how the hell do I change rear bulb w204

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talljay

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Joined
Apr 12, 2016
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43
Car
c220 cdi amg sport
hi - how the hell do you change the rear light bulb in my w204 c220 amg sport. this is your normal rear light for night driving - there are two strips on each side. the only bulbs on the bulb holder attachment when you unlock are brake and reversing lights. there appears to be two very small bulbs when looking from outside one at the top and one at the bottom but these are totally inaccessible. the manual indicates that some bulbs must be changed at a dealer ? surely that's not the case ..... seriously to change a bulb every time !!!
 
From reading a related post on here some time ago, I believe they are LED's and it involves replacing part of the light fixture. Another technological advancement!
 
Surely not ! This has got to be a safety issue ..... bulb goes and you are unable to get to garage
 
Surely not ! This has got to be a safety issue ..... bulb goes and you are unable to get to garage

But led are not expected to fail - so there is expected to be a safety benefit.
 
Modern Mercedes automatically use a substitute bulb for safety related failures.
 
I to think its a stupid idea . Try explaining to a pc about this. light bulb I am sure he wont listen to you if you have a rear light out .He will book you for it.
 
Jesus - seems pretty stupid to me - All bulbs will blow / burn out at some point led or not - So to be unable to replace is ludicrous. I think I will remove tail light and see if I can get to the bulb that way. I cant believe you are unable to replace.
 
Modern Mercedes automatically use a substitute bulb for safety related failures.

I noticed that. My front indicator bulb went, and I noticed the fog light took over, but didn't power it up to full brightness, so it was an orangey glow. Very neat.
 
OK - So have removed the entire rear light and there is no access to said bulb., so looks like you have to replace the entire unit - absolutely shocking design - Whoever thought it would be a good idea to put a bulb into a rear light that is not changeable.
 
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As has been said, they aren't bulbs, they are leds and expected to last the life of the car (which they clearly haven't) and therefore aren't user replaceable.
It's like saying one of the transistors in the radio has failed and you can't just unplug it.
 
It's an entire strip of LED's, I'd ask Richard or Alfie on here for more advice on this and see if any random replacement rear light will work without the rear SAM needing programming to it, as with the front lights. Just a thought.
 
You can get replacement led strips from mb you don't need to buy complete light and you don't need to program it

Just take out key from ignition and once you put back after new one installed it resets it self
 
Not sure you can replace led strip - You cannot get to it - Sealed unit. There is no access. As far as I can see there is one led bulb in each strip - Indicators are mutiple but rear strips are single. Thanks for the advice.
 
Sorry to Hijack this Old Post, is the Bulb your Trying to replace the Bulb that Lights up the Tail Light strip (2012 on)? I am having the Same issue the top strip on the Drivers Side Rear is really dim compared to passenger side like one of the Lads have failed.

Did you manage to fix yours and was it a replacement Unit?
 
Sorry to Hijack this Old Post, is the Bulb your Trying to replace the Bulb that Lights up the Tail Light strip (2012 on)? I am having the Same issue the top strip on the Drivers Side Rear is really dim compared to passenger side like one of the Lads have failed.

Did you manage to fix yours and was it a replacement Unit?
By now there are lots of W204 in breakers yards , so it should be possible to pick up a complete used light unit for reasonable money .
 
This what you get for putting form over function. Cars could have adopted LEDs using the old standard lamp holders which would have made them an easy replacement but the marketing department no doubt said that's not bling enough.

I wonder if any modern cars have standard lamp holder LEDs. Somehow I doubt it.
 
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By now there are lots of W204 in breakers yards , so it should be possible to pick up a complete used light unit for reasonable money .

Does it need a replacement Cluster then?
 

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