2006 Vito (639) - auto interior lights not working

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GeorgeCaveney

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2019
Messages
37
Location
Bristol
Car
2006 Vito
Hi all,

Just bought the Vito (panel van) second-hand and all is well but for one annoying anomaly!

The cab lights do not come on when I open the door, or when I remove the key from the ignition. The reading lights work (manual switch), and the rear interior light comes on, but not the cab ones. I've tried the manual's instruction re the switch on the overhead cluster, but it doesn't work.

I've heard some say it's a three-way switch - or that there's some sequence of button-pressing that gets the courtesy light working again. All fuses seem fine.

HELP!

Many thanks in advance...
 
Hi & welcome.

The rocker switches that control the cab and rear interior lights aren't obvious ... typically you press one end of the switch to activate something, and the same end again to deactivate it. Then there's a different function (on/off) on the other end of the switch. Of course you may really have a problem but I would double-check what you're doing and compare with the manual again. I disable the front interior lights on ours in the summer when it's parked with the side doors and/or tailgate open all day for the dogs, and it always takes me a few minutes to get them working again with the front doors in winter!
 
BTB500:
"The rocker switches that control the cab and rear interior lights aren't obvious ... typically you press one end of the switch to activate something, and the same end again to deactivate it."

Do you mean the ones on the dash, or the ones overhead?
The manual says to simply press the interior light button on the overhead panel (where the 'reading' light switches are) to activate the automatic lighting.
But then the ones on the dash seem to control the activation of lights in the rear of the van, and have red LED indicators on them (the meaning of which remains a mystery to me).

It's turning into a Monty Python sketch!
 
Last edited:
I'll need to have a play with mine tonight! But in the meantime ...

Does the cab light come on when you unlock the van? I guess you've tried both front doors (in case it's a door switch)? Grasping at straws but it's possible the bulb has gone, I guess?
 
No it doesn't. One of the switches on the dash makes the rear compartment light come on when you unlock it, but the cab doesn't light up - either on unlocking or opening the door. That's my beef, right there. And I don't even know where the bulb is - I assume it's in the overhead thing where the reading lights are. I'll have another play this afternoon and see if I can suss it.

Thanks.
 
MERCEDES W639 INTERIOR LIGHT ROOF READING LAMP VITO VIANO CLASS W639 6398200501 | eBay

Ignoring if the switches are the same, or if you have / don't have the movement sensors I'm guessing your over dash unit is similar to this.

Additional to the 2 map reading lamps, there are 2 area lamps, 1 each side of the switches, and forward of the map reading lamps.

In situ the n/s forward switch should illuminate both area lamps regardless of door status. I'm fairly confident that would still time out after 20 minutes.

The forwad o/s switch toggles for on / off when a door is opened, when the van is unlocked, or when the key is removed from the ignition. Turn key to position 2 and they will dim to off, unless the n/s switch calls for them.

If you can't get either area lamp to illuminate there is a good chance that they are blown. If I remember these are wedge type lamps,
T10 CAR WHITE BULBS LED 501 ERROR FREE CANBUS XENON W5W SIDE LIGHT BULB 5 SMD UK | eBay

I've put LED's in the area light, but left the map reading lamps as lower light so less distracting if she needs to use while I'm driving.

Pull the lens down, but carefully they're awkward to free from from the frame.
 
Thanks m80 and BTB500.
I hate to admit this, but it was the bulbs. I assumed, being a newbie to the Merc game (apart form a G-reg 300E sport in 2005 for a bit) that the bulbs were the same.
I took the covers off the console as you describe, hurting my fingers and waiting for them to snap at any moment, and therein lay the answer. Sorry to be such a fool. Halfords just around the corner... sorted.

If anyone can learn from my stupidity, it was worth it.
 
In the short term you could swap the map lamps for the area lamps.
 

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