Headlight harness terminals
08-01-2023, 12:09 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Headlight harness terminals
Aloha guys. I did some search on the web and couldn't find what I was looking for. Maybe I used the wrong word/phrase?
Anyway, like many of you out there, I been plagued with that defective light message. Checked the car several times and seems nothing is wrong. At that time, didn't know the harness problem we have/had so didn't even bother to look in the headlight baskets. Finally just last week, I decided to open the headlight basket to check the harness inside and found that dreaded naked ( or shall I say exposed?) wires. From what it looked like, I'm surprised that none of them touched and short it out. So I jumped on the internet and purchased some el-cheapo harness kit for both side. BTW, left side was lot worse than the right side. Not that right side looked any better, but left was total trash.
Until the new harness arrive, I took off both harness, cut the wires and solder the new wires and covered the naked (yes, exposed) wires with heat shrinking tube. I did this to all the wires in the harness. So why the new harness kit? All the wire had corrosion (that green stuff on copper wires) and some terminals wasn't best of shape. Fast forward it to today and got my wire harness. Opened them up and found that the wires they use is way too small/skinny to be used as headlight harness. I know they'll work, but I want something with more heavier gauge. So jumped on the net again to find some wire terminals but hit a dead-end. Found similar ones but not the same.
Can anyone tell me what kind of terminals MB use? I'm just going to take out the terminals from the connectors and replace both connectors and wires. And if you can point finger to which direction I can go to get that terminals, that will be great also.
Thanks for your help.
Anyway, like many of you out there, I been plagued with that defective light message. Checked the car several times and seems nothing is wrong. At that time, didn't know the harness problem we have/had so didn't even bother to look in the headlight baskets. Finally just last week, I decided to open the headlight basket to check the harness inside and found that dreaded naked ( or shall I say exposed?) wires. From what it looked like, I'm surprised that none of them touched and short it out. So I jumped on the internet and purchased some el-cheapo harness kit for both side. BTW, left side was lot worse than the right side. Not that right side looked any better, but left was total trash.
Until the new harness arrive, I took off both harness, cut the wires and solder the new wires and covered the naked (yes, exposed) wires with heat shrinking tube. I did this to all the wires in the harness. So why the new harness kit? All the wire had corrosion (that green stuff on copper wires) and some terminals wasn't best of shape. Fast forward it to today and got my wire harness. Opened them up and found that the wires they use is way too small/skinny to be used as headlight harness. I know they'll work, but I want something with more heavier gauge. So jumped on the net again to find some wire terminals but hit a dead-end. Found similar ones but not the same.
Can anyone tell me what kind of terminals MB use? I'm just going to take out the terminals from the connectors and replace both connectors and wires. And if you can point finger to which direction I can go to get that terminals, that will be great also.
Thanks for your help.
08-01-2023, 05:15 PM
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Thanks Plutoe, but I stopped going to the dealer or any parts store, including NAPA long time ago. I'm not sure at your area, but every time, I mean every time ( and I'm not over reacting) I walked into one of them and ask question or ask for specific parts, they have this blank stare. I even tried to explain what I'm looking for, but I get this same blank look, like I'm some kind of idiot that doesn't know what I'm talking about. Either that or they bring me the wrong parts telling me this will fit.
Case in point. We all know alternator have different amp rating. My GM car have stock one that's rated at 80A, but they will bring me one rated at 63A and said it will fit. Yes, it will but my electrical will be weak at night or when turn on the AC, so I'll ask for the correct one and they will have or give me the blank look like what the hell I'm talking about. So I do most, if not all, of the parts shopping online. Even I get some stuff that will not fit, at least I know it's my fault and not theirs (I do get occasional wrong parts but they send me wrong parts number, not what I bought so they will replace it free, and parts sent back free of charge since it wasn't my mistake).
I'm not sure local MB dealer as I never walked into one before, but I have a feeling what I ask for, in this case headlight harness terminals, they will bring me just the headlight harness and tells me " oh, this will fit".
Anyway, I'm still searching for what I'm looking for. I did lots of electrical work, but this is one of the hardest terminals to find. From what I'm looking at, the have the tangs on both side. Most of the terminals I find have only one.
Case in point. We all know alternator have different amp rating. My GM car have stock one that's rated at 80A, but they will bring me one rated at 63A and said it will fit. Yes, it will but my electrical will be weak at night or when turn on the AC, so I'll ask for the correct one and they will have or give me the blank look like what the hell I'm talking about. So I do most, if not all, of the parts shopping online. Even I get some stuff that will not fit, at least I know it's my fault and not theirs (I do get occasional wrong parts but they send me wrong parts number, not what I bought so they will replace it free, and parts sent back free of charge since it wasn't my mistake).
I'm not sure local MB dealer as I never walked into one before, but I have a feeling what I ask for, in this case headlight harness terminals, they will bring me just the headlight harness and tells me " oh, this will fit".
Anyway, I'm still searching for what I'm looking for. I did lots of electrical work, but this is one of the hardest terminals to find. From what I'm looking at, the have the tangs on both side. Most of the terminals I find have only one.
Last edited by ilove190evo; 08-01-2023 at 05:25 PM.
08-04-2023, 07:21 AM
#4
Member
I had a similar issue. First fix was some "HD" connector for some jackleg outfit in FLA, worked for about 3 months before I was getting error messages. Next time I used the original MB part.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mer...mer-2108200013
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mer...mer-2108200013
08-06-2023, 11:04 PM
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
not the exact answer....but if it helps steer you closer to your quest
the unknown would include if your car has aftermarket parts, HID or such that are model / VIN specific...which is why dealer sometimes is the best source for part information.
the unknown would include if your car has aftermarket parts, HID or such that are model / VIN specific...which is why dealer sometimes is the best source for part information.
08-07-2023, 03:09 AM
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Thank you very much Raymond. That helped a lot. But they have pretty much everything except headlight terminal. Guessfound the harness end(?) of the terminal (I believe it's 110 on the PDF) but couldn't find anything on the light side of the terminal. But you did give me a great help. Now, I know what to look for on the connector/harness end of the terminal. If push come to shove, guess I'll use the straight headlight terminal and bend the crimping end of the terminal. But for now, I'm not in any rush so will be looking for that headlight side of the terminals.
I'm new to MB, so still learning how to use their manual and get to know how the part number work. That's just the short end of the stick. Boy, these car are lot different than any domestic (V-8 only) or ricers (car & Motorcycles) that I've worked on.
I'm new to MB, so still learning how to use their manual and get to know how the part number work. That's just the short end of the stick. Boy, these car are lot different than any domestic (V-8 only) or ricers (car & Motorcycles) that I've worked on.
08-07-2023, 02:19 PM
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
yeah, i guess they're not going to sell or show pinout connector attached to the headlight. that's part-and-parcel to the headlight assembly and not a separate inventory part. too bad you didn't post a few weeks earlier as I had headlight shells which I tossed. I could have harvested the female connectors for your project. it's in a landfill by now. wouldn't you know it?.....I had those saved for 10+ years thinking I or someone could use it for parts. I gave up waiting.
