'05 C230 with "Dipped-Beam Right" = Light Control Unit?
11-25-2008, 01:21 PM
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Mercedes C230 '05
'05 C230 with "Dipped-Beam Right" = Light Control Unit?
My brand new (to me, I got it last week) '05 C230 just gave me a nasty headache this morning. When I first got the car, both Bi-Xenon lamps worked, except driver side showed some flickering and eventually turned itself on and off randomly for a few secs. I thought "Meh, will search on the forum later"
Then last night, the right side shut itself off for good and the dashboard showed a "Dipped-Beam Right" malfunction. Now before I continue you should know I'm not in the US, I'm in the middle of this third world country in South America called Paraguay where there's only ONE Mercedes Benz Dealer, and I'm not even sure they are the brightest people on earth.
I took the car to them this morning, and one of the guys removed what I think is the bulb next to the xenon from the left side (the one still working) and hook it up to the right side and it didn't work, then he said "IT'S THE LIGHT CONTROL UNIT". He also said they don't have the part and it will take about 45 days and a whole lot of money to ship it down here.
Luckily I have some friends up there in the US who are willing to help me find the piece I need but first, I couldn't resist searching the forum a little bit before posting this thread and I realized there are some people out there with similar issues, only they have claimed to fix it by changing either the ballast or the igniter. Which let me to believe maybe this people down here don't have an idea about what they are saying
and want me to buy something that's STUPID expensive and changes are, will not solve the problem in the first place.
So guys:
Also I do not know whether this car had the Bi-X factory installed or not, but considering it was a lease, I would asume they are factory and Xenon is set to Present. (unless you guys know a better way to identify that by looking at the parts on the hood)
Seriously I trust your opinion 100% more than these people. I appreciate your time and Thanks in Advance!
Then last night, the right side shut itself off for good and the dashboard showed a "Dipped-Beam Right" malfunction. Now before I continue you should know I'm not in the US, I'm in the middle of this third world country in South America called Paraguay where there's only ONE Mercedes Benz Dealer, and I'm not even sure they are the brightest people on earth.
I took the car to them this morning, and one of the guys removed what I think is the bulb next to the xenon from the left side (the one still working) and hook it up to the right side and it didn't work, then he said "IT'S THE LIGHT CONTROL UNIT". He also said they don't have the part and it will take about 45 days and a whole lot of money to ship it down here.
Luckily I have some friends up there in the US who are willing to help me find the piece I need but first, I couldn't resist searching the forum a little bit before posting this thread and I realized there are some people out there with similar issues, only they have claimed to fix it by changing either the ballast or the igniter. Which let me to believe maybe this people down here don't have an idea about what they are saying
and want me to buy something that's STUPID expensive and changes are, will not solve the problem in the first place. So guys:
- All I know the part number they gave me is A 203 820 88 85. I doubt this is something I'll be able to find on Ebay.
- If if was the Light Unit Control, how come the high beam still works? To me Light Unit Control sounds like it would be the responsible of the whole thing, not just the Xenon bulb.
- Should I just get a ballast and a Igniter from ebay and give it a go?
Also I do not know whether this car had the Bi-X factory installed or not, but considering it was a lease, I would asume they are factory and Xenon is set to Present. (unless you guys know a better way to identify that by looking at the parts on the hood)
Seriously I trust your opinion 100% more than these people. I appreciate your time and Thanks in Advance!
11-25-2008, 02:10 PM
#2
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Sounds and looks to me like whatever unit or motor controls the headlight leveling feature stopped working. I don't want to give you false hope, but I'm sure its something that can be fixed fairly easily. Considering that their is only one MB dealer where you are, they are definitely gonna try and get some $$$ out of you... Good luck!
11-25-2008, 02:18 PM
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Mercedes C230 '05
Sounds and looks to me like whatever unit or motor controls the headlight leveling feature stopped working.
As for the false hope, PLEASE DO!
11-25-2008, 03:07 PM
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a quarter mile at a time
Sounds like the ballast. MB might have labeled it a "light control unit". It's mounted on the underside of the light housing. The test he did sounds correct to diagnose the issue.
11-25-2008, 04:44 PM
#6
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My brand new (to me, I got it last week) '05 C230 just gave me a nasty headache this morning. When I first got the car, both Bi-Xenon lamps worked, except driver side showed some flickering and eventually turned itself on and off randomly for a few secs. I thought "Meh, will search on the forum later"
Then last night, the right side shut itself off for good and the dashboard showed a "Dipped-Beam Right" malfunction. Now before I continue you should know I'm not in the US, I'm in the middle of this third world country in South America called Paraguay where there's only ONE Mercedes Benz Dealer, and I'm not even sure they are the brightest people on earth.
I took the car to them this morning, and one of the guys removed what I think is the bulb next to the xenon from the left side (the one still working) and hook it up to the right side and it didn't work, then he said "IT'S THE LIGHT CONTROL UNIT". He also said they don't have the part and it will take about 45 days and a whole lot of money to ship it down here.
Luckily I have some friends up there in the US who are willing to help me find the piece I need but first, I couldn't resist searching the forum a little bit before posting this thread and I realized there are some people out there with similar issues, only they have claimed to fix it by changing either the ballast or the igniter. Which let me to believe maybe this people down here don't have an idea about what they are saying and want me to buy something that's STUPID expensive and changes are, will not solve the problem in the first place.
So guys:
Also I do not know whether this car had the Bi-X factory installed or not, but considering it was a lease, I would asume they are factory and Xenon is set to Present. (unless you guys know a better way to identify that by looking at the parts on the hood)
Seriously I trust your opinion 100% more than these people. I appreciate your time and Thanks in Advance!
