There have been a few threads on here and the W211 AMG forums regarding quality issues with the ESDEPO white side-marker housings, and unfortunately I can confirm this. When I first bought the ESDEPO clear side-markers they were sealed perfectly and didn't have any issues. Then all of a sudden I noticed water and dirt getting into them and I thought it was some type of cracking or sealing issue.

Soon after, the bulbs burned out and I went a month or so without running them due to time constraints and other things I was doing on the car. I dug up a new set of amber bulbs (I was running the silver coated bulbs that cam with the kit) that came as extras in the ESDEPO kit. When I got behind the bumper I could not, for the life of me, twist the bulb socket out. It was angled downward and hitting on the circular piece on the interior plastic housing so I had to take the assembly apart.

Turns out it had melted and deformed, and when I took it apart I found the reason why it water was now getting in there - it had melted a hole through the top part of the side-marker and completely deformed the socket housing. Thinking it was the bulbs' fault, I tested the OEM non-coated white light bulb, the amber bulbs, and a spare silver coated amber bulb and they all emitted about the same amount of heat - which was a LOT to the touch and definitely enough to melt plastic in a confined space. After getting the other one out, the same thing.




So this is partly to serve as a warning about this problem and partly to ask what I should do next... I want to order new clear side-markers but I'm thinking I should go LED for the bulb (if I can find one that doesn't cause a dash error) but I haven't been able to find anything on it. Any advice? Thanks.

 

=(

man that sucks.

I painted my OEM ones, but if i were to do it again, i would prob PlastiDip them.
I just plastidipped my dads S class side markers. So much more cleaner. But that would only be an option if you still had your stockers lying around, and if you were down with black (non functioning lights)

 

Yeah not a good situation at all... however I don't have my stock ones around I actually broke one of them by a slip of the hand with a buffing unit (yeah I know it takes special skill to break your car when waxing lol) and so that's why I replaced them. I figured I could either repair and plastidip the ones I have the best I can or buy new ones with some type of error-free LED setup.

 

buy oem ones and paint them. i'd say get euro impact strips but i dont think it's offered for facelifted models.

 

That's not my question: I want the clear side-markers with legal amber light but in a form that won't get so hot in a confined space: is it possible to retrofit error-free LEDs that won't produce as much plastic-melting heat?

 

should be fine with canbus led's. same as your city light led's. I had it in my depo clear side markers with no problems and no condensation at all.

 

Yeah the reason I got condensation in it was the gaping hole that was burned through the plastic... I did see CANBUS LEDs but I'm not sure which ones work with this socket, what kind of bulb is it or are you saying it is the same socket as the city lights?

Thanks man you're saving me big time haha

 

I cannot understand why you are having this problem. Mine are still perfect (see photos in my other thread) following years of use. I did not use any bulbs that came with them, bulbs were ordered from a completely unrelated supplier, can't remember which one; no heat and no melting problem. I always drive with my lights turned on.

 

Set your car to rest of world through star. You'll never have the problem again, plus you get a few cool features with the coding.

 

I'm not sure why some people have this problem and some don't, I didn't install anything correctly or mod anything having to do with the electrical system. So I can't answer that question I'm just trying to find a solution. Right now I repaired the housings the best I can and I'm running the amber bulbs but I need to find a Canbus LED that will fit.

@forcefed4door will this just completely disable the sidemarkers? You mean setting it to the Euro or International spec?

 

I used stealth silver chrome amber bulbs, no overheating problem etc. Throw away bulbs that come with side markers.

 

I am surprised someone does not make a clear side marker with a string of amber LEDs in it.

 

They should...

@pinebaron If I can't find the proper CANBUS LED then I will have to go with those, haven't had a whole lot of time to look though.

 

I should have just hopped on eBay they have canbus error free LEDs in white available as a kit for the sidemarker housing so I'm ordering a set. I'm not sure if I should get the smoked or clear ones but they look excellent, exactly what I needed and I recommend people go this route and get these bulbs based on my experience http://tinyurl.com/kyorba3

 

You want the LEDs in amber if the lens is clear.

 

I'm not sure the LEDs come in amber. If you can find me a similar amber LED on eBay (I've looked) then please please please let me know it'd be big help - not that I'm asking you to look though if you know of any post some links please, but I can settle for white side-markers if they will last and not overheat.

 

LEDs definitely come in amber, but I have not found any that have the extra resistor to make the car think they are a regular bulb. (CAN bus compatible)

I am thinking of trying an LED strip.
I was wondering if you could send me the old melted piece so I can see what might work.

 

No connection with this company:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...dge-base/1100/
http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...se-tower/1127/
http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...se-tower/1128/
http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...se-tower/1129/

EDIT: More found

 

Thanks for finding and posting those links! Do all of those work for the E550 bulb style?

And yeah when I get my new sidemarkers in I can send out the old sidemarkers if you PayPal me like $6 for shipping depending on where you are in the US. If you're close enough I can just send them out to you no cost.

 

They should work electrically. I have not had mine apart yet, so I am not sure about physical fit.
The critical issue would be length.

I am in IL.

 

You got it. That way you won't have any amber up front anymore. I matched fogs,lowbeams, and city lights to 6k. It will also allow your city light and foglights to automatically turn on unlocking and locking your car at night with the headlight switch in off position. (I don't use the auto setting). It also does something useful with the sunroof can't remember excactly what that was though... and it removes some kinda beeping that people complain about with keyless go.

 

^ To me those aren't really issues and I want the amber at night to remain legal but without the ugly OEM reflector housings. I found my solution though, getting the LEDs and new housings right from the company that distributes them. I plan to order those tomorrow. I use auto on my headlights so I get the fog and city lights come on when unlocking anyway and that's fine with me, nor do I have keyless go.

 

Ordered new sidemarkers and the 194 CANBUS Amber bulbs from superbrightleds.com they should be here in a few days. I will install them when I get back from California at the beginning of July and post then to see if they work out fine.

 

I had the same thing happen to one of my Ebay clear side marker lenses -- melted, water got in and bulb burned out. LEDs will likely solve the melting problem, but this is a clear indication that the quality is not up to MB standards. I put the amber ones back in.

 

I just can't stand the amber color, I realize they are not built to MB standards and the plastic is much thinner and cheaper but under normal operation (without thermal stresses) they should be fine, and will look much better as I'm trying to keep the white/black theme on my car. Ideal would be euro impact strips but I don't think they make any for the facelift W211 and even if they did, I haven't been able to find any - trust me I looked. Big thanks to NJay though I ended up using one of his links to buy a 194 LED in Amber. Also bought some aluminum door pins while I was at it!