View Poll Results: Do you have ambient lighting to all four foot wells?
Voters: 116. You may not vote on this poll
Do you have Ambient lighting to foot wells
Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 190
Likes: 1
From: Atlanta, GA
Whichever one is available (1 of 5)
The footwell courtesy lights (when you open doors) are bright, but the footwell ambient lights are very dim. Wear a pair of white socks at night, and you will see that all four ambient lights are very dim. I may be wrong, are the four footwell courtesy lights the same four footwell ambient lights?
Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 190
Likes: 1
From: Atlanta, GA
Whichever one is available (1 of 5)
I finally verified the ambient light situation for my 2004 E500. The courtesy lights (bright when you open car door) are the ambient lights also. The light on the front driver's side is located under the steering wheel, but closer to the brake pedal. The front passenger's light is under the glove compartment. If you sit at the back seats, the two rear lights are both under front driver's and passenger's seats pointing towards rear passenger's foot. When the ingition is turned on, headlights are on, the four footwell courtesy lights become the ambient lights, very dim, but detectable. I laid on my back to verify the front footwell lights; the rear footwell lights, you can see them as soon as you sit in the back seats. Inside of the car must be very dark in order to see the ambient lights.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,492
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From: Canada
2004 E500 / 2001 C240
The other night I drove into cottage country and I could see the illuminated door handles.. It looked amazingly cool. It just goes to show how much light pollution from the cities there really is. I would say park the car in complete darkness and stay there for a few minutes. Wait for your eyes to adjust and you will see all the illuminated areas in your car..
Thread Starter
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15,901
Likes: 4,630
From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
Originally Posted by glojo
Could you possibly keep us informed on the results of your dealers enquiries please?
Thanks
John
Dusk in Torquay
Thanks
John
Dusk in Torquay
Originally Posted by tendons
my wife likes it; to me it's a bit like the starship enterprise. I see no reason for it and no safety value. It just seems silly.
Originally Posted by paulhu
The courtesy lights (bright when you open car door) are the ambient lights also. The light on the front driver's side is located under the steering wheel, but closer to the brake pedal. The front passenger's light is under the glove compartment. If you sit at the back seats, the two rear lights are both under front driver's and passenger's seats pointing towards rear passenger's foot. When the ingition is turned on, headlights are on, the four footwell courtesy lights become the ambient lights, very dim, but detectable.Inside of the car must be very dark in order to see the ambient lights.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 768
Likes: 74
From: S.F. Bay Area, CA
'18 E63S AMG
I finally checked, and I have them. They aren't as dim as others report, at least to me. It is bright enough to light up my hand when I put it under the steering wheel post.
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Thread Starter
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15,901
Likes: 4,630
From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
Progress
DaveFr, DWP, etenn, Hart_113, jim256, jprescott, Oslo, plocjim
My (our) inquiry has officially escalated from the dealership level, through the MBUSA Regional Operations Manager, and has been passed on to his MBUSA Service and Parts Operations Manager of which I expect contact in the very near future. I just wanted all those who do not have ambient lighting to their foot wells to be assured that I will not allow this to fall to the wayside.
My (our) inquiry has officially escalated from the dealership level, through the MBUSA Regional Operations Manager, and has been passed on to his MBUSA Service and Parts Operations Manager of which I expect contact in the very near future. I just wanted all those who do not have ambient lighting to their foot wells to be assured that I will not allow this to fall to the wayside.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,586
Likes: 1
From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Thank you for the effort thus far.
Of the eight names, seven list their model year of car in their posts. Five of those are '03 and two are '04, but the two '04s are in Oz and Norway, whereas the five '03s are in the US. The follow-up question I would pose would be, how many of the seven had the M-B software patch for the early-production audio problems applied to their car? It's been applied to my car, although I have no idea whether it had footwell ambient lights before the patch was applied.
Of the eight names, seven list their model year of car in their posts. Five of those are '03 and two are '04, but the two '04s are in Oz and Norway, whereas the five '03s are in the US. The follow-up question I would pose would be, how many of the seven had the M-B software patch for the early-production audio problems applied to their car? It's been applied to my car, although I have no idea whether it had footwell ambient lights before the patch was applied.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 993
Likes: 0
From: Alpharetta, GA
I'm sure you guys checked and re-checked, but I would bet that you all have the abient lighting in the footwells. The lighting is extremely dim and unless you are in complete darkness and have the ambient light setting set to its maximum setting, they are difficult to even notice.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,586
Likes: 1
From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Originally Posted by Baby Jocko
I'm sure you guys checked and re-checked, but I would bet that you all have the abient lighting in the footwells. The lighting is extremely dim and unless you are in complete darkness and have the ambient light setting set to its maximum setting, they are difficult to even notice.