Then last night, the right side shut itself off for good and the dashboard showed a "Dipped-Beam Right" malfunction. Now before I continue you should know I'm not in the US, I'm in the middle of this third world country in South America called Paraguay where there's only ONE Mercedes Benz Dealer, and I'm not even sure they are the brightest people on earth.
I took the car to them this morning, and one of the guys removed what I think is the bulb next to the xenon from the left side (the one still working) and hook it up to the right side and it didn't work, then he said "IT'S THE LIGHT CONTROL UNIT". He also said they don't have the part and it will take about 45 days and a whole lot of money to ship it down here.
Luckily I have some friends up there in the US who are willing to help me find the piece I need but first, I couldn't resist searching the forum a little bit before posting this thread and I realized there are some people out there with similar issues, only they have claimed to fix it by changing either the ballast or the igniter. Which let me to believe maybe this people down here don't have an idea about what they are saying
and want me to buy something that's STUPID expensive and changes are, will not solve the problem in the first place. So guys:
- All I know the part number they gave me is A 203 820 88 85. I doubt this is something I'll be able to find on Ebay.
- If if was the Light Unit Control, how come the high beam still works? To me Light Unit Control sounds like it would be the responsible of the whole thing, not just the Xenon bulb.
- Should I just get a ballast and a Igniter from ebay and give it a go?
Also I do not know whether this car had the Bi-X factory installed or not, but considering it was a lease, I would asume they are factory and Xenon is set to Present. (unless you guys know a better way to identify that by looking at the parts on the hood)
Seriously I trust your opinion 100% more than these people. I appreciate your time and Thanks in Advance!
It's got nothing to do with the auto leveling.
11-27-2008, 03:22 PM
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
Get your car safely up in the air...look under the light from under the car - you will see a hole (Round) in the bottom splash pan - by looking up that hole you will see the FACTORY location for the part that may be faulty...I wish I had a picture for you...
Cross reference your pat number on autpartspeople.com...I like using that engine...
Good luck,
Jake
Cross reference your pat number on autpartspeople.com...I like using that engine...
Good luck,
Jake
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11-27-2008, 04:58 PM
#8
from what I have read in the German forum, there's repair kit for it
can someone please check the following part number and see what they are. thanks
A203 545 57 28
A203 820 11 12
mike
can someone please check the following part number and see what they are. thanks
A203 545 57 28
A203 820 11 12
mike
11-27-2008, 06:32 PM
#9
Super Moderator
Ignitor replacement short way with kit. If you want the long way by opening the light PM me your e mail address. pdf. is nearly 4 meg
12-01-2008, 12:24 PM
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Duuudes, thank you so much for your time and help. I went to the dealer this morning and I asked them to PUH-LEEZ remove the ballast from the "working" left and put it on the right and in effect, the right worked, which means you guys were right, it was the ballast. I asked them to show me the exact piece and I noted the numbers on the label:
1 307 329 088
I checked on ebay and I could find only one dude with the same ballast, and SEVERAL OTHERS that look just like it (even with the same specs) but with a slightly different number (ending in 074 instead of 088 for instance). Do you guys think those (ending with different numbers other than 088 but with the exact same specs) will work as well?
1 307 329 088
I checked on ebay and I could find only one dude with the same ballast, and SEVERAL OTHERS that look just like it (even with the same specs) but with a slightly different number (ending in 074 instead of 088 for instance). Do you guys think those (ending with different numbers other than 088 but with the exact same specs) will work as well?
Last edited by justoencaso; 12-01-2008 at 12:26 PM.
12-01-2008, 12:43 PM
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a quarter mile at a time
Duuudes, thank you so much for your time and help. I went to the dealer this morning and I asked them to PUH-LEEZ remove the ballast from the "working" left and put it on the right and in effect, the right worked, which means you guys were right, it was the ballast. I asked them to show me the exact piece and I noted the numbers on the label:
1 307 329 088
I checked on ebay and I could find only one dude with the same ballast, and SEVERAL OTHERS that look just like it (even with the same specs) but with a slightly different number (ending in 074 instead of 088 for instance). Do you guys think those (ending with different numbers other than 088 but with the exact same specs) will work as well?
1 307 329 088
I checked on ebay and I could find only one dude with the same ballast, and SEVERAL OTHERS that look just like it (even with the same specs) but with a slightly different number (ending in 074 instead of 088 for instance). Do you guys think those (ending with different numbers other than 088 but with the exact same specs) will work as well?
12-01-2008, 01:25 PM
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C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan
Duuudes, thank you so much for your time and help. I went to the dealer this morning and I asked them to PUH-LEEZ remove the ballast from the "working" left and put it on the right and in effect, the right worked, which means you guys were right, it was the ballast. I asked them to show me the exact piece and I noted the numbers on the label:
1 307 329 088
I checked on ebay and I could find only one dude with the same ballast, and SEVERAL OTHERS that look just like it (even with the same specs) but with a slightly different number (ending in 074 instead of 088 for instance). Do you guys think those (ending with different numbers other than 088 but with the exact same specs) will work as well?
1 307 329 088
I checked on ebay and I could find only one dude with the same ballast, and SEVERAL OTHERS that look just like it (even with the same specs) but with a slightly different number (ending in 074 instead of 088 for instance). Do you guys think those (ending with different numbers other than 088 but with the exact same specs) will work as well?
FRANCE?!?!?
12-01-2008, 01:26 PM
#13
Super Moderator
I'm pretty certain that the others with different numbers but the same spec will work. But, as you are located in a very remote area maybe best to just buy the one with the same number. You can't walk around the corner and exchange one of the others if they don't work properly.
12-01-2008, 02:01 PM
#17
Super Moderator
