Illuminated Door Sills
#102
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1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
Originally Posted by Harris
Larry, it is, in fact, a 3.5+ hrs job. It is because if you install the door sills in the "official Mercedes" way, the wires will be running from the front passenger door, all the way to the rear doors, back to the trunk, take out the quarter panels inside the trunk, take out the rear deck, go across the trunk, then back to the rear doors on the other side and finally reached the fuse box in the front. The OEM door sills are not tapped onto the doom lights like we do. I know Mercedes owners will never want to rip apart their cars like that, that's why I've got this "short cut" way of installing.
I don't want to rip my car apart the way MB dealers do this install, and Harris' short-cut method sounds good to me, but I don't want to void any warranty coverage on anything either.... Maybe I'm asking for too much, but too late now, illum door sills will be here soon !!
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#103
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2003 Citron Green C230KMT
let me know how the install goes carlos. im considering upgrading my illuminated sills. i want something that is brighter in the day light.
it will have to wait since parktronic is next on my mods list. $$$$
it will have to wait since parktronic is next on my mods list. $$$$
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1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
yeah, no prob Citron,
might consider having a mod/install party at my place or wherever, when I get them. Maybe if you're in the San Diego area you and other MB locals can stop by. I could always use the assist (use of correct screwdriver, green wires vs red wires, etc...), and then you can check out how they turn out (day/night brightness).
might consider having a mod/install party at my place or wherever, when I get them. Maybe if you're in the San Diego area you and other MB locals can stop by. I could always use the assist (use of correct screwdriver, green wires vs red wires, etc...), and then you can check out how they turn out (day/night brightness).
#106
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GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by Harris
Please DO NOT say aftermarket door sills look exactly like the OEM ones, there is a slight difference between them. Noticed the lettering on the aftermarket door sills, not only does the wordings light up in blue, the background also lights up in blue. Also, the light pads they use are LED. The OEM sills will only show the "Mercedes-Benz" lettering in blue and nothing else. The background is not transparent. The light pads are EL.
On the newer ones, it seems the aftermarket sills have better constrast and the background don't light.
-s-
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1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
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Originally Posted by CitronC230K_03
let me know how the install goes carlos. im considering upgrading my illuminated sills. i want something that is brighter in the day light.
![wall](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/banghead.gif)
![nix](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/nixweiss.gif)
Anyone installed HARRIS' illum door sills on a COUPE !!????!!! anyone ?
other questions surely to come... like:
- how do you open the fuse box on the driver's side next to the steering wheel column ?
- do I need a yellow voltage measuring thing ?
- what if the spade doesn't fit ? How do you trim the spade plug ?
Carlos / Saprissa@aol.com
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#108
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2003 Citron Green C230KMT
put a flat head screwdriver in the slot and pry the little panel open. the slot is near the light switch area of the panel. the side thats like 45 degree angle towards the driver floor, long section just about in the center.
Last edited by CitronC230K_03; 08-20-2004 at 10:51 PM.
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1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
thanks Doug,
Still stuck on the "TAP" thing. If I don't get past that, I'll never get to the Fuse Box part. Might show up tomorrow with non-illum door sills with a bunch of hanging wires dragging behind the car ! At least I got trunk cargo nets !
Still stuck on the "TAP" thing. If I don't get past that, I'll never get to the Fuse Box part. Might show up tomorrow with non-illum door sills with a bunch of hanging wires dragging behind the car ! At least I got trunk cargo nets !
#110
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2003 Citron Green C230KMT
lol.
to tap into the wire you can buy little plugs the will splice 2 wires together without cutting them. you can get them at radio shack or places like that. the wires you are referring to are the power so when you open up the door the lights go on under the door, therefore turning on the sills.
to tap into the wire you can buy little plugs the will splice 2 wires together without cutting them. you can get them at radio shack or places like that. the wires you are referring to are the power so when you open up the door the lights go on under the door, therefore turning on the sills.
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1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
plugs, splice, wires, radio shack !! never heard of this stuff....
man, this is not what I wanted to be doing on a FRIDAY night !!!
I just had to go and get another mod !!!
man, this is not what I wanted to be doing on a FRIDAY night !!!
I just had to go and get another mod !!!
#113
Carlos: I personally put two wire taps into the package. They are in PINK color. If you cannot find them, they must have fallen off somewhere or still in the package. If you still cannot find them, just go to Radio Shack tomorrow and get two, should be around $1.
The construction of the C-coupe and C-sedan are exactly the same. I have had many coupe owners who installed my door sills following the exact same instructions and none of them have any problems with it.
As for your other questions, check your e-mail. I'll guide you through. I dont think there is ANY company in the world who will provide customer assistance on a Friday night at 11:30pm. READ through the instructions a couple of times, have an idea of what you are going to do, then you will find the install much easier.
The construction of the C-coupe and C-sedan are exactly the same. I have had many coupe owners who installed my door sills following the exact same instructions and none of them have any problems with it.
As for your other questions, check your e-mail. I'll guide you through. I dont think there is ANY company in the world who will provide customer assistance on a Friday night at 11:30pm. READ through the instructions a couple of times, have an idea of what you are going to do, then you will find the install much easier.
#114
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1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
Must of fallen off, because they weren't in the transformer wire package. I opened that very carefully.
I guess my C-COUPE is totally different, because it doesn't look anything like the pictures in the instructions.
Here's where I'm stuck. I found the blue/brown wire that leads to the door pin thing, but there's nothing on that assembly that will hook up to the wire coming from the sill. So I have to "TAP" it. Problem is, no one has explained to me what TAPPING is, nor how to do it. Told ya, I was pretty hands-off when it came to self-install projects. I'm just going to have someone else do it for me tomorrow, and just be glad it's over.
Thanks for the late night assist.
