Fuzzo

I think MB-BOB started a thread a while back saying that he had noticed that in the newer S classes, the LED's were burned our or didn't have as many as the C. sad to say...after that post.. i started to notice the same thing on the S's about the LED...they weren't as bright and didn't have as many. I started to think they were burned out as well but on closer inspection (the people at my work probably thought I was crazy checking out one of the execs cars so closely) i think that the S class only has a few LED's closest to the car and does not have them spread out in the C"s making it look like it has burned.

am i correct? or did everyone already know this

MB-BOB

Fuzzo, thanks for chiming in... for awhile I thought I was the only one to notice this. Some of the S-class I see have full length LEDs, while others (I think older models) have LED assemblies that only occupy about half the length of the mirrors.

Regardless, I see some with burned out LEDs. They're not dim... They aren't flashing at all. It's common in North Dallas. Maybe it's the summer heat. The drivers seem to be oblivious.

Fuzzo

the question i have on this would be... are those LED's covered by warranty or do we have to replace em ourselves....

MB-BOB

I'd bet money that if the stock LEDs burned out within the warranty period, they would be replaced under warranty. However, if one attempts to desolder the amber LEDs that came with the car and replace them with white LEDs (Bling, Bling) that later fail, my money would then go to the NO side.

MarkL

There was another thread a few days back where someone asked about changing the mirror lights. I also replied that they were LED's, but then someone said they were incandescent. I looked again in my owner's manual in the bulb section (I forget the page), but it says the mirror repeaters are incandescent. So, all our talk about LED's may be misguided...

Fuzzo

that is what i was thinking as well.. i don't want to change the LED's to white... i am happy that htey are orange with a white/clear cover on them...

the only beef I have with MB is that they made ever other lens clear except for the side marker lights. They could have made that white with amber bulb like they have done for the turning light in the headlight assembly....


....and something else neat i saw on the suzuki XL7, the center brake light was clear.... i would have loved to have that on my car coz my car is white..so the center brake light being clear would have made it look clean...oh well...

MB-BOB

Sedan Manual, Page 344...

"The high mounted stop lamp (3rd brake lamp) and the additional turn signals on the exterior mirrors are equipped with LEDs..."

I agree, Fuzzo, on the side marker comments.

benzomonterey

The Coupes 3rd light is clear.

MarkL

MB-BOB, I'll have to re-check my manual at lunch time. I looked at it last night, specifically to check on the mirror lights. From what I remember, my manual stated "The high mounted stop lamp (3rd brake lamp) is equipped with LED's, and the additional turn signals on the exterior mirrors are equipped with incandescent xxx...".

But, I'll look again. I know I got my car after yours (August 2001), so I'd guess my manual would be a later revision??

vadim

Especially, considering that LEDs do NOT burn out, unlike incandescent bulbs...

MarkL

OK, I checked my owners manual again. On the back, it says USA Edition A 2002 (mine is a 2002 C240).

Anyway, on page 356 it does say:
"The high mounted stop lamp (3rd brake lamp) is equipped with LED's and the additional turn signals on the exterior mirrors are equipped with incandescent bulbs."

Now, this will lead us to other questions . Was the original version of the book incorrect, did they change the mirror lamps, or is the new book wrong???

In any event, for these two items (high-mount stop lamp and mirror flashers), it says to contact your dealer in the event of malfunction.

MB-BOB

MarkL, I picked-up my C320 in May, 2001, and my "older" owner's manual is noted as "USA Edition B 2001." So, your edition A 2002 book is obviously newer.

What that tells us about the turn repeater lights that we can use is another question.

If LEDs do NOT "burn out" as Vadim suggests, then there must not be LEDs in the repeaters, because 5-10% of the S-Class cars I see in Dallas have one or more non-functional bulbs among the Six in the repeater strips in their mirrors. The lack of a functioning bulb sticks-out like a sore thumb, so it's not my imagination.

Whether LED or incandescent, I imagine the bottom-line question is whether the bulbs are hard-soldered in place in the strip or removable, one bulb at a time. MBtech208 had earlier suggested that if a bulb went bad, the dealer would replace the entire strip assembly. But I'm sure the rocket-racer types around here would love it if the bulbs were removable (bling bling).

benzomonterey

LED's can in fact burn out. Most commonly seen in Vehicles with aftermarket spoilers. Also ford used them on the previous generation T'Bird and they required a complete light replacement due to Soldering.

LED's have an average life of 100,000 hours.

MB-BOB

Good observation, Benzo. Those Caddy's with the full width CHMSL LEDs are fun to examine at the stoplights.

"Let's see, number 12 is gone, number 21, number 34-37, too."

We have long stoplights here in Dallas...

MarkL

Off-topic, but speaking of new Caddy's, have you seen the new DeVilles use LED's for the full tail/stop lamp setups? They light up "immediately" w/no delay. Since they can't use reduced output for taillamp, they utilize a thin strip of the LEDs on the outside vertical section of the light as the taillight. (I'm a Caddy fan, so I notice all these things ).

benzomonterey

They do look good and they are much brighter in my opinion. They have a very specific off and on cycle.