Troubleshooting a 1985 Mercedes Benz

1. Check the hood latch.One of the common problems that people have with a Benz is the hood latch. Unlike other types of cars, the Mercedes Benz comes with a two-part latching mechanism that requires a lever inside the car to be released before the hood handle itself can be used to pop open the hood. If you can't open the hood, make sure that the internal lever inside the car has been pulled open. Go back outside and pull open the hood in an upward motion, making sure that you hold the hood through the catch handle. Hold the grille as you do this, becuase the grille is actually a part of the hood.
2. Check the headlights.If the headlights are not functioning, you need to remove the housing that covers the bulb, and then turn the bulb in a counterclockwise motion. Once removed, make sure that there is no dust or dirt in between the bulb and the plug. Replace the bulb by turning clockwise. Make sure that the bulb rotates evenly. Also check the headlamp fuse which is located in the fuse box. You can replace an old fuse by pulling it out and then reattaching it through the retaining clip.
3. Check the batteries.One of the common reasons why the engine will not start is because of a dead battery. To check whether the battery is the cause of an engine that will not start, make sure that the neutral safety switch is turned on and put the pedal in full throttle. Also make sure that the seat belt is fastened, because some Benz models are designed to not operate until the seat belt is fastened. If the car still won't start, try checking the radio, fans, wipers and the headlights. If these do not work, you probably need to replace your car battery.

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How to Remove a Mercedes CD Change Slide Cover

1. Disconnect the Mercedes vehicle's battery with a socket wrench. Remove the negative terminal cable first, then the positive cable.
2. Open the driver's side door and locate the two locking tabs on the sides of the Mercedes CD changer.
3. Use a flat-head screwdriver to pry off both tabs. Slide the screwdriver underneath and lift it upwards to remove the tab.
4. Remove the cover once both tabs are removed. Installation is the reverse of removal.

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How to Brake in a Mercedes

1. Apply firm pressure to your brake pedal the moment you receive an alert from the Mercedes ABS braking system, the moment you see an obstacle or when you notice the vehicle in front of you braking. On newer models of Mercedes, you will have a pre-safe braking system that can recognize obstacles in front of you. This system will alert you to the hazard by flashing a warning light on your dashboard to catch your attention.
2. Apply more pressure to your brake pedal to ensure enough pressure to stop. While Mercedes does employ pre-safe braking that may apply the brake for you automatically, this technology applies pressure to about 40 percent. In an emergency, you may need a lot more pressure than that to stop in time. In addition, pre-safe braking on your Mercedes will only intervene and apply automatic pressure if you are traveling less than 43 miles per hour (mph) and will recognize obstacles only up to speeds of 124 mph. If you are traveling faster than 43 mph but less than 124 mph, you will get the alert, but the system will not brake automatically.
3. Keep your foot on the pedal and continue applying pressure until your Mercedes stops. Do not take your foot off the pedal until the path ahead of you is clear. With the Mercedes ABS system, the brakes on your Mercedes will seem to push back at you, and you might feel some pulsating. This is normal and means your brakes are working.
4. Steer your vehicle if you need to while keeping your foot on the brake pedal until you come to a complete stop. With the Mercedes ABS braking system, you can steer while applying the brakes.

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How to Change the Headlamp in an E500 Mercedes

1. Engage the parking brake, and turn the ignition off.
2. Open the hood, and locate the electrical connector, found at the rear of the headlamp assembly. Press the tab to detach the connector.
3. Remove the dust cover from the rear of the headlamp assembly, by pulling it off. Grab the base of the headlamp socket, and turn it, counterclockwise, to remove it from the assembly.
4. Pull the old bulb from the socket to remove it. Insert the new bulb into the socket, and insert the socket into the rear of the assembly. Turn the socket clockwise, securing it.
5. Replace the dust cover, and reattach the electrical connector to the rear of the headlamp assembly. Close the hood, and test the new headlamp.

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How to Remove the Crankshaft in a V8 Engine

