Hello everyone,

As some members know, I performed a 2012+(Facelift) LED tail light retrofit a while back. I purchased the necessary components to make it happen, such as the W204 Facelift Rear SAM(Service Acquisition Module) unit and obviously the OEM LED tail lights. Everything worked as intended tail light wise with by no means, fog lamp errors or half brake illumination. Apparently however, I discovered that majority of the time if you are using a Facelift Rear SAM on a pre-facelift W204, you will loose complete functionality of the rear sunshade. In my case, since the unit I bought originated from a w204 without the P1 package, I also lost my heated seats. So all together everything worked flawlessly but the heated seats and rear sunshade.

Today, I decided to see if I could fix this little problem. With the help of STAR Diagnostic, I chose to see if I could find a loophole around this loss of functionality. I went ahead and factory reset everything on the SAM unit and re-code it with the options linked to my VIN number. Well what do you know, the heated seats and rear sunshade work again flawlessly, but little did I know another situation occurred.

I thought I conquered my situation; everything worked flawlessly. No error codes were being threw on and I checked the tail lights for any loss of functionality and everything was perfect....Until night time.....I started up my car, and received a "Check Rear Fog Lamp" error code. I headed back to the tail of my car, to see what was wrong and both the fog lights were on.

So I apparently now have an error code, and both fog lights are enabled on my car only at night time. This really frustrates me as I am a bit nervous I cannot fix this problem. It does not look broken which is good, since both of them are lit up, but I would rather be courteous to the driver behind me and not blind them.

However, I haven't lost any hope yet. Since I rambled enough to clearly express my situation, I can finally ask my question. My question is that since I have a W204 facelift rear SAM unit, is it any possible to code off these fog lamps? The reason I ask instead of just performing myself, is due to the fact that I do not know where to go. Hopefully someone out there knows what they're doing and could help and guide me into the correct area of the diagnostic.

I believe I am in the right area, I just need a confirmation from someone. Below is a picture of where I am talking about. If I am in the correct area, could you please tell me the proper settings for the fog lamps as it is hard to translate it since it is in the German language.

 

Wow that's a bummer. First thanks for all your help with finding me a rear sam and glad you got the rear sunshade programmed back in. I'm taking mine in Tuesday to a shop to get that recoded. I can check with the tech to see if he can translate your images for ya. Have you also tried google translate to translate them to English? Not sure that would help. Wish I could help you sooner but maybe on Monday I can email him your link to see if he has any clue. He used to be a mercedes tech but started his own shop.

 

No problem. I just need to see if I can get these coded off. Most likely can since it's a 2012 SAM.

I would translate it, but there are a bunch of drop down options when you hit the arrow next to the wording in the German Language.

That would be awesome if you could show him this link!

 

Well this confirm you cannot code a facelift SAM into a pre-fl car. Your best bet would be to install the SAM in a 2012+ car and get it programmed for heated seats rear sunshade and led tailights.
As for star diag the snapshot seems to be the correct sttings. Since you have access to developer's mode you should have tried to code your OEM SAM first.

 

Will the attached file help?

 

I wonder if I can though, since it was already coded before. I have to try and see. Too busy at the moment to worry about it.

 

No luck with the merc tech after i showed him your images. The only info he has is the tail light programming I gave him for my rear sam before I got the used one. He's trying to re program my rear sun shade also but not sure where to go.

 

Oh okay.

Thanks anyway.

 

I have a quick and important update for you all.

I managed to get everything to work as intended. The tail lights have no fog lamp errors anymore and the best of all is that my heated seats and rear sunshade work the way they are supposed to.

Also, I have managed to code pre-facelift rear SAMs as well. With the use of a 2013 W204 and my 2011 W204, we can successfully use these two cars, to work together in the re-programming process.

The first step is to remove the SAM on a pre-facelift car and install it inside the 2013 W204, so we can correctly program the tail lights to function accordingly. Then, we take it out of the facelift W204 and insert it back into my car to program the heated seats and rear sunshade. Then there you have it, a successfully coded pre-facelift Service Acquisition Module!

 

Did you try to code the Facelift SAM as well?

 

Yes, that works as well. We coded them both successfully. However, we reprogrammed my old rear SAM back to how it was when I bought the car, so if I have any issues I can use that rear SAM. I currently have the facelift rear SAM unit in my car, because I already had it.