Carlos / Saprissa@aol.com
I guess my C-COUPE is totally different, because it doesn't look anything like the pictures in the instructions.
Here's where I'm stuck. I found the blue/brown wire that leads to the door pin thing, but there's nothing on that assembly that will hook up to the wire coming from the sill. So I have to "TAP" it. Problem is, no one has explained to me what TAPPING is, nor how to do it. Told ya, I was pretty hands-off when it came to self-install projects. I'm just going to have someone else do it for me tomorrow, and just be glad it's over.
Thanks for the late night assist.
Carlos / Saprissa@aol.com
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#115
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2003 Citron Green C230KMT
you use a connector to "tap" into the wire. basically it wraps around the brown/blue wire, you slide in the wire from the sill, crimp it down and it taps into the wire. you dont have to cut and splice, you are tapping. ill explain it to you tomorrow if you havent figured it out by then. we can get more wire taps.
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1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
the only thing I've ever tapped, is my girl's @$$ and beer !
AUGUST 21st...
Illum door sill install party at the Saprissa MB Meet !!!
I'm buying dinner for whoever gets this thing to work for my Coupe !
Carlos
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2003 C320 Sportcoupé CL203 V6 3.2L
AUGUST 21st...
Illum door sill install party at the Saprissa MB Meet !!!
I'm buying dinner for whoever gets this thing to work for my Coupe !
Carlos
![drive](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/driving.gif)
Saprissa@aol.com
2003 C320 Sportcoupé CL203 V6 3.2L
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Mr. Saprissa:
There are two people that can better assist you on this task...
1.- Mr Harris himself....
2.- Mr. Sunman who know ANY W203 better than MB itself...![Big Grin](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
(I have lit a candle for you Mr. Saprissa
)
Cheers!
Wiedermann
Originally Posted by Saprissa
ok, this 1 hour install, is now going on 3 hours + and i'm not even half-way done.
Harris provides good instructions, but they are definitely not for a COUPE. After an hour of struggling with the rear cloth panel behind the passenger's side seat belt, I found the blue/brown wire that goes to the door light pin. I'm supposed to "tap" (whatever that means) the passenger side door sensor wire with that "blue/brown" wire. How the heck do you do that ????
There is nothing in the door light pin assembly that allows you to plug in the door sensor wire that comes from the door sill transformer.
Anyone installed HARRIS' illum door sills on a COUPE !!????!!! anyone ?
other questions surely to come... like:
- how do you open the fuse box on the driver's side next to the steering wheel column ?
- do I need a yellow voltage measuring thing ?
- what if the spade doesn't fit ? How do you trim the spade plug ?
Carlos / Saprissa@aol.com
![drive](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/driving.gif)
![wall](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/banghead.gif)
![nix](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/nixweiss.gif)
Anyone installed HARRIS' illum door sills on a COUPE !!????!!! anyone ?
other questions surely to come... like:
- how do you open the fuse box on the driver's side next to the steering wheel column ?
- do I need a yellow voltage measuring thing ?
- what if the spade doesn't fit ? How do you trim the spade plug ?
Carlos / Saprissa@aol.com
![drive](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/driving.gif)
1.- Mr Harris himself....
2.- Mr. Sunman who know ANY W203 better than MB itself...
![Big Grin](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
(I have lit a candle for you Mr. Saprissa
![Big Grin](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
Cheers!
Wiedermann
#118
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Calling Saprissa
Hey Saprissa, did you get your sills installed? Did you post pics anywhere? I am thinking of doing this next.
#119
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2003 Citron Green C230KMT
yes he did. i helped him with the passenger side at the meeting place in OC. then my brother and Bryan (Preyx) helped with the driver side and fuse box at the meet in city of industry. they do look awesome btw.
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#120
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Originally Posted by CitronC230K_03
yes he did. i helped him with the passenger side at the meeting place in OC. then my brother and Bryan (Preyx) helped with the driver side and fuse box at the meet in city of industry. they do look awesome btw. ![thumbs](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
![thumbs](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
#122
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1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
yeah, they're finally on. After a Radio Shack run, and running around in circles, had to splice some wires, and make the kit longer, COUPE doors are much larger than back doors on the SEDAN. Wires just didn't reach the fuse box. Went on a wild hunt for some extra wire. Got that fixed, thanks to Doug, Citron's bro (Donny ?) and Bryan. Wiedermann was cheering for me and kept that candle lit. I'll post pics later on. Definitely NOT a 1-hour job for the electrically impaired. Looks like the KIT needs to be re-measured for COUPE vs SEDAN set ups. Seek professional help if TAPPING, SPLICING, WIRING, or RADIO SHACK are not in your vocabulary !
#124
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Originally Posted by Saprissa
yeah, they're finally on. After a Radio Shack run, and running around in circles, had to splice some wires, and make the kit longer, COUPE doors are much larger than back doors on the SEDAN. Wires just didn't reach the fuse box. Went on a wild hunt for some extra wire. Got that fixed, thanks to Doug, Citron's bro (Donny ?) and Bryan. Wiedermann was cheering for me and kept that candle lit. I'll post pics later on. Definitely NOT a 1-hour job for the electrically impaired. Looks like the KIT needs to be re-measured for COUPE vs SEDAN set ups. Seek professional help if TAPPING, SPLICING, WIRING, or RADIO SHACK are not in your vocabulary !
![Smilie](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Anyone know who had the red coupe at your meet? I like the blacked out grille.
#125
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1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
I think that was Mark's red COUPE. Actually, he's got the CARBON-FIBER grille.
The picture doesn't do it justice. It looks 1000 times better up in person.
-----
I'll post pics of my illum sills later tonight.
The picture doesn't do it justice. It looks 1000 times better up in person.
-----
I'll post pics of my illum sills later tonight.