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Most Mercedes hood emblems release from a retaining tab under the hood, but nut-secured and adhesive-mounted badges need different steps.
For the full breakdown, see our best Vintage Hood Emblems guide.
Before learning how to remove hood emblem Mercedes models correctly, you have to identify the mount — twist-lock, nut-secured, or adhesive — because each one takes a different tool and a different motion. Pick the wrong method and you’ll be dealing with scratched paint and a snapped clip.
Which Mercedes Emblem Mount Do You Have?
Look under the hood and behind the badge before you touch anything. Mercedes uses three mounting styles, and the mount decides the whole removal procedure.
Twist-lock stars are the classic standing ornament: a metal tab with locking ears sits directly beneath the star inside the hood opening. Flat grille badges are usually held by a 12 mm nut. Flush emblems with no visible hardware are adhesive- or tape-mounted, and some recent press-fit designs — including the 2023 GLE450 — use two posts set into the hood.
| Mount Type | How To Spot It | Removal Method |
|---|---|---|
| Twist-lock star | Standing ornament with a metal tab and locking ears under the hood | Turn the tab 90 degrees counterclockwise and lift the star out |
| Nut-secured flat badge | Flat emblem held by a 12 mm nut behind the grille or panel | Loosen the nut, release the lock, push the badge up and out |
| Adhesive / tape-mounted | Flush badge with no hardware visible underneath | Saw fishing line or floss through the adhesive, then lift |
| Press-fit posts | Two posts set into the hood, no twist tab (e.g., 2023 GLE450) | Lift vertically with dental floss; do not rotate |
Still unsure? Open the hood and look. If you can see the tab or the nut, that method applies. If you see nothing but painted metal underneath, treat it as adhesive-mounted and never pry against the panel.
Removing A Twist-Lock Mercedes Hood Emblem
The twist-lock star comes out in about a minute with pliers, and the entire sequence happens from under the hood.
- Open the hood and secure it.
- Reach under the star and find the metal retaining tab with its locking ears.
- Grip the tab with needle-nose pliers, wrapping the jaws in a shop cloth so the tool cannot scratch the star’s chrome.
- Rotate the tab 90 degrees counterclockwise until the ears line up with the opening in the hood.
- Hold the star from above with one hand, then push upward from below — the ornament drops free, so keep hold of it.
- To reinstall, seat the new star, then turn the tab clockwise until it stops.
You’ll know it worked when the tab stops at the end of its turn and the star lifts out with no resistance. Mercedes Medic’s photo guide shows the same under-hood twist method and covers the A-Class, C-Class, E-Class, and CLS; a 2006–2009 E350 walkthrough demonstrates the identical procedure.
Classic W123 models (1977–1985) follow the same steps; Pelican Parts’ W123 tutorial adds gloves and a cloth pad between the pliers and the emblem.
Respect the 90-degree limit. Forcing the tab past its stop can break the clip or deform the hood opening, and prying on the star from above can crack the grille. The release turn goes counterclockwise; if yours will not move, recheck the mount instead of twisting harder.
Removing Flat Badges And Adhesive-Mounted Mercedes Emblems
Nut-secured badges loosen with a 12 mm socket; adhesive-mounted emblems separate with fishing line or floss, never with a metal pry bar.
For a flat badge held by a nut, loosen the 12 mm fastener from behind, release the locking mechanism, then push the badge up and pull it out. For an adhesive or press-fit emblem, work dental floss or fishing line behind the badge with a gentle sawing motion while lifting up. Plastic trim tools help once a gap opens. Heat or adhesive solvent can soften stubborn tape, but keep it moderate — heavy use can damage the clear coat.
Never force-rotate an adhesive emblem like a twist-lock star; the tape holds one side while the other strains the paint. A cloth, cardboard strip, or plastic tool between anything metal and the panel is non-negotiable.