a decent dash for under $800. I work for a dealer and my cost was $1,100!

Taking out the dash made it A LOT easier to re install the cluster and bezel. The lid got scratched because there was not enough room to maneuver the cluster bezel and lens with the dash still attached. With it off, the thing just snapped into place.

I hope I never have to do that job again!

Thanks for the replies.

 

Thanks for the update, glad it worked out for you. How difficult was the dash pad removal? Are there nylon clips that hold it down. Can you offer any removal tips or precautions?

 

It's not 'hard' but you need to have the right tools and patience to make it go smoothly. I got the tools but I am a little short on patience especially when I'm trying to make money....

Anyway, I could not have done it without a tiny little Phillips head screwdriver with a thumb depression I borrowed from one of the other guys in the shop, it proved invaluable.You can hold pressure on it with your thumb while spinning it around with your other free fingers. There are four screws, two for the defroster grill and two that hold the dash to the frame underneath it. Those screws can not be accessed easily due to the windshield being in the way. You can not get a regular screwdriver in there or even my mini Snap On one. Perhaps one of the little right angle ratcheting ones but the one I had worked like a charm.

You also need the little flat keys that allow you to pull the radio out. There are two screws you need to access behind the center console vents that you can't get to without pulling the radio.

The cluster bezel sucks. Its fastened with a bunch of screws and these gnarly interference clips that snap in to the cluster lid. That was tough to wiggle in. The service manual says to take off the steering wheel and column shroud. I didn't but I can see how it would make things easier. First time I took it out, I did not remove the dash and that's how the lid got buggered up.

You also need to remove the clips that attach the A pillar trim or you will gouge up the sides of the dash when you go to lift it out. Easy to forget those. Luckily i didn't.

Other than that, it's not too bad. Just a lot of hard to reach screws. None of it ever goes back in the way it came out either. Just not a fun job.

If I had taken the dash out the first time, I never would have had the problems I ended up with. Service tells you take stuff out but they don't always say why. I said bah, the hell with that, I ain't taking out all that crap just to put a module in. I skipped some steps and made up my own instructions and unfortunately I learned the hard way that you can't do that, especially with these cars which are A) old oddballs, B) hard to find parts for and C) EXPENSIVE.

 

Thanks, I know what you mean about the defroster trim screws and the ones beneath the trim being difficuly to get to. I have a phillips screwdriver that has a 90 degree bend. I also found that a philips driver bit (for my drill) worked with an open end crescent wrench. I had all the parts you mention out, but the pad still felt like it was held down by something, so I didn't want to risk any damage and ended up masking the whole interior (3, 9x12 plastic drop sheets from the Dollar Store) and painting the bezel with the pad in the car. I also re-sprayed the cluster bezel (out of the car) so it would match perfectly. Alot of work for something so small, but very noticable when driving!