SleepyGrandpa

Hi there,

I just picked up a 2021 C300 AWD sedan (US), and noticed that the door handles don’t illuminate when unlocking (tried both, using keyless go and using the key/fob to unlock).

The car was a demo and I got it with 5k miles. Could all 4 led’s be burnt?

It has the premium package and AMG line.

Was this something that went away in MY 2021?

My previous 2018 (a base RWD) would illuminate all 4 door handles when unlocking.

Elvisfan0108

who actually still uses a key?
The door handles don’t light up on my car when using the FOB. There are lights in the side mirrors, but not in the door handles.

Doa

I always use my key... I always lock the car by pressing 2 times so nobody can open the car just because I'm nearby or because they could replicate the signal.
Anyway my lights always turn on when I unlock the car. Car is now 3 and a half years old so the chance they all died is 0 I would say.

SleepyGrandpa

Post updated! Certainly not using the actual key. I almost always use keyless go, but will occasionally use the fob.

Elvisfan0108

I understand pressing the lock button twice. However, you do know that pressing any button on the FOB wakes it up so you don’t have to use the key?

SleepyGrandpa

Well, I’ve found it. With the handle in open position, I’ve actually noticed that there is no LED in any of the exterior door handles.

Car was a demo, so my thought is that a customer came in needing to replace LEDs in their car, didn’t have them in stock or taking too long to get parts, so they just took them out of this car…

But now I’m afraid their answer is going to be: “2021 C Class with these options, no longer has this feature”.

Any idea how I can prove this car should have them?

Elvisfan0108

Again, my brand new c300 cabriolet does NOT have any LEDs in the door handles.

SleepyGrandpa

Got it, I initially understood it wasn’t working for you with the FOB but worked without it (using keyless go).

Thanks for clearing that up. So it does seem like they didn’t include LED’s in the door handles of some or maybe all 2021’s.

Anyone with a 2021 C300 with LED’s in the door handles when unlocking it?

Here’s a photo of what they look like when you have them or they are working:

benzdude

Read your manual. They available online in searchable PDF format. Maybe that feature is optional or just turned off? Congrats on your new 2021.

SleepyGrandpa

Yes. Been there, done that. I will send a gift card to anyone that finds it in the manual.

There is a feature to enable and define how long exterior lighting is on for after unlocking. I have that enabled and the leds under the exterior mirrors, along with the headlights and taillights do work.

Searching on this forum and others seems to indicate that this is part of Keyless GO, which I have. Unfortunately, haven’t found anything on an official source that I can show the dealership.

benzdude

Wow MB ditched them cause they are too much trouble?

Elvisfan0108

You really won’t give up. There are no lights in the door handles. Keyless GO is standard in the US. NO lights.

MrMBenz1

Argh! I can’t believe I didn’t clock this—my car is also missing this feature. What a bummer…

Elvisfan0108

unless I am totally missing something here, if the LEDs were taken off to put in another car, there would be empty spaces where they were. Like sockets or something.

SleepyGrandpa

Yes, there is an empty space where the LED would typically go. That’s what I thought I wrote when I said “With the handle in open position, I’ve actually noticed that there is no LED in any of the exterior door handles.”

So a few possibilities:

- MB got tired of them burning out and spending so much with warranty work, so they decided to stop including them on 2021 MY C300’s (or maybe other models as well).
- Supply chain issues made them send out at least some of the 2021’s without the LED component.
- My specific vehicle had them removed for some reason.

The part numbers:

• Left doors: 099820018364
• Right doors: 099820028364

Curious to see if there anyone else with a 2021 and if you have them in yours or not!

benzdude

You know, all of this guessing could be avoided by simply asking your MB service guy.

SleepyGrandpa

I thought this would be a good place to discuss something like this and see what other owners of 2021’s were experiencing or knew for a fact - if that’s not you, that’s cool… cheers to you.

You know, I thought the purpose of this forum was to ask the community about things they couldn’t figure out on their own, not clear in the manuals, not on MB’s website, etc.

Why would you be giving me such a hard time for asking other 2021 owners what they are seeing on their vehicles?

Mods or whoever reviews/deletes threads: if this is the wrong place to ask or the question goes against your rules, just delete the thread.

Elvisfan0108

I vote for number 1. With all the technology in Mercedes I doubt they would be worried about their door handles LEDs. Probably cost cutting.
no on number 2
3 is just plain silly.

benzdude

Sorry, ​​​​​​how am I giving you a hard time?
I am offering a solution to your problem.
People mostly come here for solutions.
I apologize, keep wondering about your door handle leds.
Btw, This is not MY forum. Good Luck.

SleepyGrandpa

I appreciate all your solutions:

• Read the manual.
• Go ask MB service person.

Respectfully, if you don’t know the answer or don’t care about the topic, that’s fine, but don’t pretend you’re providing solutions or answers. I could go around all day replying to every single thread on this forum, with a “solution” that wouldn’t solve anything.

Maybe people have already read the manual and not found a solution, maybe people have asked a MB service person and not received a straight answer…

Keith66

Granted, I have a 2015 C300, but mine does has the exterior door handle lights. Maybe there's some combination of packages/equipment that includes or eliminates the exterior door handle lights? I'm not sure.

If it helps by trying a process of elimination of packages, mine has the following items that look like it could possibly have something to do with it? (again, I don't know... just guessing to try to help)

889 Keyless Go
893 Keyless Start
632 LED High-Performance Headlamps
P15 Exterior Avantgarde Package
P49 Mirror Package
531 COMAND APS NTG5/NTG5.5

Good luck!

Andy74

No one here with a 2021 model to help the OP.

chrisdean

Simple, if the top half of the handle is chrome the there should be led's.

Highway

In another post there is a site you can go to where you put the vin# in and it will bring up what the car came with. I'm pretty sure when I did mine (2016 C-300) it specifically listed "Illuminated Door Handles".

The site is https://www.mbdecoder.com. I just checked mine again, and it didn't specifically list the illuminated door handles as I initially thought. Still good info.

Elvisfan0108

I’ve already stated mine.