DIY: Clear Fog Light Retrofit / Transplant
05-20-2011, 04:00 AM
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DIY: Clear Fog Light Retrofit / Transplant
So there is some scattered around information around the forum but there seems to be no single source for retrofitting clear fog lights on the W203.
This is a DIY for those who own 2002-2004 (pre-facelift) W203s with frosties and either like the clear look of the fogs that came with cars that had HIDs equipped, or the clear look of 2005-2007 (facelifted) W203s. Or for those with a W203 (any year, trim) who need to swap out a damaged light.
There are several ways to do this upgrade. This information pertains to 2002-2004 non-AMG models. If you have a 2005-2007, you already have the clears, and if you have an AMG model, I don't think this applies to you anyways.
Take A) if possible, but if A) isn't an option, do B) instead. For B) there are a few extra steps, but the end result will work 100% as well as A). I did option B) personally, and can tell you that B) works 100% as good as A), so there is no need to fret.
Parts required:
A) 2002-2004 clear fogs available (ideal) - direct swap with old lights
203-820-11-56 L fog light
203-820-12-56 R fog light
B) only 2005-2007 clear fogs available - you need to transplant the internals from the "new" lights into your original casings
203-820-17-56 L fog light
203-820-18-56 R fog light
C) You only want to change - if you are going from frosty to clear, this will mess up the light pattern as the reflector will be wrong.
203-826-01-90 L frosty lens
203-826-02-90 R frosty lens
The procedure for B) will be identical to A), except there will be a few extra steps required. Nothing *too* tricky but you do have to be careful.
Tools required:
Ratchet (flex head makes it easier)
10mm socket
8mm socket
some 9"-11" (or 23-27cm) worth of (1/4" or 3/8" drive) socket extensions (whatever size your 8mm socket is). I used a 6" extension in conjunction with a 3" extension and it was just barely enough.
side cutters (for removing pins)
large fat slot screwdriver (for prying) - the fatter, the better
small thin slot screwdriver (for prying pins)
#2 Phillips screwdriver (shaft at least 10cm long) - for aiming fogs afterwards
Compressed air - if you want your fogs to be free of dust (recommended)
If you plan on painting your shrouds:
High-temperature paint (read on, follow instructions for Choice B) - I used flat black.
150-220 grit sandpaper - 150 seemed to work the best, but maybe even 120 will work. Anything past 220 is definitely too fine.
Masking tape
**TIP** if you have never taken this part of the car apart before, do the R side first (this is for LHD cars at least). The reason is because the L side has the washer fluid reservoir in the way, while the R side has a giant gaping hole instead. Once you've done the R side, you will have a much better idea of how to do the L side.
Picture credits: Exterior shots are all mine, while most of the detailed pics are courtesy of Midnight Koop (the rest are mine).
This is a DIY for those who own 2002-2004 (pre-facelift) W203s with frosties and either like the clear look of the fogs that came with cars that had HIDs equipped, or the clear look of 2005-2007 (facelifted) W203s. Or for those with a W203 (any year, trim) who need to swap out a damaged light.
There are several ways to do this upgrade. This information pertains to 2002-2004 non-AMG models. If you have a 2005-2007, you already have the clears, and if you have an AMG model, I don't think this applies to you anyways.
Take A) if possible, but if A) isn't an option, do B) instead. For B) there are a few extra steps, but the end result will work 100% as well as A). I did option B) personally, and can tell you that B) works 100% as good as A), so there is no need to fret.
Parts required:
A) 2002-2004 clear fogs available (ideal) - direct swap with old lights
203-820-11-56 L fog light
203-820-12-56 R fog light
B) only 2005-2007 clear fogs available - you need to transplant the internals from the "new" lights into your original casings
203-820-17-56 L fog light
203-820-18-56 R fog light
C) You only want to change - if you are going from frosty to clear, this will mess up the light pattern as the reflector will be wrong.
203-826-01-90 L frosty lens
203-826-02-90 R frosty lens
The procedure for B) will be identical to A), except there will be a few extra steps required. Nothing *too* tricky but you do have to be careful.
