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Rear ambient lighting for overhead console in the rear?
I noticed the ealier w211's have rear ambient lighting in the overhead console light. With the facelifted they got rid of this. Does anyone know if you take a rear overhead light from 06' and put it in an 09' (face lifted) w211 would it work/plug in?
See pictures below of ambient light and non ambient light versions.
I have a face lifted '07 and still have the ambient light.
In the rear?
I have the front one that lights up orange, but wanted to get a rear one because it looks neat. The colors are slightly off from the newer ones but wanted to see.
Are you able to take a picture of your rear light?
Ah snap! That's awesome. No worries at all on being later.
If I could ask one more favor... are you able to snap a picture of the part number on the back by chance? The light just simply pulls straight down. Makes me wonder now if the ribbon cable is even needed? IE: IF it's the same connector it's probably just supplying power so it theory it should just plug in but who knows?
Ah snap! That's awesome. No worries at all on being later.
If I could ask one more favor... are you able to snap a picture of the part number on the back by chance? The light just simply pulls straight down. Makes me wonder now if the ribbon cable is even needed? IE: IF it's the same connector it's probably just supplying power so it theory it should just plug in but who knows?
AWESOME!! Thank you for the part number!! Now I will search for that and hope to get one!
Looks great. I wonder why the took this out for some reason?
One last question. When you adjust the lighting from the menu in the cluster I know it adjust the front one but judging from the buttons on the rear one, the rear has to be manually adjusted or does it also adjust with the front at the same time?
Ok, one last question. Do you remember where the ribbon cable connected to? On my rear one it's right in the middle. Is yours also like that or is it plugged in at the side like the older model I posed above?
AWESOME!! Thank you for the part number!! Now I will search for that and hope to get one!
Looks great. I wonder why the took this out for some reason?
One last question. When you adjust the lighting from the menu in the cluster I know it adjust the front one but judging from the buttons on the rear one, the rear has to be manually adjusted or does it also adjust with the front at the same time?
Ok, one last question. Do you remember where the ribbon cable connected to? On my rear one it's right in the middle. Is yours also like that or is it plugged in at the side like the older model I posed above?
Thanks again!!
-Nigel
You are very welcome.
For you my friend, I pulled the light down once again as I did not remember from which side the cable came in. (I am old and forgetful). Picture below should answer this for you hopefully.
The adjustment on my light also takes place manually on the buttons on the rear light itself.
AWESOME!! Thank you for the part number!! Now I will search for that and hope to get one!
Looks great. I wonder why the took this out for some reason?
One last question. When you adjust the lighting from the menu in the cluster I know it adjust the front one but judging from the buttons on the rear one, the rear has to be manually adjusted or does it also adjust with the front at the same time?
Ok, one last question. Do you remember where the ribbon cable connected to? On my rear one it's right in the middle. Is yours also like that or is it plugged in at the side like the older model I posed above?
Thanks again!!
-Nigel
the rear ambient light control is on the unit itself. The instrument menu control has no effect on the rear unit
The two individual map lights turn on, but when I open the rear door or push the rear light button on the front overhead console it doesn't turn on the two main rear lights. I turn on the headlights and the ambient light or button lights don't come on.
The ribbon cable connector is the same on both units. I am wondering if I need that other ribbon cable OR, do I need to switch out my front overhead console?
The two individual map lights turn on, but when I open the rear door or push the rear light button on the front overhead console it doesn't turn on the two main rear lights. I turn on the headlights and the ambient light or button lights don't come on.
The ribbon cable connector is the same on both units. I am wondering if I need that other ribbon cable OR, do I need to switch out my front overhead console?
No worries at all. You've been able to get me this far..lol I'm seriously thinking it has to be the front control panel that sends power or does whatever to the rear console light. I added 12v power and I can get the two map lights to go on, if I reverse polarity I get all 4 lights on but I can't get the illumination of buttons or the light bars for ambient lighting.
When checking the cables 06' - 2114401906 (09, 2114402106) appear to be identical in 3 actual wires and both connectors are the same.
