Yup, that's my opinion; they should do what they want. I also have a 240D with a manual center vent control, and I prefer the auto system in the 300D without the center vent blowing hot. If my center pod broke, I would have it fixed.

I did, because I wanted heat and/or ice cold air for the rear passengers that only the center vents provide easily. The center rear passenger will also have difficulty with this if the center vents do not blow warm air when we want it, because the side vents are blocked by the front passengers.

It's just a matter of personal taste, and if I remember you were also the same person who did not want the convex side mirror lenses, which you hated a lot. And if you want to be technical, you should still be able to also get heat through the center vents - only intermittently. That's what it says in the manual. Problem is it looks like it's a pretty common problem and I don't like it that way. I want the heat when I want it, and I don't want the Chrysler ACC to choose whether I get heat or not.

Let's not turn this into another debate, shall we?

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

No debate, I don't like convex mirrors and I do like the auto climate system as it was designed. I also like the manual system in the 240D, but I really prefer the auto system. If you don't like it, you should change it or put in a manual system.

You are correct that I occasionally get some heated air from the center vents, it appears only to happen when the cabin is close to the desired temperature and the air is just slightly heated. It's usually during the transition from heat to AC or AC to heat on a day like today (about 50F). It's not a problem, the air is more warm than hot.

I had center vent heat in my 300TD and loved it. 240D with manual slider gets it's air before the heater core so there is no way to get heat out of it.

I actually prefer that to center heat. My old saab 900 had a mode that sent fresh air to the center vent and heat everywhere else.

You guys are missing the point. When the center vent pod is broken, you have zero air flow to the center vent bad bad bad thing.

Now normally you want the center vent open when using A/C or outside fresh air. And to get the center vent to flow (when the pod is broken), you wedge it OPEN.

A wedged open vent works fine, EXCEPT when in the heating mode.

Therefore in the heating mode, you manually turn the vent flaps to CLOSED.

(or tear apart your dash and fix it)

__________________
84 300DT Puke Yellow. Totalled after 438,000
84 300DT Orient Red. 169,000 (actual mileage may vary)
2002 Explorer EB (wife's)

I understand that problem, but some folks also wedge the vent open because they prefer to have heat from the center vent.

Yes but when wedging or not wedging the center vent which oil should we use dino of synthetic?

















If you want it open, open it, if not then don't. It's your car. Replacing the pod is some work but doable.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

Yes, and which brand of filter should we stuff into the vents? Remember, round filters in W123 vents, rectangular for the 124s.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Simplest least intrusive and completely reversible way to wedge the center vents open is to screw a tiny, #6x3/4"? brass screw into the side of the plenum area from the glove box side.

-Remove the glove box
-Open and close the flap through the front of the vents with a long screwdriver to identify the oval head of the flap rod where comes through the side of the plenum.
-using just a screwdriver, screw the brass screw in immediately next to the oval rod end with the flap fully open. The head of the screw prevents the flap from closing and if you change your mind you can't even see the hole left behind from the removed screw.

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1985 300D Gretchen (Astral Silver) 220k
1983 240D 4-speed Evelyn (Orient Red) 203k


TANSTAAFL

I prefer olive oil........extra virgin

__________________
DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, DON'T BE A HACK
Political Correctness is NOT part of my vocabulary
and finally FIGHT CRIME...SHOOT BACK

'82 240D Stick
'85 300D Auto
Drove my first MB at age 16 1960 300SL W190

I prefer olive oil.......extra virgin

__________________
DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, DON'T BE A HACK
Political Correctness is NOT part of my vocabulary
and finally FIGHT CRIME...SHOOT BACK

'82 240D Stick
'85 300D Auto
Drove my first MB at age 16 1960 300SL W190

So, if I remove the glove box I can access the plenum and block the flap open that allows air to come through the center duct? Where is the access into the plenum? Will it be self explanatory if i just pull the glovebox?

There is a rubber duct that connects the plenum to the two center vents. You will need to partially remove the rubber duct.

Thanks for this idea.

My center vents weren’t working, they did before. I suspect acc or the vacuum switchover valves, but don’t have time to dig in. The screw approach was the easiest way to do an unobtrusive, fully reversible (if the vac pod is working) mod. A tiny bit of rtv will seal that forever.



I always prefer air flowing past my upper body so I might keep this permanent anyway.

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (116k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (267k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K), 1985 300D (233K), 1993 300D 2.5T (338k), 1993 300SD (291k)