Tools required:
Ratchet (flex head makes it easier)
10mm socket
8mm socket
some 9"-11" (or 23-27cm) worth of (1/4" or 3/8" drive) socket extensions (whatever size your 8mm socket is). I used a 6" extension in conjunction with a 3" extension and it was just barely enough.
side cutters (for removing pins)
large fat slot screwdriver (for prying) - the fatter, the better
small thin slot screwdriver (for prying pins)
#2 Phillips screwdriver (shaft at least 10cm long) - for aiming fogs afterwards
Compressed air - if you want your fogs to be free of dust (recommended)
If you plan on painting your shrouds:
High-temperature paint (read on, follow instructions for Choice B) - I used flat black.
150-220 grit sandpaper - 150 seemed to work the best, but maybe even 120 will work. Anything past 220 is definitely too fine.
Masking tape
**TIP** if you have never taken this part of the car apart before, do the R side first (this is for LHD cars at least). The reason is because the L side has the washer fluid reservoir in the way, while the R side has a giant gaping hole instead. Once you've done the R side, you will have a much better idea of how to do the L side.
Picture credits: Exterior shots are all mine, while most of the detailed pics are courtesy of Midnight Koop (the rest are mine).
Last edited by slammer111; 05-20-2011 at 09:00 PM.
05-20-2011, 04:04 AM
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Step 1: Raise car
This is optional, but really does make the process way easier as you can reach under the car.
Before you do so, turn the steering wheel all the way to the side you want to modify. For example, to do the L fog light, turn the wheel full lock L before raising the car. This is so that you can reach inside the L wheel well etc.
If you use a jack, be sure to lower your car onto jack stands. Nothing quite like taking a bumper to the face.
If you don't use a jack, there are 2 ways:
1) drive your car onto ramps
2) stack several (thin) pieces of plywood to form an incline, then carefully drive your car (you only need to raise 1 wheel) on top. Don't use anything too thick (such as a 2x4) or the piece may "flip" upwards and nail the bottom of your bumper. I stacked 3x 1/2" plywood pieces to form a ghetto-ramp. You only need to raise the car 5cm or so, but it really does make it that much easier. Trust me on this one.
Before you do so, turn the steering wheel all the way to the side you want to modify. For example, to do the L fog light, turn the wheel full lock L before raising the car. This is so that you can reach inside the L wheel well etc.
If you use a jack, be sure to lower your car onto jack stands. Nothing quite like taking a bumper to the face.
If you don't use a jack, there are 2 ways:
1) drive your car onto ramps
2) stack several (thin) pieces of plywood to form an incline, then carefully drive your car (you only need to raise 1 wheel) on top. Don't use anything too thick (such as a 2x4) or the piece may "flip" upwards and nail the bottom of your bumper. I stacked 3x 1/2" plywood pieces to form a ghetto-ramp. You only need to raise the car 5cm or so, but it really does make it that much easier. Trust me on this one.
Last edited by slammer111; 05-20-2011 at 02:19 PM.
05-20-2011, 04:05 AM
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Step 2: Remove underbody panel
The goal is to remove the rubber fender liner on whichever side you are working on. For the L side, this piece covers both the underside of the car (where the fogs are) on the L side of the car, and the "front" side (side facing the front of the car) of the L wheel well.
Use the 10mm socket + ratchet to remove the 3 bolts in the fender liner. These are all inside the wheel well.
Then there are some 6 push pins that need to be removed. One is also inside the wheel well (close to the edge of the bumper), while the other 5 are all located underneath the car. Use the thin screwdriver to pull the centrepiece of each push pin out, then use the sidecutters to grip the head and pull. You are trying to use the sidecutters to grip the head, not to chop it off. So be gentle!
When all the pins are pulled out, grab the entire liner and pull it out of the car. You can be very rough here, as these panels are basically unbreakable. They're made of some seriously tough plastic.
Use the 10mm socket + ratchet to remove the 3 bolts in the fender liner. These are all inside the wheel well.
Then there are some 6 push pins that need to be removed. One is also inside the wheel well (close to the edge of the bumper), while the other 5 are all located underneath the car. Use the thin screwdriver to pull the centrepiece of each push pin out, then use the sidecutters to grip the head and pull. You are trying to use the sidecutters to grip the head, not to chop it off. So be gentle!
