Parking lamps - front
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: UK
E300TD
Parking lamps - front
My local garage replaced the 6W front parking bulbs with 20W bulbs - they started to melt the holders before they stopped working - when the bulb gone indicator told me they had stopped working- I have replaced them with the correct bulbs but they still don't work.
Al other lights work OK - all fuses I can find are OK ( includes secret ones at end of dash and all under hood)
any/all ideas on what is wrong will be welcome
many thanks
Al other lights work OK - all fuses I can find are OK ( includes secret ones at end of dash and all under hood)
any/all ideas on what is wrong will be welcome
many thanks
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,583
Likes: 212
From: Washington D.C.
2024 GLE63s / 2016 GLE63s (traded) / 2016 E63s / 2002 E55
MAN ARE YOU LUCKY I AM SEEING YOUR POST. A dealer would replace the entire headlamp and if Xenon that unit is about $1k each.
A friend of mine had the same problem. A non Mercedes dealer mechanic put in a high wattage bulb instead of the H6W. This was either 10 or 12 watts and it shorted out. We replaced the correct bulb and did not work. The dumb mechanic actually used the wrong bulb and forced it into the socket and damaged it and it was breaking apart.
I had a couple old damaged cracked W210 headlamp units lying around I got out the trash at the Mercedes body shop. Since the H6W bulb connector was ruined in his car I cut the connector off the junk headlamp, sliced together with electrical tape and ..... still did not work. We used a connector off a second junk headlamp and still did not work. However, we tested the 2 connectors from the junk lamps and they worked find but when we put them on the car they did not work.
We pulled all the wires out of the junk units and low and behold the H6W bulb has an INLINE FUSE on the wire deep inside the headlamp unit. The inline fuse in the headlamp on the car was melted. We cut off the junk inline fuse and sliced it together and then it worked.
A dealership would never go to the trouble of using a piece from an old broken headlamp to fix yours. Plus they would not have had the trashed unit nor taken the time to actually find the problem thru trial and error.
I doubt you can buy just the wire from inside the HeadLamp Unit with the inline fuse from Mercedes parts. So Good Luck in the Trash Bins!
A friend of mine had the same problem. A non Mercedes dealer mechanic put in a high wattage bulb instead of the H6W. This was either 10 or 12 watts and it shorted out. We replaced the correct bulb and did not work. The dumb mechanic actually used the wrong bulb and forced it into the socket and damaged it and it was breaking apart.
I had a couple old damaged cracked W210 headlamp units lying around I got out the trash at the Mercedes body shop. Since the H6W bulb connector was ruined in his car I cut the connector off the junk headlamp, sliced together with electrical tape and ..... still did not work. We used a connector off a second junk headlamp and still did not work. However, we tested the 2 connectors from the junk lamps and they worked find but when we put them on the car they did not work.
We pulled all the wires out of the junk units and low and behold the H6W bulb has an INLINE FUSE on the wire deep inside the headlamp unit. The inline fuse in the headlamp on the car was melted. We cut off the junk inline fuse and sliced it together and then it worked.
A dealership would never go to the trouble of using a piece from an old broken headlamp to fix yours. Plus they would not have had the trashed unit nor taken the time to actually find the problem thru trial and error.
I doubt you can buy just the wire from inside the HeadLamp Unit with the inline fuse from Mercedes parts. So Good Luck in the Trash Bins!
Last edited by E55 KEV; Feb 28, 2003 at 04:30 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 405
Likes: 12
From: Sacramento, CA
W204 C300 2010
The tip about he inline fuse is great! I am glad I read this board. I was experimenting with diferent bulbs for my parking light, I was trying to get it to look brighter, I went with 20watt bulbs, but I could smell something melting/burning, so I shut down. I was lucky enough not to damage anything before the failure.
I did some observations though, the 20w bulb was not much brighter than the stock H6W bulb. My bulb was even a 20w halogen marine bulb. When you power up both bulbs side-by-side, outside of the housing, the 20w is much brighter. I think it has to do with the internal reflectors inside the parking light.
Has anyone been able to fit a bulb into the parking light to make it brighter?
Rob Lee
I did some observations though, the 20w bulb was not much brighter than the stock H6W bulb. My bulb was even a 20w halogen marine bulb. When you power up both bulbs side-by-side, outside of the housing, the 20w is much brighter. I think it has to do with the internal reflectors inside the parking light.
Has anyone been able to fit a bulb into the parking light to make it brighter?
Rob Lee
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 9,815
Likes: 13
John Deere
I see that Phillips has the H6W "white" bulb available for about $22 for a pair.
Can anyone tell me if these are worth putting in, or are they too similar to the stock parking lights?
I really don't like the way the stock bulbs look (yellowish) next to the zenon main lights, but I don't want to go higher in wattage either.
Can anyone tell me if these are worth putting in, or are they too similar to the stock parking lights?
I really don't like the way the stock bulbs look (yellowish) next to the zenon main lights, but I don't want to go higher in wattage either.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 20,081
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
Volvo V90 CC
I'm also glad I read this board. I do want to change light bulbs on my car (I did the front turn signals) with hyperwhite bulbs and ist looks great, very, very bright, but it looks great. It is good to know not to mess with the bulb wattage because it can easyly mess the holders. Thanks for the tips E55 KEV
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 152
Likes: 2
I have the Philips Bluevision bulbs in my car and although they are slightly whiter than the stock bulbs, they still look yellow next to the Xenons. However, the stock bulbs seemed to burn out every year or two,and the Philips are still going strong after two years. I bought mine from Powerbulbs.com
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Hendersonville, TN, USA, Earth
W210 (1996 E320) white
I put in one Philips Bluevision H6W bulb (for comparison) and I forgot which one it is - you cannot tell it from the stock (osram) bulb. Save your money. Also, beware: Powerbulbs has a less that favorable exchange rate if you are buying from the USA; it was estimated $86 but they charged my well over $100. BTW, Freight was included in the first estimate. Insult to injury, the bulbs came rattling around in a box with no protective padding other than the plastic blister packs. 
I feel better now.
-Tom
I feel better now.
-Tom
Trending Topics
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 253
Likes: 5
From: West Palm Beach, Florida
GLE53 Coupe
Phillip Blue Bulb
I had a set of the Phillip Blue - FOR SALE - Open to try-ONLY it but is not white enought - $15.00 include shipping in the U.S.
email me if interested, I take Paypal.
Steve Nguyen,
nguyensteve@yahoo.com
email me if interested, I take Paypal.
Steve Nguyen,
nguyensteve@yahoo.com
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
