Hey everyone. I just purchased a 2011 C300 4matic. I'm extremely happy with the car but, I haven't figured out the light scheme. Other than the fog light button the fog lights pretty much stay off all of the time. I did notice when you hit the fog lightbutton they get bright for about a second is there anyway to keep them bright? Also, on the light knob itself can someone please explain the parking lights to me cause I'm totally lost. You can switch to the left or the right but when using them I haven't seen any change in the lighting. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Correction: the fog lights stay on all of the time

 

I am also new to my less than two months old C300.
Switch to left parking makes left side lights on, and to right parking makes right side lights on. Lights on the other side are all off.

I assume you have Sport sedan not Luxury. There is no fog light on Sport sedan; the LED light is DRL which automatically brightens up if headlight is off, and dims when headlights are on. I asked my dealer to find if there is a way to set it always at high intensity level. The answer is no such setup.

 

I can touch on the right left parking lights...when turned the knob counter clockwise all the way it will only light up the eyebrow and rear driver side brake light. One click clockwise will do the passanger side. This feature is for when you are parked on narrow roads so cars can see the corner of your car and not hit it. For 2011 fogs/led you are on your own..I have a 2008.

 

I've always wondered when those lights can be put into use. Do you know how long they can last before killing the battery?

 

You guys are explaining this entirely too complicating.

Since you have a 2011 you have LED's, not fog lights. When you push the button they turn bright for a second and dim (because your lowbeams are on) so they dim at night to not blind other people. They stay at the bright setting during the day though when the lowbeams aren't on. To my knowledge there is no way to "trick" the car unless you modify the wiring.

As far as the dial goes. On my 2009 (I think its different though, I need to hop in the 2011 and refresh myself with its light dial), but on my 2009, turn to the left and parking lights turn on. Turn to the right and eyelids and tailights turn on. Turn to the right a second time and all lights turn on. Pull knob out (towards you once and fogs come on, turn a second time and rear foglight turns on). I suspect that on your knob you can only pull it out once and the rear fog turns on.

 

yea 2011 are LED DRL only. I would want them brighter but thats not happening. no Fog lamp option for us 11ers.

 

Guys thanks so much for the info. I was hoping there was a button hiding to kick on the LEDs brighter at night but, I guess not. The parking lights make a lot more sense to me now. BTW the knob doesn't pull out on the 11's

 

Addressing the parking lights, German cars have had overnight parking lights (left or right) for perhaps the past sixty years. They have been activated by the light switch, the turn signal lever (up, right or down, left) or by rotating the horn ring (obviously pre-airbags) left or right a few degrees. The parking light in front and the taillight (not brake light) are on but not the side markers so as to allow all-night use without running the battery down.

The overnight light controls do not operate if the key is in the run position. Normal parking lights (all) operate in the park position of the switch.

 

my friend is the service manager at my kinda local MB dealer. I actually spent a half hour looking at the star diag wiring schematics and there is a control module behind teh headlight switch that regulates the DRLs in the 2011, i just got mine this month. I too wanted to have it bright all the time, but its just not really feasible without some kind of harness splice and warnings. The day/night dome triggers the headlights, but if you notice at dusk or dawn your screen may be in daylight mode (background not blackened) and the LED will be low and headlights on. This is because theres also a relay from the headlights themselves, so theres actually 2 different triggers for the DRL lEDs. I was thinking of overiding the dome and making the car think its daylight all the time, thus keeping the DRLs bright, but you would lose teh night time background on the MM screen(if you have it) and you would have to switch the lights on and off manually from then on. And then part 2 is overriding the headlight relay which makes the DRL go low when headlights are on. When you press the little button on the side at night they flash bright for a second as the relay closes and opens teh switch leg of it. Its gonna be tough to get them to work all bright. My plan (when I have time) is to test w a meter the voltage going at bright and then at dim. I bet I can feed the DRL w a second pwr feed from the battery straight into a hidden switch and use that power feed w a resistor or capacitor to add the voltage necessary to make them bright again. I gotta check teh DRL itself when one comes in to the parts bin at MB to see what the wiring looks like. Im just hoping adding more juice w a custom wire feed doesnt set off a warning light or mess up the lighting switch circuit, but Im gonna play while its under warranty. I already killed the MM screen in engineering mode trying to find the EQ that doesnt eexist in 2011 units, had to be reprogrammed by dealer lol

 

2011 Luxury sedan has both front and rear fog lights (two buttons on the left side of light switch, one for front fog the other for the raer fog). However, Sport sedan has only one button which toggles DRL and rear fog to be on, one at a time when low beam is on.

 

Overnight at least. It draws very little current off the battery.

 

Whats the point of leaving them on overnight? Have always wondered.

 

Is there a way to turn all the lights off completely? I already have it so my LEDs are no longer DRL (they still turn on when the lights turn on, but if the lights are off they are off too.) I know if I want to turn off the LEDs when the lights are on, I can press a button on the left (and then there is a orange symbol next to the green symbol on the screen).

 

FYI...i just picked up my 12 C 300 sport today..and its the same way...DRL LED...there is a button next to the knob to switch them on/off..idk y anyone would shut them off...they dont put anylight to the ground...just noticable from a distance..but still look cool

 

save on bulbs son

 

Slash sometimes the Automatic function puts all the lights on when they are unnecessary in my opinion, or leaves them on for too long after leaving a parking garage etc - thats why I am looking for way to turn all the lights off.

Congrats on the new C!

 

I recently replaced the right low beam bulb on my 2009 Mercedes C300 Sport and noticed that the right parking lights, front and back, blinked on and off when the light switch if off. Turned the light switch to A and the blinking stopped. This wasn't hapenning before I replaced the light bulb. Any ideas as to what is hapenning?