Test Conditions:
Motor: Running
Light Switch: On “Auto”
Outside light: Totally dark; in a large city park well away from any streetlights and several hours after sunset
Mojo: Working
Test Results:
White paper test: Fail
White socks test: Fail
White shoes test: Fail (no white shoes after Labor Day)
Stick-head-under-
dash-and-look-
directly-at-courtesy-
lights-for-even-the-
faintest glow test: Fail
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,917
Likes: 14
From: Torquay, England
E-class E300e Estate, Sprinter (stretched limo)
Originally Posted by DWP
2003 E500 Footwell Ambient Light Test Results
Test Conditions:
Motor: Running
Light Switch: On “Auto”
Outside light: Totally dark; in a large city park well away from any streetlights and several hours after sunset
Mojo: Working
Test Results:
White paper test: Fail
White socks test: Fail
White shoes test: Fail (no white shoes after Labor Day)
Stick-head-under-
dash-and-look-
directly-at-courtesy-
lights-for-even-the-
faintest glow test: Fail
Test Conditions:
Motor: Running
Light Switch: On “Auto”
Outside light: Totally dark; in a large city park well away from any streetlights and several hours after sunset
Mojo: Working
Test Results:
White paper test: Fail
White socks test: Fail
White shoes test: Fail (no white shoes after Labor Day)
Stick-head-under-
dash-and-look-
directly-at-courtesy-
lights-for-even-the-
faintest glow test: Fail
Regards,
John
Going to bed in a minute
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: California
2003 E320
I do have the footwell ambiant lighting. Also have the puddle light under the bottom of the doors AND bottom of each outside mirror.
All come on when door is unlocked with remote AND in the "night" mode.
Door DOES NOT need to be opened only unlocked.
All come on when door is unlocked with remote AND in the "night" mode.
Door DOES NOT need to be opened only unlocked.
Thread Starter
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15,901
Likes: 4,630
From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
Originally Posted by Baby Jocko
I'm sure you guys checked and re-checked, but I would bet that you all have the abient lighting in the footwells.
Thread Starter
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15,901
Likes: 4,630
From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
Originally Posted by DWP
Thank you for the effort thus far.
Of the eight names, seven list their model year of car in their posts. Five of those are '03 and two are '04, but the two '04s are in Oz and Norway, whereas the five '03s are in the US. The follow-up question I would pose would be, how many of the seven had the M-B software patch for the early-production audio problems applied to their car? It's been applied to my car, although I have no idea whether it had footwell ambient lights before the patch was applied.
Of the eight names, seven list their model year of car in their posts. Five of those are '03 and two are '04, but the two '04s are in Oz and Norway, whereas the five '03s are in the US. The follow-up question I would pose would be, how many of the seven had the M-B software patch for the early-production audio problems applied to their car? It's been applied to my car, although I have no idea whether it had footwell ambient lights before the patch was applied.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,586
Likes: 1
From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Originally Posted by konigstiger
Question comes to mind, if caused by a software glitch as you suggest would it not affect all ambient lighting and not isolate itself to a few locations? Guess we'll have to wait and see.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,011
Likes: 3
From: global traveller
some slow@$$diesels
I haven't read through this thread (too many posts), but this is a setting that can be switched off with stardiagnose...or switched on...when the car has the lights already...
greetingz,
greetingz,
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
From: NC
'03 Mercedes E320
Mine is a very early '03 (9/02 prod'n), and no ambient footwell lights. I did not have an audio patch, and the ambient footwell lights were not ever there. The door-open footwell lights work as expected. I know the ambient footwells are not there because I was early-on figuring out the front vs rear overhead ambients and looked everything over fairly well. At the time I assumed the footwell reference must have been illumination from the overheads. Obviously I was misguided.
Thread Starter
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15,901
Likes: 4,630
From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
Originally Posted by MBenzNL
I haven't read through this thread (too many posts), but this is a setting that can be switched off with stardiagnose...or switched on...when the car has the lights already... greetingz,
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,690
Likes: 2
From: Washington State
E-500
My E500 is a very late '03 replacement build..August '03.
Like DWP...I rechecked and I do not have the footwell lighting.
I do not have the "door handle" lighting mentioned here either. The only lights on the interior doors are on the window switches, memory, and mirror adjustment. Nothing on the door handles.
Like DWP...I rechecked and I do not have the footwell lighting.
I do not have the "door handle" lighting mentioned here either. The only lights on the interior doors are on the window switches, memory, and mirror adjustment. Nothing on the door handles.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,586
Likes: 1
From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Originally Posted by etenn
My E500 is a very late '03 replacement build..August '03.
I do not have the "door handle" lighting mentioned here either. The only lights on the interior doors are on the window switches, memory, and mirror adjustment. Nothing on the door handles.
I do not have the "door handle" lighting mentioned here either. The only lights on the interior doors are on the window switches, memory, and mirror adjustment. Nothing on the door handles.
That said, I'm not excluding the possibility that etenn doesn't have door pull lights at all. The fact that something like 90% of the poll respondents have footwell ambient lights hasn't activated them in my car.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,690
Likes: 2
From: Washington State
E-500
Originally Posted by DWP
The door pull lighting is more "locator" than "ambient", and is very faint. Considering that the door pull recess is flat black, I can't even see the light unless it is pitch dark outside or I stick a finger directly under the light source, which is the little clear strip at the top of the door pull recess. The glow is faintly visible by looking directly at the little clear strip - not an easy thing to do without opening the door.
That said, I'm not excluding the possibility that etenn doesn't have door pull lights at all. The fact that something like 90% of the poll respondents have footwell ambient lights hasn't activated them in my car.
That said, I'm not excluding the possibility that etenn doesn't have door pull lights at all. The fact that something like 90% of the poll respondents have footwell ambient lights hasn't activated them in my car.
Now...if I can find the footwell ambient light. :p
Thread Starter
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15,901
Likes: 4,630
From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
Char03, DaveFr, DWP, etenn, Hart_113, jim256, jprescott, Oslo, plocjim
Guys, please check your Private Mail. Jim256 your PM is not activated nor can I email please supply an avenue for me to reach you other than publicly. Thanks.
Guys, please check your Private Mail. Jim256 your PM is not activated nor can I email please supply an avenue for me to reach you other than publicly. Thanks.