When all the pins are pulled out, grab the entire liner and pull it out of the car. You can be very rough here, as these panels are basically unbreakable. They're made of some seriously tough plastic.
Last edited by slammer111; 05-20-2011 at 05:44 AM.
05-20-2011, 04:22 AM
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Step 3: Remove fog light
Take your 8mm socket and stick it onto your extensions. You want 9" to 11" worth of extension. Then attach the whole assembly to your ratchet.
Reach underneath and disconnect the fog light bulb (held to the connector by a simple clip, just squeeze). You do not need to remove the bulb itself. Just leave it inside the fog light.
Each fog light is held by 2x 8mm screws (see pic). Feel your way around and start cranking away. Be sure to turn your ratchet counterclockwise!
The light will not fall out of the bumper unless you are very rough and somehow slide the light towards the back of the car. With that said, be careful, as there is now nothing holding the light in place. Slide the light out.
Reach underneath and disconnect the fog light bulb (held to the connector by a simple clip, just squeeze). You do not need to remove the bulb itself. Just leave it inside the fog light.
Each fog light is held by 2x 8mm screws (see pic). Feel your way around and start cranking away. Be sure to turn your ratchet counterclockwise!
The light will not fall out of the bumper unless you are very rough and somehow slide the light towards the back of the car. With that said, be careful, as there is now nothing holding the light in place. Slide the light out.
Last edited by slammer111; 05-20-2011 at 02:20 PM.
05-20-2011, 04:24 AM
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Step 4: Swap Parts / Remove Lens
If you were lucky enough to do A), this is easy. Simply grab the new part, replace, and reverse steps 1-3.
If you are doing B), this is where it gets fun.
A parts transplant is required.
The reflectors between the frosties and clears are almost identical except for some ridges. I suspect this is actually to prevent the lights from dazzling (never tried using the frosty reflectors with the clear lens, so can't comment here). But in any case, we want to do this right.
So what you need to do is open the light up and transplant the a) lens, b) mirror shroud, and c) reflector (behind the bulb). If you want, also change d) the gasket.
Before you do this part, make sure your hands are CLEAN, and by this I mean 0 oil, so that you don't leave fingerprints. You may have to wash your hands several times through these steps, as dirt and other debris will loosen and fall all over your work bench. I washed my hands with dish detergent. You can also use latex gloves.
The glass is held onto the black casing by 3 C-type clips. These can be slightly moved to provide a gap between the clip and the casing. Create a gap, then stick in the fat slot screwdriver and twist. It's that easy. Cup one hand over the C-clip as they "pop" and fly through the air! A clip to the face/eye probably won't feel too good. Remove all 3 clips.
Now remove the lens glass. Since your glass has probably been stuck to the casing for a few years, it will probably still not want to come off. Wiggle it out, or take your thin slot screwdriver and gently pry the lens off.
At this point, you can also transplant the gasket if you wish. Take your thin screwdriver and gently part of the the gasket out. Work your way around the perimeter if you have to. I find it easy to pry one section out, then just grab it and pull everything out.
Do the same thing with the donor light (the light with the shiny/clear stuff that you want to get the parts from).
The light should look like this. As you can see, there is a bulb cover (silver dome-like thing). Remember that the point where the cover joins the reflector is the UP side.
If you are doing B), this is where it gets fun.
A parts transplant is required.The reflectors between the frosties and clears are almost identical except for some ridges. I suspect this is actually to prevent the lights from dazzling (never tried using the frosty reflectors with the clear lens, so can't comment here). But in any case, we want to do this right.
So what you need to do is open the light up and transplant the a) lens, b) mirror shroud, and c) reflector (behind the bulb). If you want, also change d) the gasket.Before you do this part, make sure your hands are CLEAN, and by this I mean 0 oil, so that you don't leave fingerprints. You may have to wash your hands several times through these steps, as dirt and other debris will loosen and fall all over your work bench. I washed my hands with dish detergent. You can also use latex gloves.
