Lights switch - No off position - W204

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hbb6

New Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
8
Location
Nr Kenilworth
Car
W204 C350 CDI Estate
My new C350 is a constant annoyance to me because I cannot control the headlights (bi-xenon). They come on as I back out of my garage in bright sunlight, they come on under the canopy of petrol stations, they come on too early in the evening.

There is no off position on the headlight switch. I cannot understand why Mercedes want to dictate to drivers. My handbook says "The automatic headlight feature is only an aid. The driver is responsible for the vehicles lighting at all times". I think this statement is at odds with the function provided.

Doing test drives in the summer I wasn't aware of the lack of off position.

I have tried to get the dealer to change the switch, can't. I have tried to get the dealer to change the coding to make the 9 o'clock park position an off one, can't or won't.
Nor is it possible to adjust the sensitivity of the light sensor. Apparently it used to be.

I have looked at the light sensor on the windscreen to see if I could add a switch that could disable/enable the sensor. This would keep my DRLs going till dusk when I would enable the sensor. The sensor is needed to enable the interior lighting so I don't want to permanently disable the auto light function. Difficult to do this as the bus wires are the only easy access.

I have had a look in the headlight switch to see if I could do anything there to make an off position. (Took me 4 attempts to get it back together and working). Springs leap out!

I control the lights now by moving the switch to the park position when starting up and driving. This keeps all the lights off. However when leaving the car parked I frequently forget to return the switch to the "A" position to turn the parking lights off. Annoying.

I would like to drive with the DRLs on, but unless I am in bright daylight I will get headlights coming on. So although I have them they aren't on most of the time when they should be.

The no off position switch is being fitted to other new models, be warned.

Does anybody know if the coding can be changed to make park an off, or if the sensor sensitivity can be adjusted? Would also need a friendly person with a "star" box?
 
But what is the problem with the lights coming on?

Mine come on under canopies and the like. Surely it's better to have the lights on 'early' than latter?

It costs you nothing?
 
But what is the problem with the lights coming on?

Mine come on under canopies and the like. Surely it's better to have the lights on 'early' than latter?

It costs you nothing?

Owners tend to be old-fashioned and worried about their expensive xenon bulbs failing from "unnecessary" switching on and off. The outcome may be a broken light switch and a sore hand plus driving without proper lights every now and then.

As you say, no problem with automatic lights, the car should be driven as it was designed to be driven, safe and convenient.
 
HIDs very rarely 'blow'. I had HIDs on my previous car, and (naively) thought I should get spare bulb kit which included one - the dealer said they don't keep any in stock, it's special order - apparently they only ever replaced them as result of a crash.

This is not to say that HIDs never go wrong, but on a new car you should really not be worried about this.

In fact, I kept my previous car for 7 years, and always drove with the headlamps switched on, even during daytime - and never had any issues with the HIDs.

Having said that, on my lowly W203 the Operating System controls the lights (from the Instrument Cluster menu), with three modes to chose from - manual, constant, and automatic - which pretty much cover every eventuality... surely this is also available on your W204? I keep mine on constant, i.e. 'always on' (as I don't have DRLs), but you could set it to manual if you prefer and the light switch will then fully control the lights like it did in the olden days?
 
My OLD W203 has auto lights and an off switch.
I usually just leave it on auto as it seems to work very well.
The only exception is driving along a road lined with trees that have thick canopies.
In these circumstances they keep switching on and back off which is annoying and a bit distracting so I set the switch to off.
I would probably be a bit annoyed, like the OP, if I was unable to turn them off albeit very rarely.
 
I think I would want to be able to turn my lights off, the inevitable automation of everything isn't always a good idea.
 
I've had auto-lights on cars for years but stopped using them after someone pulled out on me as they came on when I drove under a gantry/bridge.

I recently did exactly the same myself while I'd been waiting for some time to join a busy main road - entirely my fault. The Xenon lights of a Jag XF "popped" as they came on - I saw this as a flash, reacted to it and pulled out. The Jag drivers face was a picture!
 
These two points illustrate exactly why lights shouldn't be automated all the time. As for those preaching about safety or hideous hand injury from using the switch, what do you think people have been doing for decades? :doh:

Before anyone asks, yes I do use the lights on auto but sometimes I want to be in control.
 
Interesting comments. Having the light switch in the park position with the ignition key inserted is the only way to keep the lights off.
My previous car was a C320, the lights switch had an off position. Frequently towards dusk I would move the switch to the auto position, happy to allow the car to decide when to switch.
LED DRLs can be switched on/off without shortening their life of about 100K hours. I would like them to be on but can't without having the bi-xenons come on when I don't need or want them.
Mercedes are providing daylight driving lights, but are not providing the necessary switch functions for their proper control.
Being able to inhibit the windscreen light sensor, by a switch and not a settings option, would give me the functionality I want.
 
I wonder how much of this "auto" is from EU regulation and not driven by the manufacturer.
 
I thought it was odd when I took delivery of my 204, my previous CLS had the off position as well as the auto. I just put up with it, but it is a bit dumb of Mercedes to not offer an off position, but I suspect it is some EU nanny law coming in soon.

S
 
My previous 08 and 59 reg c63's both had a off position,my current 60reg c63 does not.
 
Another irritation is on my W204 you have to go to manual headlights instead of auto to put the fogs on, and it's front fogs before the rears, sometimes I just want to stick the rears on.
 
Another irritation is on my W204 you have to go to manual headlights instead of auto to put the fogs on, and it's front fogs before the rears, sometimes I just want to stick the rears on.

That's been the way for some time. It's so one can't leave them on 'accidently' and one can't accidently have the rears on as one can see the fronts will also be on.
 
I wonder how much of this "auto" is from EU regulation and not driven by the manufacturer.

Or maybe from EU regulation being driven by the manufacturers...
 
guys, from what i hear, sooner or later drivers will be forced to around with their headlights on, even during a sunny hot clear sky day, EU REGULATIONS, as it improves visibility. on a different note as from 2012 all brand new cars are supposed to have tyre pressure monitors, EU REGULATIONS, health and safety
 
guys, from what i hear, sooner or later drivers will be forced to around with their headlights on, even during a sunny hot clear sky day, EU REGULATIONS, as it improves visibility. on a different note as from 2012 all brand new cars are supposed to have tyre pressure monitors, EU REGULATIONS, health and safety

Most if not all new MBs have tyre pressure loss warning as standard, which is the EU requirement.

As for headlamps, do you suggest all cars of whatever age will have to run with headlamps on constant? (This is already an option on most MBs for many years) Or do you mean all new cars will have to have DRLs, which all new MBs already have?
 
All my cars have had tyre pressure loss warning as standard : when the tyre goes down , it gives this 'bump,bump,bump' audible warning sound , with a tactile alert fed back through the steering wheel .
 
All my cars have had tyre pressure loss warning as standard : when the tyre goes down , it gives this 'bump,bump,bump' audible warning sound , with a tactile alert fed back through the steering wheel .

Sounds similar to my parking sensors... :D

If it goes 'crack' I stop. :rolleyes:

If it goes 'crack' and then 'Oy! What d'ya think y'r doin'? then I take off and look for parking elsewhere. :eek:
 

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