user244075

Warning this message is probably confusing as much as I was confused trying to write it. (A picture would have been better but I don't have a place to host pictures to attach.)

I'm not talking about the normal rear break lights mounted on the outside body but the red lights on a 96 E320 above the clear reverse lights which are both mounted on the trunk not to far from the license plate. The left side has a bulb and the right side does not. It has a stock plastic piece to cover the hole. I've tried stepping on the breaks, etc, etc. and it doesn't light up. (Though it did one time which we were unable to recreate.) Question is what are the lights for and what do I do about the right side which has a plastic piece? Thanks.

t-bone

That's your rear fog light. It comes on when you pull the light switch out all the way.

You're supposed to only have one. If you had them on both sides, it would look like you had your brake lights on.

I turn my on only when in thick fog. I don't understand the people who drive with it on under normal driving conditions.

user244075

Thanks for the quick answer. I wouldn't have thought of a rear fog light though.

carlsson9

The actual reason for this set up is because mercedes designed it this way to differentiate between right hand drive and left hand drive cars.

LHS car will have the bulb on the left hand side, and vice versa for the RHD cars.

it's an Euro requirement, since LHS and RHD cars mingle in Germany (from England RHS to Germany LHS) and people can highlight to other drivers the type of cars they're driving.

E-Klasse

You can connect both sockets up and put bulbs on both sides. You can use them all of the time if you put lower wattage bulbs in the sockets. Otherwise it looks like you brake lights are stuck on.

zam2000

E-Klass, you have one of the nicest mod I've seen on this forum (the car look stock-enhanced, like the E55).

Do you mind if I ask where did you purchase the 18" AMG wheels, and how much did you pay for it ? Do you change the suspension/shock ? How's the ride quality compare to the original 16" ?

michakaveli

I connected both of the rear fog lamps on mine with same wattage bulbs as the reverse lights.

They are great to turn on when you have someone tailgating you for no apparent reason. The glare alone causes most drivers on your butt to back-off. Although there are those persistents ones