E320 2001 - Fog Lights puzzle?

[TheMadTad]

I'm kinda new around here and have been enjoying reading all these threads today, some of which have solved some mysteries, so I thought I'd join in.

Just acquired a 2001 E320 CDI Estate (by the way, what 'W' is it - I had a C180 previously and never did crack the magic Mercedes Model code system - I'd be grateful if someone would tell me how to find out or at least, what a E320 is....W211 or something?????????) I digress. So I've bought this very nice car but inevitably it does have few 'features' that need sorting out. One of them relates to the fog lights. Now, I have seen some other threads on here that talk about dirty connections and so on but I am curious about this........

When I pull out the side/headlamp 'knob', the indicators on the knob light up, first for the front fogs and then secondly for the rear one. So, that works. As soon as I switch on the front fogs the warning notice flashes up on the instrument cluster to tell me that there's a faulty bulb. So, I get out and look at the front fogs. The n/s one is working , the o/s one isn't. Out of curiosity, the rear fog lamp isn't working either (yes, I know there's only one - on the o/side). I change the H7 bulb in the front foglamp - great fun rolling around on the floor - face covered in cr*p from under the bumper when opening the flap ( I never learn) - but no good, the lamp still not working. Move the to rear (still not working) so I test the bulb in the rear fog lamp (using a multimeter) and that's ok so I put it back - still not working. By the way how do you get the rear lamp cluster out of the back door of a E320 Estate (the Handbook says this canonly be done by a highly trained technician at the 'stealership' ) ? I managed by removing the two nuts and popping the unit up enought to squeeze my dainty little hand in - leaving the obligatory shreads of skin behind of course. But what is the trick to actually taking the whole thing off the door?

Anyway the point of all this is to ask whether there is some sort of 'link' between the the front and back fogs in that if both bulbs are good why should neither work when switched on? Incidentally, the insides of both lamp areas looked very nice and clean and uncorroded. Any suggestions (apart from 'please write shorter messages next time!!) Thanks

 

[Dieselman]

The car is a W210 variant.
The front fog is probably the black connector onto the back of the lamp unit making poor contact. Lever it off and refit after cleaning up.

The rear one isn't connected so needs more investigation.

 

[whitenemesis]

See here for info on the "W"s

 

[TheMadTad]

Thanks Dieselman. Do you know the 'trick' to remove the rear lamp cluster from a W210 Estate? As I siad, I managed to lift one side - adjascent to the door edge - but it remained otherwise connected in some way which wasn't apparent to me as to how and I didn't want to force the issue.

 

[Diesel Benz]

Thanks Dieselman. Do you know the 'trick' to remove the rear lamp cluster from a W210 Estate? As I siad, I managed to lift one side - adjascent to the door edge - but it remained otherwise connected in some way which wasn't apparent to me as to how and I didn't want to force the issue.

The W210 Estate is actually an S210.

Do you mean the light assembly at the side wall or the tail gate? The one on the side wall has three screws, if you removed them all, it should come off apart from the gasket perhaps holding it a bit.

 

[TheMadTad]

Ah, so its an S210, thank you.

I mean the cluster that is mounted in the tailgate - that is where the rear fog light is located. Do you know how to get the cluster out of the its mounting in the tailgate?

Reverting back to your earlier response saying "The rear one isn't connected so needs more investigation" - thank you, that's fair enough. However, I'd appreciate some clues as what it is that should be investigated. The bulb's good, the circuit board, I assume is good (until I can get it out of the tailgate I can't be sure)...where else do I go. Thanks

 

[Howard]

Hi mate,

You should be able to pop the interior trim of the tailgate off , the cluster will be held in with nuts onto studs from the unit. Undo them and the cluster should come out ( if you need to , you can probably just take the back of the cluster off in situ .

Check you have 12v to the cluster , if you do , then there could be a poor contact on the cluster ( clean it up ) or a cracked distribution strip.

Although the diagram is for a saloon , the fitting should be the same ...

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GA=722.626&CT=F&cat=66G&SID=82&SGR=240&SGN=09

Good luck

 

[TheMadTad]

I'd forgotten about those Russian diagrams - found them once before when breathing life into my old C180. Thanks for the removal hints - I was hoping not to have to remove the trim - always hit and miss whether you snap a retainer or something and everythings never the same again - but if that's the way to go, I will.

........and what's more, we didn't all get sucked into the predicted Black Hole this morning so I've no excuse but to get on with this job now! Thanks again

 

[TheMadTad]

Ok guys, you can relax and stop worrying about how I'm getting on with this. Both lamps are now working. It was a bit more that simply 'popping' the tailgate inner trim off. But I got it away enough to reach in and fiddle about with the bulb holder and in the distribution strips/connections. It was all very clean actually so I don't know what I did but its now working - probably the 'fiddling about' removed some 'bloom' from the metal anyway its up. The front lamp was due to a broken wire..... Two wires come down from above and fit into the connector that fits in the bottom of the lamp housing (two wires then lead up from the connector into the lamp housing and end with the bulb 'socket/connector). One of the wires to the bottom connector was broken inside the connector. It took a little tug and out it came. The wires are 'push fitted' into the connector so I just need to bare the end of the wire about 1/8th of an inch and push it in (having cleared the previous remains). Sorted.. ........if you're still awake