But I have happy to say we can code pre-facelift rear SAMs to function properly with LED Tail Lights.

 

Awesome and kudos for figuring this out! My indi wants to charge me $150 to get my rear shade working 😂. Probably cause he's not sure where to go to program it and it's gonna take some time. Glad you got all this sorted out. 👍.

 

Pm sent, w204...

 

This is what I wanted to do prior to you showing me that FL sam on ebay. But I wanted to put my sam in a 2009 c63 to code the tail light. Since my indi can access the tail light menu in the 2009 c63, I assume then that it would've worked? This might be useful too to for those that have 2010, 2011 that only have a doner 2009 car instead of a FL one

 

This would not work because, as you know, the 2009 W204s are pre-facelift models. If we put a pre-facelift SAM inside the pre-facelift car, there would be no readings/way to code it for facelift tail lights, as they did not come on the car from factory.

The reason a pre-facelift rear SAM programming works on a facelift W204, is the fact that we reset the SAM completely and VIN code it to the car, so everything works properly. We then place the rear SAM back inside my pre-facelift w204, so we can properly code back on the factory essentials in the pre-facelift car, such as the rear sunshade and the heated seats if necessary.(P1 Package)

 

Interesting. I've read reports that the coding can be done on a 2009. My indi can also see the menu on a 2009 (but not my 2010). So if a 2010-2011 sam can be reset and vin decoded in a 2009 and then follow the pdf file (post #5) floating around here to reprogram the sam, it should be then programmable. Then move the sam back to a 2010-2011. The key, which you have discovered, is to reset and vin decode it to that 2009 it's in.

Here is a guy that did in on his 2009 in march this year.
https://mbworld.org/forums/5973053-post15.html

Here's the original thread and where I got the pdf from as well.
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ml#post5973053

 

Using the .pdf in a 2009 car does not work anymore. I don't know if you remember when I told you.

Also, I do not know if this is correct as I never confirmed it and read it on here; the coding with the .pdf can only work on very early versions of the 2009 model. (That guy must have got lucky, as he had an earlier model 2009 W204. So maybe this statement is true.)

Even if you do try this method, make sure your independant shop coder has DAS and not Xentry. The .pdf you gave me is for DAS in developer mode and will not work with Xentry.

 

Ahh then that would make sense. Good to know.

So when are you gonna do the FL steering mod so you can figure out how to program the steering button lights

 

I would if it wasn't so expensive. I would rather save my money for aesthetic modifications and/or internal upgrades.

At the moment I am waiting for a vendor on here to visit their manufacturer over the summer, so they can asseble a pre-facelift rear diffuser with big fins for me that fit my dual exhaust.

 

I thought the same too about the FL steering wheel but IMO its worth the $665 I spent on it. It changes the driving experience for the better. Steering feels better and not so loose and feels more connected to the road somehow. The smaller diameter makes the car much easier to handle when it comes to turns as well. In addition it adds paddle shifters and they make driving more fun. Plus the new SW gives the interior an aesthetic improvement.

I've seen all round FL one go for $519 USD with airbag. Had I known you were interested I would've pointed it out to ya.

I'm thinking about going big fin as well to replace my diffuser but I have quad setup currently with oem c63 diffuser. I think the big fins would look awesome on a dual. Kind of double thinking if I made the right choice going quads. Harder to convert back.

 

Yeah I didn't want to look like a C63 so I figured I'm not going to go that route. As for the steering wheel, it does look so much better than my current steering wheel and wish I could do it to get paddle shifters! But I am quite contempt with my 'manual mode' using the stick.

After all...nobody could even see the steering wheel unless they were in my car, since I have 5% tint all around and 35% on entire windshield

 

Hi Guys,

I am doing the same job for my W212. I am trying to code my new facelift same unit. The problem I have, I can't find a new facelift car so that I can code my SAM unit there. Any clue to do it without using a new car ?

 

old thread but figured id look here for help
i bought a 09 c63 with led tails off ebay
i replaced them with 09 tails
i still have no sun shade< my center brake light cuts out and my reverse lights do the same

 

Sorry, I do not understand. You bought a 2009 C63 and it came with the pre-facelifted LED tail lights or facelifted LED taillights? Then converted it back to halogen?

Elaborate

 

i bought a 09 with ebay led tails, i switched them out for stock 09 tails since i was having a issue with reverse lights cutting out and center brake light. also no sun shade