Interior light & alarm problem

[AndyS]

Hi All

One of the reasons I joined this fine forum back in December when I got my w208 was to try and find a solution to a problem I had with my interior light and long distance alarm transmitting. I subsequently fixed the problem with some candair and fiddling but after 8 months it's come back.

The problem is and was with regards to the interior light cluster, when I open a door only the rear light comes on, the front cluster doesn't work at all. It also doesn't work for general use either and neither do the sun-visor lights. Along with this problem the long-range function of the remote stops working - it'll only work close up via IR.

If I prise the front interior light cluster out on the right hand side about an inch the cluster will suddenly start working perfectly and the long-range remote function comes back. Once I do this operation the int lights work perfectly, I can drive, go over bumps and the buttons stay illuminated and all buttons work as they should. I can then get out of the car, lock it via the long range remote, unlock it again and all works as it should. It's only when I leave the car for a undetermined length of time - anything over 5 mins it seems and the problem comes back. I am thinking a loose connection somewhere but am a bit confused as to why it only stops working once the car has been standing for a while..

Any ideas anyone?

Cheers
Andy

edit:

It seems this place is amazing! Just typing the question in sorts the problem out..

Having not bothered rectifying the problem from when it failed earlier this morning I just nipped down the shops and it had sorted itself out.. all the same would welcome any advice

 

[aslam001]

had this problem on my e240 , stripped out the front interior light and the circuit board was burnt out i also had no auto wipers.bought a second hand front interior light from dronsfield mercedes £25 plus vat and delivery sorted out my problems, the colour panel can be swopped if they send a different colour.

 

[AndyS]

Thanks Aslam,

Will look into that - so - silly question, how did you see the circuit board was burnt out. Is it a case of taking the whole unit out and then unscrewing things until you get to the board and was it obvious once you did that it was burnt out?

 

[aslam001]

that was easy a big black burnt hole on the board , l think the small cooling fan part of the assembly stopped working.
it was just luck I decieded to look up there as I was checking fuses and wiring .
that circuit board controls the ir alarm, auto wipers.

 

[AndyS]

Sorry Aslam missed this earlier. Well putting the new cluster in certainly seems to have solved the problem although there was no obvious defects to the old circuit board on my old one.

Many thanks for letting me know about this solution though, I have been scratching my head about it for a while

Cheers
Andy