Big Problems?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
04 E500 Wagon
Big Problems?
Hi,
I recently ordered a new set of led tail lights for my 98 e320 and installed them and everything was working fine until a two hour car trip almost set fire to the black resistor boxes, the resistors were gone.
So I thought, no problem Ill just buy another, stronger, resistor (I think it was a 25w 10 OHM) and solder it in the same fashion the other one was. But that didn't work and ended up just throwing the parking light fuze. So I put in another, stronger fuse because I thought the stronger resistor could need a larger amount of electricity.... blown. did that until I got to a 25 fuze.... ssss whoosh! smoke everywhere! mostly in the front near the fuze box to the left of the steering wheel.
I took the liner off under the steering wheel looked for any melted, burnt wire and couldn't find any. looked at the wires that are attached to the brake light adapter and there was two exposed wires touching on another, so i took those apart, put liquid tape on them and let it dry. I can not find any other sign of a problem but i know there is one. the lamp defective warning comes on every time I turn on my parking/driving light. EVERY TIME!
I do not know what I need to do, do I need to take apart the entire car searching for exposed wire? look harder in the front because thats where all the smoke was?
I recently ordered a new set of led tail lights for my 98 e320 and installed them and everything was working fine until a two hour car trip almost set fire to the black resistor boxes, the resistors were gone.
So I thought, no problem Ill just buy another, stronger, resistor (I think it was a 25w 10 OHM) and solder it in the same fashion the other one was. But that didn't work and ended up just throwing the parking light fuze. So I put in another, stronger fuse because I thought the stronger resistor could need a larger amount of electricity.... blown. did that until I got to a 25 fuze.... ssss whoosh! smoke everywhere! mostly in the front near the fuze box to the left of the steering wheel.
I took the liner off under the steering wheel looked for any melted, burnt wire and couldn't find any. looked at the wires that are attached to the brake light adapter and there was two exposed wires touching on another, so i took those apart, put liquid tape on them and let it dry. I can not find any other sign of a problem but i know there is one. the lamp defective warning comes on every time I turn on my parking/driving light. EVERY TIME!
I do not know what I need to do, do I need to take apart the entire car searching for exposed wire? look harder in the front because thats where all the smoke was?
Last edited by mattrox1221; May 9, 2012 at 01:12 AM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
04 E500 Wagon
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,560
Likes: 10
210 55
Man i try to repair this units before and is pretty imposible, the assembly sistem is a headache and i never fint the real problem (but we have same situation with customer cars when he mount trash led lights) also you need an specific unit (Same part number) cause it comes with different factory programs 
Fabio Daniel
Fabio Daniel
Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 194
Likes: 1
From: Toledo, OH
88 535is, 89 318iT
Get a good multimeter and all of the wiring diagrams for your car. Start tracing wires starting with the tail lights. It's pretty easy to melt wires together by overloading them like you did. You may need to remove most of the interior and carpet to expose all of the wiring.