1. Remove the engine. The steps required to remove the engine vary greatly depending on the engine type and the vehicle, but there are some commonalities. Disconnect the battery and drain the engine oil and coolant. Disconnect the engine's wiring and any vacuum hoses and linkage that attach to the engine. Pay particular attention to the intake manifold when removing vacuum lines. Disconnect the transmission from the engine. Disconnect the motor mounts from the vehicle's frame and lift the engine out of the engine compartment with an engine hoist. Position the engine onto an engine stand.
2. Remove the oil pan bolts with a wrench and lift the oil pan off of the engine to access the oil pump, the crankshaft and the connecting rods.
3. Remove the oil pump's securing bolts with a wrench and lift the pump away from the engine.
4. Remove the connecting rod caps. V-8 engines are equipped with eight caps, one cap for each rod. At the bottom of each rod is a cap used to secure the rod to the crankshaft. Each cap is secure with two nuts. Remove the nuts with a wrench and lift the caps off of the crankshaft. Label the caps so you can replace them on the same rods.
5. Remove the flywheel's securing bolts with a wrench. The flywheel is attached to the back of the crankshaft and secured with a number of bolts. Remove the bolts and lift the flywheel off the crankshaft.
6. Remove the vibration damper. The damper is attached to the tip of the front of the crankshaft with a single bolt. Remove the bolt with a wrench and pull the damper off the crankshaft. Remove a stubborn damper with a damper removal tool. Bolt the tool to the center of the damper and tighten the bolt in the center of the tool to draw the damper off the crankshaft.
7. Remove and label the crankshaft bearing caps. The caps secure the crankshaft to the engine block. V8 engines feature either two or four securing bolts for each cap. Remove the bolts with a wrench and lift the caps off of the crankshaft.
8. Lift the crankshaft out of the engine.

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How to Lower an Audi TT

Replacing Front Springs
1. Raise the front of the vehicle and secure it so that both front wheels are off the ground. Remove the wheels.
2. Remove the ABS (antilock brake) wire grommet and cable from the strut and remove the lower 'pinch bolt' that connects the strut to the steering knuckle.
3. Compress the spring with the spring compressor to relieve pressure from the suspension. Separate the strut from the steering knuckle (which might take some effort), lowering the lower control arm as needed. Remove the axle from the steering knuckle and lay it on the lower suspension.
4. Remove the windshield wipers and cover (later model Audi TTs) to access the upper strut bolt. Remove the single strut bolt while an assistant supports it from the bottom. Allowing the strut to simply fall without support may cause the spring clamp to jar loose, sending the highly pressurized spring flying across your garage.
5. Slowly remove the spring clamp from the strut assembly and lift the spring free of the strut. Replace the stock spring with one of the front springs from your kit; Audi TT springs aren't reversible, so make sure you put it on right-way-up.
6. Reverse the removal procedure to reinstall your strut and its new, lower spring. Repeat the entire removal/replacement procedure on the other side.
Rear Spring Installation
7. Raise the rear of the vehicle (allowing the suspension to fully droop), support it with jack stands and remove both tires. Remove the antilock brake sensor cable from the inner fenders (if so equipped). If replacing the shock absorber at this time, you'll need to partially remove the inner fender lining to access its top bolt.
8. Put the spring compressor on the coil spring to relieve pressure from the suspension. Remove the shock-absorber-to-control arm bolt. Remove the compressed spring, then carefully remove the compressor from your spring.
9. Apply the compressor to your new spring and install it in place of the old. Depending on the amount of suspension drop, you may or may not need to use the spring compressor to install the new springs. If this is the case, simply slip the spring into place and use your floor jack to raise the rear suspension far enough to reinstall the shock absorber bolt. The remainder of installation is the reverse of removal. Take your now-lower Audi to a qualified shop and have the suspension realigned.

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How to Replace a Battery in a BMW 325

1. Locate the battery. On early 325s, the battery will be in the engine compartment under the hood. On later cars, it is in the trunk on the passenger side.
2. Turn the 12-mm nut on the negative ('-') battery terminal counterclockwise with the 12-mm wrench five full turns. Twist the terminal left and right to dislodge it from the negative battery post. Pull the negative battery terminal away from the battery.
3. Turn the 12-mm nut on the positive ('+') battery terminal counterclockwise with the 12-mm wrench five full turns. Twist the terminal left and right to dislodge it from the positive battery post. Pull the positive battery terminal away from the battery.
4. Loosen the hold-down clamp nut at the base of the battery by turning it counterclockwise with a 10-mm socket on a socket wrench. Remove the hold-down clamp nut and the hold-down clamp. Lift the battery straight up and out of the car.
5. Place the new battery in the battery tray, being careful to orient the positive and negative posts with the positive and negative cables.
6. Install the hold-down clamp and nut and tighten with the 10-mm socket on a socket wrench.
7. Slip the positive battery cable terminal onto the positive post on the battery, and tighten the 12-mm nut by turning it clockwise with a 12-mm wrench.
8. Slip the negative battery cable terminal onto the positive post on the battery and tighten the 12-mm nut by turning it clockwise with a 12-mm wrench.