The glass is held onto the black casing by 3 C-type clips. These can be slightly moved to provide a gap between the clip and the casing. Create a gap, then stick in the fat slot screwdriver and twist. It's that easy. Cup one hand over the C-clip as they "pop" and fly through the air! A clip to the face/eye probably won't feel too good. Remove all 3 clips.
Now remove the lens glass. Since your glass has probably been stuck to the casing for a few years, it will probably still not want to come off. Wiggle it out, or take your thin slot screwdriver and gently pry the lens off.
At this point, you can also transplant the gasket if you wish. Take your thin screwdriver and gently part of the the gasket out. Work your way around the perimeter if you have to. I find it easy to pry one section out, then just grab it and pull everything out.
Do the same thing with the donor light (the light with the shiny/clear stuff that you want to get the parts from).
The light should look like this. As you can see, there is a bulb cover (silver dome-like thing). Remember that the point where the cover joins the reflector is the UP side.
Last edited by slammer111; 05-20-2011 at 02:27 PM.
05-20-2011, 04:47 AM
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Step 5: Remove Shroud
Now you have to remove the shroud. For the frosties, the shroud is grey, while for the clears, this shroud is mirrored. You can see that there is an "inner face" and "outer face" to this surface.
**WARNING** Do NOT touch the inner face at all, as this is the part that will be visible! The mirror coating is literally only microns thick, and if you f*ck this part up, the only recourse will be to do a repaint. By "touch" this includes "running under tap water". The force of tap water is enough to take out the reflective layer, guess how I know.
I cannot stress this enough. DO NOT TOUCH THE SURFACE.
The easiest way to remove the shroud is to look for the one corner where there is a wider gap (between shroud and casing) than the rest of the shroud. Force your finger in there and 2 of 3 sets of prongs should pull right out. As the piece detaches, work your way around and pop out the 3rd set. This pic shows where the prongs are.
**WARNING** Do NOT touch the inner face at all, as this is the part that will be visible! The mirror coating is literally only microns thick, and if you f*ck this part up, the only recourse will be to do a repaint. By "touch" this includes "running under tap water". The force of tap water is enough to take out the reflective layer, guess how I know.
I cannot stress this enough. DO NOT TOUCH THE SURFACE.The easiest way to remove the shroud is to look for the one corner where there is a wider gap (between shroud and casing) than the rest of the shroud. Force your finger in there and 2 of 3 sets of prongs should pull right out. As the piece detaches, work your way around and pop out the 3rd set. This pic shows where the prongs are.
Last edited by slammer111; 05-20-2011 at 07:14 AM.
05-20-2011, 04:53 AM
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Step 6: Remove / swap reflectors
Flip the light around, and "flip out" the rubber bulb gasket. The gasket doesn't actually detach from the casing, but there is an "inner liner" that you can flip, similar to turning a shirt inside-out. This gets the gasket out of the way.
The next part was a biotch. Special mention to Midnight Koop here, without whom I would never have been able to figure this part out or pull this off. These are his pics as well.
The 1st pic shows the back of the removed reflector. Notice the "bottom" of the pic shows a cylindrical rubber piece (looks like a tube) wedged into the reflector mount. This same rubber piece is also clipped into the enclosure at the at the red arrow (2nd pic). You need to pop this out. Remove the bulb (45deg counterclockwise turn). Hold the case so that the "lens" side is towards you (ie you are looking straight at the reflector), and push your fingers against the base where the bulb mounts. Wobble it, keeping in mind that the objective is to dislodge the rubber piece from the red clip. Chances are that you will have to reef on this part. Don't worry about the rubber, it can bend and flex like crazy. I can't guarantee this part, but all 4 times I had to do this, the reflector piece did not break.
Feel free to turn the adjustment screw if you feel the reflector is jamming against the side of the casing. Don't worry about messing up the alignment / reflector angle, as it is actually VERY easy to adjust this after the fogs are installed back onto the car, believe it or not. I'll cover this in a later step. Just be sure not to bend/warp the reflector!
**WARNING** Do NOT try to remove the yellow side first, as this side does NOT just come straight out until the red side pops out. You will probably will break your reflector.
