Dan Da'Barber

Ref; purchased My 2000 s500 mercedes from a dealer as-is. I'm quickly finding & correcting all the little issues. (Case and point) Brake lights dont work. I checked all possible fuses in all 3 fuse locations.unless theres another? Vehicle came with no manual. I also checked brake (LED) lights seperately, they all work with direct 12v provided to light plug (black wire w/red stripe) and I also get BAS/ESP indicators on dash. I checked brake switch and get no live power at the plugs. I purchased new switch at dealer, thinking it would clear the problem, installed new switch with no luck, any helpful solution or hints?

S600Keith

Replacing a switch on a circuit that you have already determined is dead is silly. If there is no power in the circuit then closing the switch (by pressing the pedal) will only close the loop on a dead circuit. I am still thinking fuse here.

Welwynnick

Are you sure it uses fuses? All the exterior lights on mine are electronic. I think that means there's a black box somewhere with control and monitoring electronics that drive a set of relays for each light. You just turn off and turn on and that resets the relay.

Do you get an error warning on the dash?

How do you know the bulbs work?

Are you testing them with the ignition on?

I would download the appropriate manual from the Mercedes US website.

Nick

trombone

I think Nick is right.
The information page for relays and fuses does not list brake lights. All the exterior lights mentioned are indeed electronic fused.

The page part number is A 000 545 16 00, usually it is in the tool compartment above the spare wheel.

The brake switch could not be totally dead if the shifter can be moved out from park.

May be one of the SAMs is responsible for the disabled brake lights.

wallyp

Perhaps F16 in the left engine compartment fuse box.

Dan Da'Barber

As Nick advised and was right. , I d'loaded the manual for my w220, it did specify electrical components are fused with safety fuses. And just my luck~!@ it went further on to say (except brake/stop lamps) and individual light components, they are fused by cycled circuit breakers. But did not reveal the location of breakers. The hunt is on for location of these breakers.

Trombone; will check that page part #. BTW the shifter does not slide out of park as it should. Glad you brought that up! I have to shift towards right just a pinch & and hammer down with my fist to get into gear! I've had the car 2 weeks and Im walking around these days like (MIGHTY THOR) I have no more feelings left in my right hand!

S600 Keith; I did some research in different areas on the brake switch & did find for many MB models that this was a common issue, I was also thinking it may of had a low voltage input, not enough to light my test lamp, but more so for my own piece of mind I went ahead and installed a new one in.

Wally; i will check that F16 as you advised.
Thanks guys, I Appreciate all the support in this matter, will advise on progress!

ibeforreal

I don't want to add any fuel to the fire but you might want to get a little concerned about the shifter not shifting out of park. These cars are known for that little plastic piece in the gear box breaking and causing the car to get stuck in park. And of course it happens in the most remote places and at the most inconvenient time. Luckily for me mine happened in my garage.

Plenty of talk on this forum about that "stuck in park" issue. It has probably or will eventually happen to every W220 owner out there. Same as the famous "instrument cluster going black" issue. At least there was finally a recall on that one.

trombone

Ouchy!
You already changed the brake switch and the shifter still is a problem, meaning that the black plastic piece in the shifter box is broken or about to break any time, making the shift impossible.

Ibeforreal is right, you must address the shifter issue before anything else.
The forum is loaded with shorter/longer threads on this, and good videos are available on Youtube.
It is a major work of many hours, sometimes with unexpected extra problems.

Dealer price could be over $1500, DIY depends on how large is your toolbox.
Good luck.

Dan Da'Barber

Ok guys, Im getting closer to a possible solution. The elimination process is getting narrowed down! Determined (F16) is the stop lamp fuse, it has pwr. But we already established I have electronic exterior light system, but still no pwr to the brake switch. Followed the wires from the newly installed brake switch & they are all heading towards the back of vehicle on drivers side floor board. Im now learning and heading towards a (SAM) solution that was mentioned here in a previous reply. Ive learned there are 3 (SAM)'s im heading to the one under rear pass side seat, I guess behind the fuse box, or might be attached 1 in the same? Ill get to inspecting that tomorrow, & I've also learned its about a $400 donation just for the (SAM) @ the dealer without the install. Will advise...

