E-Class (W211) 2003-2009

W211 2003 E500 L Brake Light not working

Old Mar 5, 2019 | 04:35 PM
  #1  
RayP's Avatar
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W211 2003 E500 Sport
Red face W211 2003 E500 L Brake Light not working

I have a 2003 E500 W211. The rear Left (driver side) brake light would not work. It's a LED module light. I replaced the assembly with a new one, didn't work.
Then I removed the LED module from the Tail Light assembly and plugged into the working Right side bulb carrier bracket. It works just fine. Then I tried the working LED on the Right side in the same bulb carrier of the Left side and didn't work.
I used a multimeter to check on the plug of the Left side coming from the rear SAM, and the Brake Light contact is dead, no power coming when brake is pressed. All lights and devices on vehicle work just fine, only the brake light on the Left side is not operating.
All other light are working normally, turn, backup and parking. Only brake on this Left side giving the headache.

I checked all fuses and all seems fine, on both the rear SAM, Cabin and under the hood.
Any ideas what could be causing this? My next option is to temporarily run a cable from the working Right side LED brake plugs to the Left side until I can take the car to a MB dealers and get a hefty tab (seems to me they will run a high one for this simple malfunction as always happens).

Unless we have here some experienced folks that know about this malfunction?

I'm very handy and can do extensive work if need be to save a buck.

Thanks in advance!
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Old Mar 6, 2019 | 01:23 PM
  #2  
konigstiger's Avatar
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
Feeling ambitious, pull rear SAM check for corrosion if all seems fine check corresponding connector/pin see attachments.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf
rear side panel removal.pdf (174.6 KB, 251 views)
File Type: pdf
211 diagnose.pdf (180.4 KB, 309 views)
File Type: pdf
211 R SAM connectors.pdf (61.5 KB, 294 views)
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Old Mar 6, 2019 | 04:01 PM
  #3  
RayP's Avatar
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W211 2003 E500 Sport
Thanks!

Will do that tomorrow for sure.
I put a cable connecting the LED brake light from the Right to the Left, as power is not present in the circuit so it won't feed back to rear SAM. Just to have break lights.
I will carry out the task as you said and will get back at you on this.

Thanks again for the advice!

*Just finished doing the temp cable patch from R brake LED to L brake LED. Works just fine, no overload, no heating so far...
Will carry out tests on SAM tomorrow if weather permitting.

Last edited by RayP; Mar 6, 2019 at 04:24 PM. Reason: Added
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Old Jul 9, 2020 | 05:54 PM
  #4  
ccane's Avatar
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CLK500/E500
Solved

I just had the same issue with the driver side stoplamp on an 03 E500 with led lights. It’s the center resistor on the small board attached to the light. Just move it ever so slightly and it lights up strong and good without the intermittent shutting off
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