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DIY: 2005+ tail light on 2001-2004 W203 sedan

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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 12:56 AM
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DIY: 2005+ tail light on 2001-2004 W203 sedan

well, finally decide to get my 05 tail light working properly with the running light and the rear fog light.

The connector is a W211 part actually. If you already have the 05 tail light cover and the bulb holder, you will need the following

part # 2115450328 (the connector) you would need two
part # 0155450426 (the metal pins) you only need two if you know how to take the old ones out. IF you are lazy like me you will need total of 13 pins.

here's how you ID what each wire does.

Driver side:
Brown = ground (pin #6)
blk/grey = running light (pin #7 and pin #1)
blk/white = turn signal (pin #5)
blk/red = brake light (pin #4)
grey/blue = reverse (pin #3)
wht/green = rear fog (pin #2)

Passenger side:
Brown = ground (pin #6)
red/grey = running light (pin #7 and pin #1)
green/blk = turn signal (pin #5)
black = brake (pin #4)
grey/yellow = reverse (pin #3)

Driver side:
connector (never mind the exposed wire, gotta redo'em later)


the connector from the front numbered left to right for the pins (7-1). Note the rib part should point upward.


Passenger side:
only 6 pin is needed since there's no fog light on this side.


the connector from the front. again, numbered 7-1, but NOTE the rib part should be facing down when you plug it into the passenger light bulb housing.



here's the end result

running light

fog light on

Last edited by FrankW; Feb 21, 2008 at 08:36 PM.
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 12:58 AM
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I got to see this hands-on . Very quick and painless if you any other of you guys need this for the updated look! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeea ;D.
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 01:14 AM
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awesome DIY
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 01:21 AM
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a quarter mile at a time
looks great Frank!
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 01:25 AM
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pics asap! thanks for the writeup, now all drex has to do is put it in the stickies
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 04:31 AM
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nice job.. looks great. it's now on my list of mods
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 06:04 AM
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Looks good, well done! Keen to see what the pin-outs need to be. I originally planned to do it the way you did by changing the connectors on my exisitng loom. I bought the 7 pin 211 part no connectors but wimped out so I bought a new rear loom and replaced the loom.

Do you get any malfunctions displayed in your cluster?

However, I believe the way I did it may need star coding. At present my 2005+ lights work perfectly but I only have one running light each side (just as before I upgraded). Just hope my rear SAM cab be enabled for dual running lights.
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 10:57 AM
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We had no malfunctions come up after mapping the wiring...
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 11:14 AM
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wow awesome! i just now realized that on the 05 lights, the whole bottom row is lit
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 08:37 PM
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Originally Posted by C320 UK
Looks good, well done! Keen to see what the pin-outs need to be. I originally planned to do it the way you did by changing the connectors on my exisitng loom. I bought the 7 pin 211 part no connectors but wimped out so I bought a new rear loom and replaced the loom.

Do you get any malfunctions displayed in your cluster?

However, I believe the way I did it may need star coding. At present my 2005+ lights work perfectly but I only have one running light each side (just as before I upgraded). Just hope my rear SAM cab be enabled for dual running lights.
the ghetto-fied connector pic is up...updated which wire goes where.

basically even with you changed the loom there's no power going into the inner running light, so you still have to splice the original running light wire. You should PM Sunil or Steve to find out, but I do not think you can.

Last edited by FrankW; Feb 21, 2008 at 08:40 PM.
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Old Feb 21, 2008 | 11:08 PM
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Great job on this, Frank.

Maybe I was subjected to shock therapy in a past life, but messing with the electrics gives me the *******.

Can I trade you a radiator installation for your tail lamp expertise?!
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Old Feb 22, 2008 | 01:26 AM
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niiiiice Frank! thanks for the detailed DIY!

this is now in the DIY Sticky up top...
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Old Feb 22, 2008 | 01:40 AM
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great DIY Frank!
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Old Feb 22, 2008 | 01:53 AM
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Originally Posted by splinter
Great job on this, Frank.

Maybe I was subjected to shock therapy in a past life, but messing with the electrics gives me the *******.

Can I trade you a radiator installation for your tail lamp expertise?!
!!! - Damn, what can I trade haha.
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Old Feb 22, 2008 | 03:38 AM
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Originally Posted by splinter
Great job on this, Frank.

Maybe I was subjected to shock therapy in a past life, but messing with the electrics gives me the *******.

Can I trade you a radiator installation for your tail lamp expertise?!
of course I'll need to find a behr radiator tho...lol
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Old Feb 22, 2008 | 03:40 AM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by mig888
!!! - Damn, what can I trade haha.
a DIY engine cover? lol
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Old Feb 22, 2008 | 09:32 AM
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How about Frank and I set up a splinter session and I'll go hands on this mess...regardlesss of whatever radiator etc, I too am starting to fall victim to the transmission shiftiness.. . Suds and lunch will be involved.
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Old Feb 22, 2008 | 12:17 PM
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Old Feb 22, 2008 | 12:26 PM
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Nice, Frank.
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Old Feb 22, 2008 | 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted by drexappeal
Nice, Frank.
sell them s-class lights and join the oem group...LOL
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Old Feb 22, 2008 | 05:02 PM
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Originally Posted by FrankW
sell them s-class lights and join the oem group...LOL
oem group ftmfw! mj may be joining the oem group soon too... (or at least oem look)
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Old Oct 3, 2008 | 06:12 PM
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Has anybody that did this have any issues? I tried to wire both parking lights and I get some burning smell because the wiring has some metal below that is melting the plastic that wraps around all the wiring for the bulbs. I just wired one of the parking lights and have no problems with the burning. Also is the inner parking light supposed to be much dimmer than the outer light? That is what I am getting when I wired them up.
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Old Oct 3, 2008 | 06:33 PM
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both parking lights should be the same brightness, unless you pull out your light switch 2 positions to turn on the rear fog lamp.
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Old Oct 3, 2008 | 06:49 PM
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Originally Posted by dac086
Has anybody that did this have any issues? I tried to wire both parking lights and I get some burning smell because the wiring has some metal below that is melting the plastic that wraps around all the wiring for the bulbs. I just wired one of the parking lights and have no problems with the burning. Also is the inner parking light supposed to be much dimmer than the outer light? That is what I am getting when I wired them up.
there shouldn't be any thing melting. do you have the 05+ tail light and bulb holder?

if you only used the 04 bulb holder the wattage of the rear foglight bulb is different and that might be your source of smell.
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Old Oct 19, 2008 | 10:42 PM
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i do have the 05 bulb holder. here are some pics
Attached Thumbnails DIY: 2005+ tail light on 2001-2004 W203 sedan-img_0994.jpg   DIY: 2005+ tail light on 2001-2004 W203 sedan-img_0995.jpg   DIY: 2005+ tail light on 2001-2004 W203 sedan-img_0996.jpg   DIY: 2005+ tail light on 2001-2004 W203 sedan-img_0997.jpg   DIY: 2005+ tail light on 2001-2004 W203 sedan-img_0998.jpg  

DIY: 2005+ tail light on 2001-2004 W203 sedan-img_0999.jpg  
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