Quick question; based on what i've been reading in other areas, is my brake light issue & stuck park shifter issue linked to one solution? i think not. ive got that black plastic thought in the back of my head...

ibeforreal

Personally I think they are two separate issues. I would be more focused on the stuck in park issue.

Dan Da'Barber

Ok guy's. Sorry for the intentional delay, here was my by-pass modification. I waited 2 weeks to reveal my mod in order to make sure my mod did not caues side effects. My focus went back to the brake switch plug that was not getting power from the start. It Just didnt make sense. The plug was not getting pwr in the first place in order to distribute pwr to the brake lights to function as they should! So I probed 12v into the brake plug slots one at a time. Theres 2 plugs one with 2 wires and one with 4. (Fast fwd), I came across a black wire with a thin blue stripe, I fed it 12v and it triggered something in the consol area. I pressed the brake with my hand and "Whammo"! We got action! Now my focus went back to the triggered center consol noise i had heard when 12v was applied to plug wire. (Fast fwd again), everything went silent, I decided to leave the 12v connected to the said (black wire with thin blue stripe on brake switch), and I started the car. Would you know, with great amazement, my ABS light on far upper right of cluster had turned off, in addition my ESP, BAS etc. lights on message center all were off/gone, to top it off my shifter works perfectly as it should! It's locked in park when engine is off, also locked in park with engine running till I step on the brakes as it should! The long/short of it is, everything is working as it should with no side effects! So in conclusion; I installed a 7.5 amp fusable link to an accessory feed wire right under dash, one end to accessory 12v- other end to the brake switch wire, neatly taped & tie wrapped it all up, and all has been well since!.

***Just for the sake of doubt I back tracked my mod and removed the fuse off the link, as to say we were back to square one with no initial pwr to the brake switch; and sure enough, no working brake lights, all messages were back on message center again, ABS light lit up on cluster, and shifter was stuck in park again. With a gentle grin I looked at my right fist & I gently proceeded to place the 7.5 amp fuse back into the link and now we're driving Mrs. Daisy....I will try post pics if needed.

trombone

Congratulation for the great trouble shooting!

I guess that some of previous owners messed with the wires to supply some add-on gadget, like a Sirius radio or DVD player or what not.

Intentionally or not tapped the lifeline to the brake plug, then removed the stuff before selling the car and did not care to reconnect. Neither did the dealer.

Great job!

ibeforreal

Happy to see everything worked out for you without breaking the bank.

Dan Da'Barber

The vehicle is in its all original status, meaning does not apear to have been tampered with after market accessories, but your thought is very possible. It did not come with CD changer. I will at a later time investigate and install one. By no means did I find and correct the original problem but simply discovered a by-pass solution with no side effects. Thanks for all the support!

97S320benz

Hello to everyone, haven't been on the site in years the W140 is still rolling but this new 220 is giving me hell! Same as mentioned above with my s430 replaced brake switch and nothing now this all came about due to a horn not working properly so I replaced the fuse/relay 12v for that but then came the brake light issues, my car stuck in park ESP light BAS light etc.. I fully plan on following the steps you have laid out Dan, I believe we ran across same issue in our cars n the fact these both happened simultaneously makes me believe It would be a smarter decision to follow your lead first then taking apart the gear shifter box. Any additional info on all this is welcomed and if you have pics that would be fantastic. Thanks guys

Dmtypr

Man this post gives hope!

Recently I bought a neat w220 s430 with decent interior and exterior but had the brake light on... tried numerous brake light switched oem and no oem with no luck went under the hood to the left side fuse compartment and searched for f16 (all I did was to count from 6 till f16 dunno if its the correct fuse......) but it seems to me that theres no current on f16 but I must re-assure the location of the fuse can someone here put a picture or tell me where the fuse f16 is located ?

Dmtypr

Did you get to fix it?

Akbar Service

We see this all the time on W215/W220 models - Brake lamps are on anytime the key is in position '2' - In STAR/Xentry, it's easy to check the operational status of the brake lamp switch. It is also easy to check the signal status of the Rear SAM. In almost every case, we replace the ESP/PML/BAS control unit and the problem is solved. Leave the key on for 15 minutes. The ESP/PML/BAs control unit will be hot to the touch with this type of failure...