This is probably the hardest stage to be honest. Once you've done the 1st one, you will know how it works. Pop out the other 3 reflectors, and swap them! After swapping, be sure the rubber piece is wedged solidly back into the red clip. I used the fat slot screwdriver to assist with this part.
Once you do this, have a beer.
The next part was a biotch. Special mention to Midnight Koop here, without whom I would never have been able to figure this part out or pull this off. These are his pics as well.
The 1st pic shows the back of the removed reflector. Notice the "bottom" of the pic shows a cylindrical rubber piece (looks like a tube) wedged into the reflector mount. This same rubber piece is also clipped into the enclosure at the at the red arrow (2nd pic). You need to pop this out. Remove the bulb (45deg counterclockwise turn). Hold the case so that the "lens" side is towards you (ie you are looking straight at the reflector), and push your fingers against the base where the bulb mounts. Wobble it, keeping in mind that the objective is to dislodge the rubber piece from the red clip. Chances are that you will have to reef on this part. Don't worry about the rubber, it can bend and flex like crazy. I can't guarantee this part, but all 4 times I had to do this, the reflector piece did not break.
Feel free to turn the adjustment screw if you feel the reflector is jamming against the side of the casing. Don't worry about messing up the alignment / reflector angle, as it is actually VERY easy to adjust this after the fogs are installed back onto the car, believe it or not. I'll cover this in a later step. Just be sure not to bend/warp the reflector!
**WARNING** Do NOT try to remove the yellow side first, as this side does NOT just come straight out until the red side pops out. You will probably will break your reflector.
This is probably the hardest stage to be honest. Once you've done the 1st one, you will know how it works. Pop out the other 3 reflectors, and swap them! After swapping, be sure the rubber piece is wedged solidly back into the red clip. I used the fat slot screwdriver to assist with this part.
Once you do this, have a beer.
Last edited by slammer111; 05-20-2011 at 03:33 PM.
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05-20-2011, 05:00 AM
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Step 7: Paint shrouds (optional)
Take the compressed air and give these casings a good cleaning.
At this stage, if you like the mirrored shrouds, just pop 'em back on, reverse steps 1-6, and you are good to go. The c-clips just pop back on.
However, if you are like me and mess up the mirrored shrouds, do not despair. Repaint to the rescue!
You can use the mirrored shrouds, but I used my old grey ones (from the pre-facelift fogs).
Take a look at the mirrored shroud, and notice where the chrome is. Roughen up the same areas on the grey shroud using the sandpaper. I would recommend a circular motion, since you want the surface to be roughened in every direction. Keep going until the grey plastic is not shiny in any of these areas. It should look completely dull. Clean the shrouds with compressed air.
Cover all of the prongs with masking tape. Put the shrouds down (prongs all facing down), and start spraying away. I used matte black, but you can use whatever colour you want. Be sure to use high-temperature paint! The stuff I used was rated for barbecue grills. Caliper paint should work too. Make sure the paint is dry, then pop the shroud into the casing. Give 'em another cleaning with compressed air.
The pic shows my reassembled fog light with a painted matte black shroud, next to the mirrored shroud that came out of the light. You can see the grey prongs of the shroud in the pic, but this is not a problem as it is on the "up" side of the light (notice Mercdes didn't even bother extending the shroud). In other words, you will never see that unless you are lying on the road looking upwards towards the sky. If it really bothers you, you can paint 'em too. Just don't mess up the prongs.
At this stage, if you like the mirrored shrouds, just pop 'em back on, reverse steps 1-6, and you are good to go. The c-clips just pop back on.
However, if you are like me and mess up the mirrored shrouds, do not despair. Repaint to the rescue!
You can use the mirrored shrouds, but I used my old grey ones (from the pre-facelift fogs).
Take a look at the mirrored shroud, and notice where the chrome is. Roughen up the same areas on the grey shroud using the sandpaper. I would recommend a circular motion, since you want the surface to be roughened in every direction. Keep going until the grey plastic is not shiny in any of these areas. It should look completely dull. Clean the shrouds with compressed air.
