No Reversing lights or fog lights - E320 CDI Estate Yr 2000

[rizlar]

I just bought E320 CDI Estate, Yr 2000, and the Reversing and Fog lights haven't worked in the 3 weeks that I've had it. I checked the fuse, the bulbs and even had a scrape of the terminals in the rear light clusters mounted in the boot lid, but all to no avail. All that ended up happening was that the rear parking sensor stopped working??!!

I took it to my local garage who specialise in "prestige models" and they reckon it needs a new "control unit" whatever that is. The bill for that is going to be £500, which seems a bit steep just to get the reversing lights and fog lights working again.

The car has been in a few times to get the problem diagnosed and one time it came out and the reversing lights were just on permanently while driving. My wife took it back and the technician just disconnected the reversing lights, strangely after we got it back again the rear parking sensor was working again.

Sorry this is a long post but any suggestions as to how I can avoid paying £500 for a new "control unit" would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks

 

[BlackC55]

What control unit was it?

 

[ShinyF1]

Rear light clusters on these breakdown over time I believe - one of mine only has limited function - thought it was bulbs but process of elimination ruled that out. Maybe unlikely as both functions both sides are shot but bear it in mind.

 

[N7OGP]

i had the same problem with my reverse and brake lights i had to rub and rub the terminals the get a good contact, have you tried to see if any power is getting to the lamp unit.

 

[MarkJunedd]

Had the same fault with mine when I bought it, no reverse lights or rear fog. Found that if the multiplug to the offside was pushed fully in they didnt work but if pulled slightly then they worked everytime. Cleaned and 'stretched' the pins a little and its sorted.

 

[N7OGP]

i had the same problem with my reverse and brake lights i had to rub and rub the terminals the get a good contact, have you tried to see if any power is getting to the lamp unit.

thats the word i was thinking of MULTI PLUG it was really corroded

 

[rizlar]

Many thanks for your replies. MarkJunedd, the multiplug you are talking about is that behind the offside light cluster, so in the actual boot lid?

 

[MarkJunedd]

Yes that's the one, though obviously mine is a coupe and not an estate but i should imagine the harnesses are similar.

 

[rizlar]

So the saga continues. The car has been into the MB dealer and they still can't find the problem with the reversing lights. They thought it was the ESM ( I think that stands for Electronic Switching Module) so they changed it but it didn't make any difference so they put the old one back and didn't charge me for it, now they think it might be the gear selector module/unit. I think they are referring to the whole gear lever et al. Could it be that? surely there is just a simple switch in there that completes the circuit when you select reverse? I've had a go at rubbing down the contacts and I'm assuming by the amount of time they say they have spent investigating the problem that they have established that no power is getting to the reverse lights. Anything else it could be?

 

[N7OGP]

on mine somebody has disconnect the original wire to the reverse light and fitted a new wire from somewhere. it could of had your problem, take it to a auto electrician