Facelift W212 headlight coding issue?

[robsterpaterson]

Hi all, I recently replaced one of the LED driver units in my facelift E350. The LED strips weren't working in the RH headlight.
Through a process of swapping units over,I determined it was the rectangular one that was duff (when I swapped this one with the LH headlight, the issue moved and the RH headlight behaved perfectly).
I bought a replacement with the exact same part number thinking that would mean it wouldn't need coded...but things haven't gone to plan after fitting it.
At first all was well but then I turned the ignition off and locked the car...20 seconds later the RH headlight burst into life. It stayed on for a while so I tried various combos of engine on/off, lights on/off but it's still misbehaving.
When sidelights or dipped beam (haven't tried main beam) then the LED strips light up. They don't if the switch is at Auto though.
Some scenarios result in the RH indicator being permanently lit until I use the hazards or RH indicators then it behaves itself.
What are we thinking - call my local independent and get them to look at it or has anyone else had/done this??

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Get it on star, it'll recognise it straight away and update itself accordingly. Mine did . I had the intelligent headlights.

 

[robsterpaterson]

Get it on star, it'll recognise it straight away and update itself accordingly. Mine did . I had the intelligent headlights.

Thanks, same headlights as me. A trip to my specialist will be a touch cheaper than Star etc though

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Thanks, same headlights as me. A trip to my specialist will be a touch cheaper than Star etc though

£40 ?

 

[DSM10000]

Thanks, same headlights as me. A trip to my specialist will be a touch cheaper than Star etc though

Your independent will need to use Star /Xentry if coding is required.

 

[robsterpaterson]

Your independent will need to use Star /Xentry if coding is required.

Yes I appreciate that but that'll cost me whatever their hourly rate is (possibly) rather than me buying dealer-level diagnostics and doing it myself.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Yes I appreciate that but that'll cost me whatever their hourly rate is (possibly) rather than me buying dealer-level diagnostics and doing it myself.

Good luck with that

 

[st13phil]

rather than me buying dealer-level diagnostics

I fancy you'll be disappointed in that quest.

As others have said, take it to a dealer or an independent who has Star / Xentry and pay them to update the coding. Only Star / Xentry is able to do this.

 

[DSM10000]

Yes I appreciate that but that'll cost me whatever their hourly rate is (possibly) rather than me buying dealer-level diagnostics and doing it myself.

You cannot buy "dealer level diagnostics"

They are only available to accredited garages, are very expensive and require a monthly subscription plus some coding requires a connection to an MB server in Germany.

 

[robsterpaterson]

You cannot buy "dealer level diagnostics"

They are only available to accredited garages, are very expensive and require a monthly subscription plus some coding requires a connection to an MB server in Germany.

My bad, I meant the STAR application download that is available. Didn't know that access to MB's Ivory Tower was required for some functionality though so thanks for that.

 

[DSM10000]

Star download?

Almost certainly an illegal clone

Star, like most manufacturer software can be quite difficult to navigate without experience. In your case I think paying an experienced independent would be the quickest, cheapest and safest option

 

[robsterpaterson]

Update - got the car on the diagnostics at the local MB specialist today and they tell me that STAR isn't communicating with the RH headlight. They're looking into it further but, at the very least, it sounds like the new (but aftermarket) controller I fitted is maybe duff.
They're looking into it further and will let me know...

 

[robsterpaterson]

£600, yes 600, for a replacement controller and coding. At a specialist. FFS an entire headlight is £1,200!

 

[OneForTheRoad]

£600, yes 600, for a replacement controller and coding. At a specialist. FFS an entire headlight is £1,200!

That's lightened ( pun intended) your wallet . Yes they are expensive items. I was watching a video on you tube last night , that lad who fixes up write offs. He needed a track rod end for an Aston Martin. They wouldn't sell him one separate,he had to buy a rack £5580 plus vat . Omg .

 

[robsterpaterson]

Blow was made worse by me shelling out £90 on an aftermarket controller that "won't need coding" which turned out to be a piece of expensive shit - a round will be getting pursued for that (prestige automotive or something like that).
Thanks.

 

[DSM10000]

£600, yes 600, for a replacement controller and coding. At a specialist. FFS an entire headlight is £1,200!

So you have saved £600.

 

[robsterpaterson]

So you have saved £600.

Not really, I didn't need a headlight - I was merely drawing a comparison. For what's ultimately a sidelight to require a £600 repair is frankly ridiculous.

 

[Benz17]

Sometimes mercs and other premium make cars can be a touch expensive if things go wrong. Nature of the beast I guess.