W210 Faulty light fittings

[Rich]

My 1997 W210 used to eat up bulbs both front and rear for all its five years with me. I traced the problem to arcing between bulb-pin contact and bulb holder. The parking light bulb at the front used to go regularly, particularly the most inaccessible bulb, by the aircon unit. Twas truly a b*gg*r to replace, especially after dark, which is of course the only time it would happen. Repleced the holders as well as bulbs but to no effect and would get a failure on average every 6 months. Left or right side of car, it made no difference - either side could and did regularly go. Took to carrying additional spare bulbs for brake and parking lights besides the usual pack.

The 2001 facelift W210 model I now have has a slight redesign to the rear fitting. It doesn't (yet) blow bulbs tho' I had a lamp fault condition recently which had me once again twisting the brake lamp assembly in its housing This time it was enough to cure it. So after 14 months ownership of this model I've not had to replace a bulb. Yet...
Anyone else had experience with this problem?

 

[GregE240]

Rich,

Hi mate. Sort of! After about a year of ownership I had several bulbs pack in on my rear clusters (I've got a 1998 W210). Same sort of problem - in short a poor connection between the bulb holders and the PCB on the light units. Got fed up with twisting up the little contacts to make good connections so took a set into MB Birmingham and ordered 2 new ones. Strangely enough it hasn't happened again.

Cost was about £20 but money well spent. If there wasn't a bulb failure circuit I probably wouldn't have bothered but when a stop light blows, it *KEEPS* telling you it has if you clear the fault condition.

Greg

 

[jdsouza]

My high level brake light refuses to work even though the bulb has been changed a few times and my rear drivers side brake light keeps on blowing. Also the light behind the switch for the heating on drivers side does not work on the dashboard. Can this be replaced easily? Any ideas on what's wrong with rear set up? Mercedes Benz sure do not make them like they used to. E-200 Elegance 1997 model.