C280 help (lights)
03-11-2003, 07:38 PM
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1998 C280, black on black stock except smoked tail lights
C280 help (lights)
Hey,
New to the forum, looks like a nice bunch of folks...
I recently acquired a '98 C280. Having a bit of trouble with the interior lights. The driver's door contact switch is broken and the dealer has order a new one which should cure the issue of not having any interior lights that come on with the door open (with the fade out feature).
My question though is... are the parking lights (not low beams but the side markers) supposed to stay on after I turn off the car, exit and lock it? I thought I read somewhere in the owner's manual (I know, I know RTFM) that they were supposed to and then go off after a period of 30 seconds or so. Problem is, they don't go off. I have to turn the light switch (low beam and fog light round switch to the left of the steering wheel) all the way to the left and then back to "0" before they turn off...
Is this someway tied in with the driver's door switch and the car thinks the door is still open? Anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks
Gord
New to the forum, looks like a nice bunch of folks...
I recently acquired a '98 C280. Having a bit of trouble with the interior lights. The driver's door contact switch is broken and the dealer has order a new one which should cure the issue of not having any interior lights that come on with the door open (with the fade out feature).
My question though is... are the parking lights (not low beams but the side markers) supposed to stay on after I turn off the car, exit and lock it? I thought I read somewhere in the owner's manual (I know, I know RTFM) that they were supposed to and then go off after a period of 30 seconds or so. Problem is, they don't go off. I have to turn the light switch (low beam and fog light round switch to the left of the steering wheel) all the way to the left and then back to "0" before they turn off...
Is this someway tied in with the driver's door switch and the car thinks the door is still open? Anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks
Gord
03-11-2003, 10:29 PM
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1998 C230
if you turn off your car and previously had lights on, a security feature will have your lights stay on for 20-30 sec after you shut the door. it goes away after the time frame tho. nothing is suppose to stay on for a long time unless you didnt turn off your lights properly.
0 is suppose to be OFF for all lights.
excuse my crude pic of the light switch:
OOOO#OOOO
OO#OOO#OO
O#OOOOO#O
OOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOO
the upper most notch in the middle is the OFF setting for all your lights.
the 2 notches on the right is for parking lights and lowbeam. pull the switch outward to add foglights. pull it out a 2nd time and you will look like a wierdo with tail foglights
the 2 notches on the left is for a left parking light and a right parking light, i never use these. :P
highbeam, as you may already know is when your in the lowbeam notch and you pull the turn signal lever inwards/towards you.
0 is suppose to be OFF for all lights.
excuse my crude pic of the light switch:
OOOO#OOOO
OO#OOO#OO
O#OOOOO#O
OOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOO
the upper most notch in the middle is the OFF setting for all your lights.
the 2 notches on the right is for parking lights and lowbeam. pull the switch outward to add foglights. pull it out a 2nd time and you will look like a wierdo with tail foglights
the 2 notches on the left is for a left parking light and a right parking light, i never use these. :P
highbeam, as you may already know is when your in the lowbeam notch and you pull the turn signal lever inwards/towards you.
Last edited by Rincewind; 03-11-2003 at 10:34 PM.
03-11-2003, 10:40 PM
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1998 C280, black on black stock except smoked tail lights
Thanks...
I think though that there might be an issue with the DRL's (daytime running lights) since I'm in Canada. When the car is on the road, the low beams and parking lights are on. Once I've stopped and put the car in park, the lows go off, but the parking lights stay on. I'll then turn the car off, and the parking lights stay on. I'll get out, lock the car and they'll stay on. I have to go and manually futz (sorry, a technical word...
) with the switch.
Hopefully when I get the door switch fixed, all these gremlins will go away... apart from that it's a great car.
I think though that there might be an issue with the DRL's (daytime running lights) since I'm in Canada. When the car is on the road, the low beams and parking lights are on. Once I've stopped and put the car in park, the lows go off, but the parking lights stay on. I'll then turn the car off, and the parking lights stay on. I'll get out, lock the car and they'll stay on. I have to go and manually futz (sorry, a technical word...
) with the switch.Hopefully when I get the door switch fixed, all these gremlins will go away... apart from that it's a great car.
03-11-2003, 10:52 PM
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1998 C230
ok from my understanding of what you did step by step.
parkingt lights (turn signals) are suppose to be lit up when you have lowbeams on, thats normal, unless u have single filament turn signal bulbs (then they arent on and only on when you actually do a turn signal)
when you put the car in park and turn off car, did you flip the light notch to OFF? you need to, or your turn signals will be on (cause you left the lights on)... your car should beep you when you open the door to get out (signaling to you that you forgot to turn off the lights)
parkingt lights (turn signals) are suppose to be lit up when you have lowbeams on, thats normal, unless u have single filament turn signal bulbs (then they arent on and only on when you actually do a turn signal)
when you put the car in park and turn off car, did you flip the light notch to OFF? you need to, or your turn signals will be on (cause you left the lights on)... your car should beep you when you open the door to get out (signaling to you that you forgot to turn off the lights)
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03-12-2003, 08:14 AM
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1998 C280, black on black stock except smoked tail lights
Hey Rincewind... Great drawing! Thanks! I can't imagine what you'd do sober... (or maybe it would be worse -ha-)!
In any case, I don't want to beat this to death and I'm sure that this will all be fixed when I get the driver's door switch fixed, but...
When I start the car during the day, I do not touch the lights. Once I engage drive, both the parking and low beams come on (DRL's). After I've stopped and put the car in park, the lows go off, but the parking lights stay on. I'll then turn the car off,exit and lock it and the parking lights stay on. Again, during the day, I don't even touch the lights.
So, I really believe it's accociated with the driver's door switch but I'll keep everyone posted once I find out...
Thanks again for the help...
gordo
In any case, I don't want to beat this to death and I'm sure that this will all be fixed when I get the driver's door switch fixed, but...
When I start the car during the day, I do not touch the lights. Once I engage drive, both the parking and low beams come on (DRL's). After I've stopped and put the car in park, the lows go off, but the parking lights stay on. I'll then turn the car off,exit and lock it and the parking lights stay on. Again, during the day, I don't even touch the lights.
So, I really believe it's accociated with the driver's door switch but I'll keep everyone posted once I find out...
Thanks again for the help...
gordo
