General Question

[Crazyjester900]

Ok,

With my C-Class W202 1996 the switch to turn on the light is on a
dial just to the right of the steering wheel. Yes we all know that..

when the car is off and you turn it all the way to the left, the left
parker says on. Only the left parker.

When you click it one turn to the right only the right parker stays on?

What is this function for?

I was told that it is for people in europe (that's you guys)!

At night when you park on the street if you park on the right side of
the road you leave the right parker on and if you park on the left side
you leave the left side on?

Is this true?

If not i'd love to know....

Thanks

 

[94mattda]

As far as i know this is true and that is what the lights are used for, although i dont think too many prople use it to be honest... i dont see it much.

 

[Crazyjester900]

cool,

Yeh never used here

 

[Defiant]

It's for marking a standing car to other traffic. You would illuminate the side furthest from the curb. I don't know if it was ever a requirement, or simply a courtesy. Or, attractive fireflies for the drunk drivers to aim for.
I think the '60 SL-190 I'd worked on had essentially the same switch, although chromed pot metal instead of plastic. And no one on this continent had any clue why you'd use parking lights on a parked car.

 

[Frank O' Phile]

I occassionally use mine, just because it's there.

I seem to remember Fords as far back as the 70's having a similar feature which was activated by leaving the indicator in the 'on' position, and the corresponding side light lights would be on.

 

[portzy]

I'm pretty certain that, in the UK at least, if you park facing the opposing traffic flow then you have to have some form of front and rear illumination (or indication) to reduce the hazard. This is because the reflectors, which normally carry out this function, which are built into the rear light clusters would be facing the wrong way.

So, its a parking light function which doesnt make a big drain on the battery. VW's are like this as far as I know but you turn them on via the indicator stalk or at least you did in the Scirocco era.

Portzy.

 

[recycled]

In europe you park on the street on the with the flowing traffic, and you have to leave the light on for the side that is on the road.

so park on the right ,leave the left side on.

 

[Crazyjester900]

ok, interesting..

Does anyone do it? lol

 

[recycled]

In mainland europe. yes.
I think the primera has this as well and some other german cars, bu it is better to just leave both on

 

[portzy]

ok, interesting..

Does anyone do it? lol

I do. And also even if I think there is the remotest possibility of being clouted when I am parked going with the flow.

Portzy.

 

[Crazyjester900]

cheers

 

[Beetnik]

When parking on the road at night you should park in the direction of traffic thus enabling passing traffic to see the reflectors on the rear of your car.

You must use your sidelights when parking on a road or a lay by when the speed limit exceeds 30 mph. Parking light (on the appropriate side) is sufficient.

How do some people pass their test!!

 

[Crazyjester900]

not part of the test in AUS, my car is the only one i know of that
has this function...

lucky me

 

[Chattonmill]

Most cars have this, but many people have never used it. Either put the indicator on left or right or use the light switch.

 

[Carrotchomper]

I have a hire Vectra at work at the moment, I couldn't get the parking light to go off for several weeks, and it completely did my head in! Gritting one's teeth as a kind colleague says for the umpteenth time "The lights are on"...

 

[BTB 500]

Most cars have this, but many people have never used it. Either put the indicator on left or right or use the light switch.

Yup, most commonly one side light comes on when the indicator lever is up or down and ignition off. People usually find this by accident.

The M-B system with extra positions on the light switch is unusual, in my experience.

 

[hawk20]

I'm pretty certain that, in the UK at least, if you park facing the opposing traffic flow then you have to have some form of front and rear illumination (or indication) to reduce the hazard. This is because the reflectors, which normally carry out this function, which are built into the rear light clusters would be facing the wrong way.

So, its a parking light function which doesnt make a big drain on the battery. VW's are like this as far as I know but you turn them on via the indicator stalk or at least you did in the Scirocco era.

Portzy.

Whoops! You should never park at night facing the wrong way. And if you put the parking lights on, as you suggest, you would show white to oncoming traffic who might think it was a car coming towards them.

Those who live in towns rapidly forget this obscure bit of law and what these lights are for because speed limits are everywhere and roads are usually well lit. But round here there are many places where lights are sparse and then the parking lights are a real benefit.

 

[bobby]

I use the parking light when I suspect I'm parked in a risky position (e.g. near a bend etc.)

 

[Soltan]

I always wondered what that was for, thanks for the info