MB Medic Mercedes-Benz Repair Guides, Service, How To DIY
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In this guide (4 sections)
We will show you how easy it is to upgrade the front of your Mercedes-Benz to look modern. These step-by-step directions will show you how to remove and replace a Mercedes-Benz’s front hood grille assembly. Let’s get to work because you are probably tired of the old-style black grille and can’t wait to upgrade the grille to the chrome design, the mesh style, or the AMG-style grille.
Wondering where to find a cool-looking grille for your Mercedes-Benz? We know where. We found some of the best-looking Mercedes-Benz grilles on Amazon; see the link below.
These instructions are for an ML, but the steps are similar for most Mercedes-Benz models. At the bottom of the page, we have included some videos on replacing the grille on a W204 and W164 Mercedes-Benz.
Step by Step: Replacing the Front Grille on a Mercedes-Benz
- Open the driver side door and pull the interior hood release.
- Pull the hood release handle, the one mounted through the grille, and lift the hood.
- Remove the spring shown in the picture.
- Pull out the pin (shown in red in the picture above) and remove the hood release handle.
If you broke or need to replace the hood release handle, now is a good time. Here is a link to Amazon if you need a hood release pull handle. - Optional: Do not let the hood close now that the release handle is out of the grille. If you close the hood (like we did), you must get a wire hanger and use it to pull the hood release. If that does not work and the hood stays shut, the problem has moved on from this job: see what causes a Mercedes hood to stop opening and how to get it open. See the picture below.
- Remove the screws on the back of the grille. Remove the grille from the hood. It comes right off once all the screws are out.
- Don’t worry about this step if your grille comes with the Mercedes-Benz star emblem logo. If it did not, move the star across from the old grille. It unscrews by hand: twist it until it releases, and note which way it turned, because it locks onto the new grille by turning the opposite way. Note that this is the small star in the grille, not the upright ornament on the hood, which mounts differently and is covered in hood ornament replacement. You may also need to transfer over the clips that the screws fasten to.
- Install the clips that you removed from the old grille on the new one. Then place the new grille on the hood. Make sure to put back all the screws.
- Install the hood release handle by putting it through the grille and installing the pin and the spring you removed earlier.
- You are done. Congratulations!
Videos: Removing and Fitting a Mercedes-Benz Grille
Mercedes W204 C Class Coupe Saloon Sedan Estate Wagon C63 Style Sports Grille Fitting by CKS
How to install/remove your Front Grill on Mercedes W164 in Easy Steps
Here are some cool-looking Mercedes-Benz grille kits with Amazon links. The choice is yours:
CLICK HERE To Find the right Grill for your Mercedes-Benz
Applicable Models
Chrome and mesh grille kits of this type are sold for the W163 and W164 ML-Class built from 1999 to 2008, covering the ML320, ML350, ML430, ML500 and ML55 AMG including 4MATIC, and comparable kits exist for the C300, C280, E350 and E500. Grille fitment is model and production specific, so check the kit against your own car before ordering.
Before you buy parts, scan every control module, not just the engine. It shows the root fault behind the warning lights and tells you whether the problem is still active. See how to do a full health check.