Cover all of the prongs with masking tape. Put the shrouds down (prongs all facing down), and start spraying away. I used matte black, but you can use whatever colour you want. Be sure to use high-temperature paint! The stuff I used was rated for barbecue grills. Caliper paint should work too. Make sure the paint is dry, then pop the shroud into the casing. Give 'em another cleaning with compressed air.
The pic shows my reassembled fog light with a painted matte black shroud, next to the mirrored shroud that came out of the light. You can see the grey prongs of the shroud in the pic, but this is not a problem as it is on the "up" side of the light (notice Mercdes didn't even bother extending the shroud). In other words, you will never see that unless you are lying on the road looking upwards towards the sky. If it really bothers you, you can paint 'em too. Just don't mess up the prongs.
Last edited by slammer111; 05-20-2011 at 02:50 PM.
05-20-2011, 05:17 AM
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Aiming / Final Results
Put your car back together. Don't forget to plug in the bulbs, and test to see that they both work!
When bolting down the fog lights, use one hand to push the fog light "forward" (towards the front of the car) while you crank the 2 bolts with the ratchet using your other hand. This ensures the light is pushed right up against the black bumper trim. Otherwise you'll have an ugly gap and need to do this again.
Wait until it's dark outside. Find a flat area a wall such as a driveway with a garage door. Aim your fog lights as per the SAE J583 standard (basically the cutoff should move 4" downwards for every 25' forward).
To aim the fogs, look for a diamond-shaped hole in the bumper trim next to the fog. Stick your Philips screwdriver in there and gently turn until you feel it seat into the adjustment screw, then start cranking (either clockwise or counterclockwise). It actually doesn't matter which way you turn, as the light simply oscillates between a minimum and maximum angle. In other words, you CANNOT damage any components by turning the light too high or low. It will stop, then start to move the other way. Tricky German engineering!
Pic 1 shows the fogs with the mirrored shrouds installed, while Pic 2 shows the fogs with matte black shrouds.
As 95% of the useful light from the bulb is bounced off the reflector at the back but not the shroud, making the shroud non-reflective has a minimal effect. Having tried both mirrored and painted shrouds, the only part of the light pattern affected is limited to <0.5m in front of the car. In other words, you can't see the difference from the driver's seat anyways. I'm 99% sure the reflective shroud is purely cosmetic.
Pic 3 shows the full front end with matte black shrouds, and Pic 4 shows the lit fog light. I really like the recessed look.
Happy modding!
When bolting down the fog lights, use one hand to push the fog light "forward" (towards the front of the car) while you crank the 2 bolts with the ratchet using your other hand. This ensures the light is pushed right up against the black bumper trim. Otherwise you'll have an ugly gap and need to do this again.
Wait until it's dark outside. Find a flat area a wall such as a driveway with a garage door. Aim your fog lights as per the SAE J583 standard (basically the cutoff should move 4" downwards for every 25' forward).
To aim the fogs, look for a diamond-shaped hole in the bumper trim next to the fog. Stick your Philips screwdriver in there and gently turn until you feel it seat into the adjustment screw, then start cranking (either clockwise or counterclockwise). It actually doesn't matter which way you turn, as the light simply oscillates between a minimum and maximum angle. In other words, you CANNOT damage any components by turning the light too high or low. It will stop, then start to move the other way. Tricky German engineering!
Pic 1 shows the fogs with the mirrored shrouds installed, while Pic 2 shows the fogs with matte black shrouds.
As 95% of the useful light from the bulb is bounced off the reflector at the back but not the shroud, making the shroud non-reflective has a minimal effect. Having tried both mirrored and painted shrouds, the only part of the light pattern affected is limited to <0.5m in front of the car. In other words, you can't see the difference from the driver's seat anyways. I'm 99% sure the reflective shroud is purely cosmetic.
Pic 3 shows the full front end with matte black shrouds, and Pic 4 shows the lit fog light. I really like the recessed look.
Happy modding!
Last edited by slammer111; 05-20-2011 at 02:51 PM.
05-20-2011, 06:57 AM
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nice writeup! definitely Sticky-worthy...
can one of the mods add it to this thread?
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...-diy-faqs.html
can one of the mods add it to this thread?
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...-diy-faqs.html
05-20-2011, 07:25 AM
#12
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