Mercedes-Benz E-Class and E-Class AMG: How to Repair Power to the Trunk

This article applies to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and E-Class AMG w211 (2002-2009).

If all the lights in your trunk have stopped working simultaneously, the cause is most likely due to severed power supply wires. In your Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the trunk wires may be damaged if they get caught in the trunk hardware—a somewhat rare, but easily fixable problem. Repairing the damage is easy, and novice w211 owners are more than capable of fixing it themselves. This article is provided with the complete steps for rewiring your car's trunk lights to get the them powered up and running.

Step 1 – Inspect and solder the wires

• Disconnect the battery.
• Open the trunk. Look for the plastic trim panel and carpeting on the driver's side (left).
• Use a flat head screwdriver to snap out the trim panel pins. Then, pull back on the panel and carpeting.
• Snap off the plastic cover of the left trunk hinge.
• Run your hands down the wires, and inspect them for any brakes.
• Once you have found the broken wire, strip off the insulation from each end.
• Solder the wires together.

Step 2 – Cover and re-install the wires

• Place a heat-shrink tube over the soldered area.
• Run a heat gun over the heat-shrink tube to wrap and insulate the soldered wires.
• Duct tape all of the trunk wires together, and place them back into the hinge. Make sure to position them where they cannot be broken.
• Re-install the plastic trim panels and carpeting.
• Reconnect the battery, and test the trunk lights.

Related Discussion

• E-Class: No Power to 3rd Brake and License Plate Lights - MBWorld.org