Lamp failure indicator
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 595
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From: Middlefield, CT
1994 E320
Lamp failure indicator
The lamp failure indicator in the instrument cluster comes on when I first press the brake. The three stop lamps (left, center, right) are all good. The left and right were replaced 1 month ago, the center about 3. Could the lamp socket contacts be dirty? Also, does anyone know the theory of operation for the lamp failure system? The service literature doesn't say.
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,005
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From: Germany
'00 S320 W220, '98 A160 W168/ sold in 2005 '86 260 E W124 '90 260E W124
It looks like a sort of corrosion problem in the sockets. The Indicator is measuring the resitances and if the contacts are not clean it may cause the indicator to come on, or the wattage of the bulbs is differnet between, they alll shall have 21W, and also shall have only one rating (not the combi type bulbs which have a 5/21W combination for brake and indicator light, for other brand cars)
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 595
Likes: 0
From: Middlefield, CT
1994 E320
Thanks for your help, guys. The center lamp (on the back deck) is fine. I didn't check the license plate lamps. I think they're OK, because if they were bad the warning lamp would come on as soon as I turn on the parking lamps.