I wish there was a way to know which front overhead control panel you have. I'd be down to buy one on ebay just for test purposes and if that didn't work then chuck it up to a loss but I'm pretty certain the front one needs to somehow match the back one in terms of part numbers....
Nope it's not turned off. The buttons don't illuminate at all. I've pushed the buttons and they do nothing. Other than the map lights. I'm wondering if this might be a bad unit? Seller tells me everything was functional. I'm going to pick up another one just to test I guess from someone else.
I tested mine and it's simple. Three wires. Ground, 12v to map lights and 12v to main lights. See pictures below.
On the 07' it uses the same harness via 3 wires. But only the map lights turn on when using the same 12v/ground as I did with my 09'. I'm actually half tempted to pick up the same but also pick up one that is the different part number but still rear ambient lighting.
09' console
07' console
I'm hoping that perhaps this is just bad? Who knows until I get the other one....arg!
-Nigel
Last edited by NewShockerGuy; Jan 31, 2019 at 12:37 PM.
Ok, keep us posted if it turns out it's just broken you should take it apart the broken one. To see if you can swap the ambient lighting/ring to a different color to match LEDs.
No problem, I'll post pictures tomorrow. The housings between the two are very similar, almost identical. The boards are different. But the board with ambient lighting does use SMDs so one could desolder them and change them to whatever color they like. You'd probably have to change the resistance since different colors would require different resistors. But if you have the tool to do it, would be rather simple and quick.
Arg! Got the 2nd unit. Still the same exact actions as the first one I received. I can get the map lights on but the buttons don't illuminate nor do the main lights turn on when the door is open.
This makes me believe 100% that it is controlled through the front overhead console. Can anyone check theirs to get us a part number by chance for the front overhead console that also has rear ambient lighting. I don't mind picking up a front console but want to make sure I get the correct part number. Getting the same one that is in my 09' would not work. I have a feeling it must be prior to that. Preferably what S70Houston posted for us so that way both the rear and fronts work.
I feel like it's about 50% there.
Edit: I will add pics shortly of the boards as noted above.
Arg! Got the 2nd unit. Still the same exact actions as the first one I received. I can get the map lights on but the buttons don't illuminate nor do the main lights turn on when the door is open.
This makes me believe 100% that it is controlled through the front overhead console. Can anyone check theirs to get us a part number by chance for the front overhead console that also has rear ambient lighting. I don't mind picking up a front console but want to make sure I get the correct part number. Getting the same one that is in my 09' would not work. I have a feeling it must be prior to that. Preferably what S70Houston posted for us so that way both the rear and fronts work.
I feel like it's about 50% there.
Edit: I will add pics shortly of the boards as noted above.
Thanks in advance.
-Nigel
dont know for sure, but you may need to activate the option through DAS for the unit to work
I'll look into DAS/STAR. I don't ever remember seeing that option when playing around with everything. I'm currently retrofitting the electric trunk motor so I'll be in STAR shortly.
Checking online via my 09' It does show the rear overhead console of part# A211 820 75 01 / 7F94. I'm not sure why mine in the car is part: A211 82073 01 / 7F94.
For the front console online is showing part# A211 820 08 23 / 7F94
I can't find anything for 06' as it only shows a discontinued wagon console on MB parts sit.
Arg. Ran through STAR, couldn't find any option anywhere for the rear light. When I hook up both the rear ambient lighting units I have it thinks there is a short somewhere or open circuit. See attached pictures. So now I am completely open to any and all suggestions. I'm really wondering if it's the front overhead console that needs to be changed. I just don't know what version/part number I'd need. Clearly the one I have isn't playing nicely. Note that I don't have any other red flags or alerts in STAR, only when I hooked up the ambient lighting is when it didn't like it,. When I plug my stock non ambient lighting in, everything works fine on it and faults go away.
I posted on the UK w211 forum and mulitple people have said that their 08' and 09' had rear ambient lighting just as the picture post and also what S70Houston posted so clearly it can work with facelifted models but I'm failing to see what is different...?
See attached images of what I took from STAR. First picture is my front console. All other pictures are of error messages ONLY when rear ambient light console is plugged in. When I plug the one that came with the car all goes away.
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Rear ambient lighting for overhead console in the rear?
