W211 estate boot lid won't open from outside

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gtahhh

Active Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Messages
67
Car
E320 CDI Estate (W211)
Hi

[I've had a good search but I don't think I can find a similar issue in another post.]

I can't open the boot on my W211 estate using the handle on the outside. I can open it with the handle on the inside (it's a 7-seater). I don't think the handle is electric - from what I can remember of what it felt like when it worked, it was mechanical. Now the handle has a tiny bit of resistance initially but then just clicks and moves fully with a loose feel. It seems like something has broken or come unattached in the mechanism. The soft-close still works fine and the strike plate and catch are aligned properly.

As we use(d) the boot a lot, and it's a complete PITA opening it from the inside, I'm very keen to know how I should go about taking it apart to look for the fault. I've had a look at the fasteners around the trim but it's not obvious how you're meant to get it all apart.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks -g
 
"Simply" remove the 12 expanding clips around the edge of the lower trim on the tailgate using a combination of small screwdrivers and swearing, and the panel should just remove - it's located with plastic "hooks" so should slide off away from the car in what would be the "down" direction with the boot closed.

If you trash the clips (easy with the eight small ones, the four bigger ones are tougher), the part numbers for my car were 4×A230 99 00 092 9051, 8×A140 990 05 92 9051, where the "9051" denotes black.

PM me an email address and I may be able to help more.
 
There's also the small screw holding the inner handle trim and said trim to remove. And the light prises out and unplugs.

However, I took my tailgate apart last week and my description of how to get the panel off would be the opposite of yours Troon. Imagining the door in the closed position the panel would lift UP to unhook it from the door frame. n'est-ce pas?:confused:. So mine's a 2003 car. Are they different from facelift i wonder :dk:

I had to 'dunt' mine upwards quite hard on it's lower edge to release the hooks.




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Thank you both. Very helpful. Spurred on by your advice, I'll have another go with the clips.

Does anyone have any clues as to what might be wrong with the lock/handle?

-g
 
I've taken the trim off the boot to get access to the lock. The issue seems to be with the central locking motor, which isn't working, leaving the boot stuck in the locked state. When I remove the motor and move the mechanism by hand, the outside handle works again. I've had a good look online and can't find the part listed anywhere. It looks like this:

image.php


Searching for either 406.205/20/4 (& without the dot or slashes) and 302.565.139 gives nothing apart from a Swedish breakers. I guess this means a call to an MB dealer or an MB parts dealer/breaker. Any suggestions of the best place to get a replacement quickly in or around London?

Thanks -g
 
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That’s a solenoid (liner motor) that powers that thing, maybe the wire that is supplies power to that that solenoid is broken in the door hinge.

You could try to put a power supply (battery charger ) directly to it to see if it will run.
You are unlikely to get that part, separate from the lock, you may have to buy the whole lock (handle part) from the Dealer or a used part from a scrap yard.
Mercedes E Class Tailgate Handle Estate W211 Rear Bootlid Handle 2003 | eBay

Dec
 
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Yes, the part you sent the link for had the solenoid as part of the unit, as you say. But, I'd rather not pay £160 for it and then have the rest of the unit spare.

How would I find out the wiring for the solenoid? It's got 4 wires, presumably a pair for open and a pair for closed. But I need to know which is which and the polarity.

Thanks -g
 
I wouldn’t know what wired are what, the (Linier) motor needs a Positive+ and Negative- power supply to run, 2 of the 4 wires may be needed to tell the alarm system that the tailgate is opening and not to sound off.

You have no wiring diagram so trial and error is required, disconnect the unit from the cars power supply and see if you can run this linier motor independently from a battery charger. Which, If you can get it to work with a battery charger then the liner motor is ok and it’s not receiving a power supply (broken wire perhaps at the tailgate hinge ?) from the car.

You could try removing any fuse that are in any way remotely connected to the boot lock to see if that might reset something… just a shot in the dark.

What year is the car and does you alarm work… http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/electronics/169666-w202-how-test-car-alarm.html

Dec
 
It looks like this:

image.php

According to my parts list this is 'Element' (central locking) A211 800 00 75

Cost approx £40.

Determine if this is faulty then ask dealer for spare based on your Vin number.

Search was based on my Vin and may be different from yours.
 
Thanks for the part number.

I pulled all the fuses to check if it was an electrical issue (although didn't think it was a fuse as I thought all central locking would have stopped if so).

I'll test the solenoid and report back.

Thanks -g
 
UPDATE: problem solved.

I tested the motor unit and couldn't get any movement with a 12v 5a power supply. I tried all combinations of powering up the 4 terminals.

A new part was £40 from MB but there was an 8 working day wait at least. As luck would have it a friend found a complete lock unit in Germany for peanuts and expressed it over in time for Easter. I fitted the motor unit and all is back in action. The entire family is very relieved!

Curiosity meant I had to look inside the old one. It turns out it is actually a motor, which surprised me given how quickly it operates. As you can see from the image below, some of the teeth from the nylon gear wheel had snapped off, which causes the mechanism to jam.

Thanks for all your help.

 
UPDATE 2: Having taken the motor/solenoid off the complete handle I bought, I managed to sell the rest of the handle for £75! This all worked out pretty well. Thanks again, everyone.
 

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