190e auto transmission question

I'm seriously considering purchasing a 1988 190E (the early design) with auto transmission. It doesn't have switchable modes i.e. sport/economy. What change up points does this earlier model have? Are they the same as the Sport mode or the Economy mode of the later switchable boxes? It also has a non-functioning rear electric window which apparently is a wiring problem. Any issues surrounding this that I should be aware of.

Thanks,

Geoffrey

Reply to
Geoffrey Inett
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My GF has an '88 190E automatic that does have an S/E switch. According to my mechanic, stuck windows are usually due to insufficient use which makes the electric motors get stuck, but a wiring or switch problem is always a possibility, of course.

Ximinez

Reply to
The Spanish Inquisition

Windows problem is most likely to be bad switch... either the switch broke internally or the contacts need to be cleaned.

Reply to
Tiger

In my case, I can here a faint sound coming from the door when I press the switch. If that's the case here as well, a switch or wiring problem seems unlikely.

Ximinez

Reply to
The Spanish Inquisition
99 % of the time is never the wiring.

80% of the time is always the switch. Just because you hear faint whirring doesn't mean good contact. It is like a garden hose... a kink in it... and trickle of water still comes out. In electrical, that kink is oxidation/resistance.

20% is motor... that is only if your hear clunking or absolutely nothing after switch has been repaired.

Main switch on the console is always the culprit.

Reply to
Tiger

Are the switches easily exchanged? That is, can I easily swap the rear-right (possibly broken) switch with the front-right (certainly working) switch? If so, I'l go and get my screw driver and I'll let you know the result.

Ximinez

Reply to
The Spanish Inquisition

No... it is not exchangeble... But it is very easily repairable. Once you pop the switch off... use eyeglasses repair screwdriver and pry the side out just enough to slip the privot out... and repeat on the other side.... carefully keep switches upright... and pull the switch rocker upward so you can see how internals are aeeanged.

Clean all 6 contacts inside it and the copper rockers inside the switch where they all make contacts... 3 points on each copper rockers.

You can clean by scraping with screwdriver... dremel... etc.

Reply to
Tiger

The switches *are* exchangeable (BTW this is my '87 250D w124). I can easily pull them from their sockets and the part numbers are identical. If I exchange the front right one with the rear right one, the front window keeps working and the rear window remains stuck. That pretty much rules out the switch I guess.

I'll take the car to the garage on thursday and have the mechanic look at it.

Ximinez

Reply to
The Spanish Inquisition

In my experience, they are not... they will 'fit' but if you look at the metal contacts... they are in different locations.

If you cannot hear motor at all when using either switches, then most likely your motor is shot. You can test this by hooking up volt meter to the wires by the motor.

Reply to
Tiger

No, they are exactly the same, as demonstrated by the fact that the rear switch works fine in the front window socket. Perhaps this is different on other years/models.

Ximinez

Reply to
The Spanish Inquisition

Hi Tiger,

The car went to the garage yesterday. They took the electric motor apart and cleaned the brushes and the collectors (don't know if I got the terminology right). The rear right window is now the smoothest one in the car ;) The switch and the wiring were fine.

They also fixed the left headlight wiper motor. It's a nice garage in the sense that they fix things without automatically replacing them.

Ximinez

Reply to
The Spanish Inquisition

Bet you dollars to donuts the plastic glides that ride the widow track are broken causing to much drag. Check the bottom one first.

Reply to
Ray

On the W201, it's really not "S"port . . . it's "S"tandard and "E"conomy.

Reply to
MTI

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