Interior lighting W124 ce

[jon_viola]

Hi, i'm a new owner (see my other posts) and was wondering if you could help me solve why my interior/door lights don't illuminate when i open the doors. All the lights work manually but not when you enter the car. Any thoughts?
Cheers
Jon

 

[portzy]

Are you attempting this is daylight?. Neither of my MB's interior lights come on unless its dark enough for them to be of use, there should be a daylight sensor somewhere in the top of the screen infront of the RVM or in between the washer jets somehere. Try them in the dark. Either that, or are you able to overide them completely with a switch in the overhead panel?

Portzy

 

[jon_viola]

They come on fine from the control panel next to the sunroof controls but not otherwise. Having said that i did not know that there was a light sensor, so next to which mark should i leave the control switch to allow the lights to come on when opening the doors?
Sorry the car came with no handbooks at all!

 

[portzy]

No worries mate.

On both mine there are two ohp switches, one is a simple on/off no matter what the daylight is. The other selects lights with doors opening or no lights with doors opening. This ohp switch has to sit flush with its escuchion, (spl?), for the door switches to do their job. If the switch is pushed and then sits recessed in then the interior lights will not come on no matter what the state of the doors and door switches.

Hope that all makes sense .

Portzy.

 

[GRAV888]

If there's no sensor, try removing the door swithes and cleaning the contact with some fine emery cloth.
The wire on the back of the switches may have even corroded and/or broken.

 

[MBManInKen]

Neither of my MB's interior lights come on unless its dark enough for them to be of use, there should be a daylight sensor somewhere in the top of the screen

It looks like he has a W124, did they ever come with light sensors? Even my W140 didn't have a light sensor.

 

[Howard]

Nope, no light sensors in W124's ...

 

[MBManInKen]

Any thoughts?

The obvious explanation is that the switch which controls the lights on upon entry feature is in the off position. I never had a W124, but if it is anything like my W126 or W140, there will be a switch on the light console in the roof which has three settings: lights off, lights permanently on, lights on when doors are opened.

As others mentioned, it could also be a defective door switch, which you could simply check by trying the other door and see if that turns them on.

 

[Howard]

There's 4 settings on the w124 switch ...

Off
Reading light on
Main light on
Lights come on when doors opened ...

I would think it would be a dodgy switch on the actual door pillar, Grav's trick is the best bet for a solution ....

Failing that , i have a spare overhead light unit you can have if all else fails ...

 

[LastMinute]

Does the warning buzzer for the exterior lighting work? (Sidelights on + ignition key out + either door open = buzz.) If it doesn't, the problem is with the door switches or their wiring. If it does, the problem is in the overhead lighting unit - probably the switch not making proper contact in the "lights come on when doors opened" (fully forward) position, or it could be that the switch-off delay timer circuitry has failed.

Note that on the coupé there are two switches in each door pillar. One is for the lights and the warning buzzer, the other is for the seat belt mechanism. The lighting switches have one brown wire and two brown/grey wires.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Does the warning buzzer for the exterior lighting work? (Sidelights on + ignition off + either door open = buzz.) If it doesn't, the problem is with the door switches or their wiring. If it does, the problem is in the overhead lighting unit - probably the switch not making proper contact in the "lights come on when doors opened" (fully forward) position, or it could be that the switch-off delay timer circuitry has failed.

Note that on the coupé there are two switches in each door pillar. One is for the lights and the warning buzzer, the other is for the seat belt mechanism. The lighting switches have one brown wire and two brown/grey wires.

And he's only been at my place for 4 weeks














Truth be told, Brian is good with things sparky and tingly. Me? Nawww rubbish

 

[jon_viola]

Both the seatbelt motors are alive (although the D/S doesn't have all the fittings) and the buzzer also works. It strikes me that as yet i haven't changed the bulb so ill do that asap and report back...

Having said that the black seatbelt warning strip below the main light switch doesn't work so maybe thats related.

 

[Howard]

Hi Jon,

That should flash , it sounds like you have no power to the overhead light unit ....

It's fiddley to get down , make sure you don't break the clips or it will be a superglue job ( i know, beleive me )

Check the fuse that powers it as well , does anything else not work , could be related ...