Repair-It

Possibly helpful videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjTEhZ4 ... T&index=23
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDeOzBU ... licanParts

I think I know how to do it (I probably lost the instructions that I printed) and just needed to buy some long Torx drivers, which I now have.

Here's a solution: I bought a used lock actuator module on eBay. Came from an 07 E63 (so it has the correct amount of horsepower).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/192706428472

Only $47 shipped saving like $250. I think that's worth a try.

Guess I could have done a better job searching the first time.

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/639 ... nside.html

Possible no parts required fix though it's definitely jury rigged. But it does make me glad I didn't drop $300 on a new module. This is probably what's wrong with mine.

I manually locked the latch and it opens when I pull the cable. So it would appear that this should fix my issue. Just need to pull the door panel and operate on it. Fishing the old one out and this one in is a little tricky due to the size of it and the access.

And it's done!!!

Let's call it maybe 3 hours total taking my time to look at stuff. It's definitely a bit involved but like with anything else you go step by step. I used WIS instructions do to it.

Once I got the latch module out I compared part numbers to the used one from an 09 E63. The last 3 numbers were different so I got worried.

But I believe the last 3 are just some kind of revision code because the main part number is the same. So with that out of the way I began the reinstallation process. It is, after all, the reverse of removal. Actually it went together easier than it came apart.

Random pictures along the way.
Going back together.
Before I put the door panel on I wanted to try the latch. I closed the door and pressed the lock button on the handle. Nothing happened. Tried on the front. Nothing. I noticed a red, angry warning on the dash. It said all the doors aren't closed. It turns out the door panel is what presses the door switch so because I hadn't put the door panel on, the switch wasn't getting pressed. Ha.
So I held the door switch closed and pressed the lock button on the handle. All doors locked! And when I pulled the handle all doors unlocked. Awesome. I will have Ian officially test later but all seems to be fixed. Happy to have this done.

Ian tested. He opened the door from the inside like 3 or 4 times in a row. Fixed forever!

Bad news. No the latch didn't fail and the issue did not recur.

I rolled all the windows down yesterday because it was nice and Ian's window stopped about 2" from the bottom, made a nasty clunk and rolled down more. I was thinking, great, another regulator working on failure? You would think so. But no.

Last night we were going to the grocery store and I went to unlock the right rear door by pulling the handle. I tried repeatedly and nothing. It opened fine with the front door handle. Tried locking with the right rear door and nothing. The handle seemed completely dead. Of course it opens the door fine when it is unlocked. Just the keyless go portion does not work on that door at all. So what happened?

My guess is the window caught some wires at the bottom of its travel. It probably broke something or pulled a connector apart. This sucks. Somehow I must have misrouted a harness inside the door panel. So I will need to disassemble the door panel again, see what broke, see if I can repair it, and maybe employ some strategically placed zipties to keep the harness out of the path of the window. I hope this is a no parts required repair but it depends on what broke apart. I am not that optimistic....

I did the easy thing and pulled the handle. The wires on the handle are fine and the handle buttons are fine. The issue is inside the door. I will need to remove the door panel to find out more. Hopefully this can be a no parts required fix, but that will be some other time.

Even though the functionality of the door simply reverted to no Keyless Go, I couldn't let that ride. At the very least, I had to see what kind of carnage was inflicted.

It was off to pull the door panel. I actually did this all from memory which I guess isn't that amazing since I just did this only a month and a half ago. Plus, the door panel comes off like most (plastic retainers plus various bolts and stuff).

Once I got the door panel off I examined the various plugs and wires. It didn't take long to find the issue.
The plug literally got ripped out of the module. Fortunately, the plastic piece that holds the locking tab was pretty thin and gave way without damaging either the plug OR the wires. But, still, how did this happen? I had my theory. I was right. This is in fact the plug for the Keyless Go handle buttons. But I had routed it inside the door incorrectly. I should have routed it up here, away from the moving window, and, uh, with all the other wires. I did inspect the wire and it looks like this protective sheath totally saved it. This is about all I can see for damage when the wire was strained by the lowering window. So what I did was try to move the piece of plastic that retains the lock clip on the plug back to where it was supposed to be (it was hanging by a thread). Then I applied a few drops of super glue just to give it a chance of longer term survival. Fortunately, the plug sits horizontal so unless the car pulls like 5Gs on acceleration I don't think the plug would fall out anyway. Then while that was drying I re-routed the wire the way it should have been in the first place. Finally I plugged it back in. It plugged in normally and I think my glue will hold well enough for all the force that will be required to hold this thing in place (essentially none).
I temporarily plugged the door handle in to test it. Since I didn't have everything back together the only test I could do was repeatedly press the lock button and check for an angry red message on the cluster. Once I confirmed that I began buttoning everything back up.

Before I installed the final fasteners in the door panel I connected the handle and tried it for real. Success! Locks and unlocks just as it should. That's when I realized I didn't even need to touch the door handle for this job. That's ok, it takes like 2 minutes to remove.

Parts required: none.
Time: 35-45 mins

Yet another blow to my pride though. This must be at least the third time (probably more) that I've screwed something up while working on the car that I had to fix. I don't know why this keeps happening. It's pretty basic stuff, too. Like all of it. Oh well. At least this is fixed.

I just realized I never tried the window after my repair. So I just tried it. Rolled all the way down and back up with no issues. Phew.