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How to Relpace the Blower Fan in a 1998 Audi A4 Wagon

1. Open the passenger-side front door. Remove the plastic trim on the side of the dash that rests against the door. The trim is held on with clips and can be pulled off by hand.
2. Open the glove box door. Remove the five 8-mm bolts that fasten the glove box to the dash with a socket wrench. Disconnect the wiring harness for the glove box light. Remove the glove box, noting how the lower rear edge of it clips into place.
3. Locate the blower motor, which is a large, black, round part bolted to the underside of the dash. Disconnect the wires that go to the blower motor. The harness may be behind the motor and difficult to reach.
4. Remove the bolts that hold the blower motor to the dash with a socket wrench. Plug the wiring harness into the new blower motor to ensure that the new blower motor functions properly.
5. Install the new blower motor by bolting it into place in the reverse order that the old motor was removed.
6. Reinstall the glove box. Install the bolts and tighten them. Plug the wires back in to the glove box light. Reinstall the dash side trim.

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How to Replace the Rear Brakes on an Audi A4

1. Place the wheel blocks on both sides of one of the front wheels. Loosen the rear wheel lugs with a 1/2-inch ratchet wrench and lug socket. Place the hydraulic lift under the center structure point and raise the vehicle. Place the jack stands under body structure points. Lower the lift until the vehicle's weight is equally distributed among the stands and the hydraulic lift.
2. Remove the lugs from the wheels. Place the loose lugs into the wheel cavity and slide the wheel under the vehicle for extra safety. Use a slot-head screwdriver to remove the metal brake clip located on the brake caliper for certain models. Remove the retainer bolts with the Allen wrench set if present. Remove the caliper by pulling it away from the rotor. Place on the control arms to prevent the brake line from being pulled.
3. Remove the rotor by pulling it away from the wheel hub assembly. Replace with a new rotor by sliding it onto the lug bolts and firmly against the hub. Remove the brake pad clips on the caliper with a slot head screwdriver. Use the C-clamp to compress the piston to allow installation of the new brake pads. Install the pads by placing them into the caliper and securing them with the supplied pad clips.
4. Gently press the caliper back into its original location. Use a rubber mallet to beat the caliper if it is difficult to slide onto the rotor. Secure the rotor using the retainer bolts if present. Reinstall the metal brake clip by bending it using a slot head screwdriver. Ensure that the clip is positioned in the specified grooves located on the face of the rotor.
5. Place the wheel back onto the hub assembly and hand thread the lugs. Raise the hydraulic lift to remove the jack stands, then lower the vehicle to the ground. Tighten the lugs to the specified torque amount.

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How to Install BMW E28 Brake Lines

1. Park the BMW on a flat, level surface. Loosen the lug bolts on all four wheels. Lift the car with a floor jack, one side at a time, and lower it securely onto jack stands on all four corners. Finish removing the wheels and set them aside.
2. Clean all of the brake components, including the brake caliper, rotor and brake line, with brake cleaner so that they are free of dirt and debris. Avoid getting any dirt or particles in the brake line when the old lines are removed.
3. Loosen the brake hose fitting where it threads into the caliper. Locate the two large bolts on the back of the caliper that hold the caliper to the suspension. Loosen and remove these bolts. Disconnect the brake pad wear sensor line near where it goes into the caliper if the vehicle is equipped with one. Slide the caliper off of the rotor.
4. Remove the brake line from the caliper by spinning the caliper until the hose unthreads from the brake line. Set the caliper aside. Loosen the fitting on the opposite side of the brake line with the wrench and then unthread it by hand. Wipe up any spilled brake fluid with a rag.
5. Attach the new brake line on the end opposite of the brake caliper first. Tighten the fitting on the end of the line with a wrench. Thread the opposite end of the line into the brake caliper by hand, ensuring that the threads do not become cross-threaded. Repeat the above steps for the remaining corners of the BMW.
6. Slide the caliper over the rotor. Install and tighten the caliper bolts. Finish tightening both ends of the brake line. Dispose of the excess brake fluid and rags according to the hazardous waste rules in effect in your community.
7. Remove the lid for the brake cylinder reservoir, located on the driver's side of the engine bay. Fill the master cylinder with fresh brake fluid to replace the fluid lost when the brake lines were removed.
8. Bleed the brakes with your preferred method. To bleed the brakes, attach a clear rubber line to the bleeder valve on the brake caliper. Place the opposite end of the line into a container filled with brake fluid. Loosen the bleeder valve and have someone pump the brake pedal until there are no air bubbles in the brake fluid. Tighten the bleeder valve and repeat for the remaining corners of the car.
9. Reinstall the wheels on the same corner they were removed from. Lower the car to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts. Carefully test drive the car to make sure the brakes are functioning correctly. The brake pedal should feel firm and the car should come to a stop quickly and safely.

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