I did a search on this and found a few threads regarding the puddle lights, but none that really solved the issue. I have an '03 with the puddle lights (under the mirrors) that worked for over a year. Then they suddenly started to come on for a fraction of a second when I unlocked the doors, then shut off. If I press the unlock again, they stay on. The dealer has had the car three times, for various issues, and each time I ask them to take care of the puddle lights, and each time they fail. This most recent time they told me to leave the car lights in "auto", but I have never used auto and the puddle lights always worked perfectly, up until a couple of months ago. Also, even if that were true, why would the puddle lights come on for a split second and shut right off? Makes no sense. Any thoughts?

 

Go to page 152 in your Operator's Manual and read the section on setting Locator Lighting. This is called Surround Lighting. Check to see that you have programmed Surround Lighting ON.

Note that the manual says you must have the light switch set to AUTO for Surround Lighting to work. I believe that it will also work if you have programmed the car for Daytime Running lights (see page 151). Daytime Running lights is the same as AUTO except that the lights never go completely off when the ignition is on.

BTW, why not leave the switch in AUTO and then you can forget about the lights? Better yet, program the car for daytime running lights.

 

I never use auto mode and the convenience lighting in the mirrors (not really the puddle lights, as those are in the doors) works just fine.

Also note that your page numbers listed don't correspond to the pages in everyone's manual, the manuals often change more than once per model year.

Why we don't use auto mode on the headlights is a personal choice and has been explained before, so I don't think it's a very helpful to suggest this as a solution, as he definitely has some sort of issue.

-s-

 

Well, he's in the US and if the page number isn't 100% accurate, it's close enough for him to find it. I know about your position on the matter and I know about your previous comments about page numbers but giving him a page number will get him a lot closer than just telling him what to look for.

It might be possible that he has the feature turned off or that it was once on and now it is off.

 

Like scorchie, I do not use auto lights, can't tell you exactly why, I just prefer to make those choices, I guess. Anyway, the mirror light worked for a year without auto, so I don't see how that can be the issue. Also, they come on for a secone, then shut off, which also seems like a problem.

 

Sorry, I thought maybe you had forgotten.

Let's see. Page 152... Automatic Transmission... one touch gear shifting. Yup, close enough.

But really, my manual doesn't say anything about any lighting working with the headlight switch not in the auto position. Yet it does. Is your manual any different?

-s-

edit: I can even adjust the time of the lighting that's not supposed to work!

 

For the record, the page in my manual the discusses locator lighting is 140. However, the lights the manual says will light with this feature are parking lamps, tail lamps, license plate lamps, and front fog lamps. No mention of the mirror lamps. So now I really don't think it has anything to do with the auto mode for headlights. Any other thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

Here's one suggestion--maybe the day/night sensor has failed, so the lamps come on but immediately sense a daylight condition or indication and turn off. If you try the auto position on the switch or the daytime running lights on the Settings screen, it would at least confirm that the car is activating all the darkness-activated items. I've noticed that I can't turn on the interior reading lamps in the daytime....front center and rear center lamps, yes, but not the front reading lamps.

 

OK Folks, I'm here with a red face. I was confusing the puddle lights with locator lighting.

The so-called puddle lights on the underside of the mirrors and doors will only work if you haven't deactivated the interior lights using the Automatic Control switch in the overhead control panel. Somewhere along the line I had done this and just discovered it tonight when I was trying all these functions in a dark garage.

Choosing day time running lights only effects daytime running lights and has nothing to do with locator lighting.

If you program Locator Lighting by turning Function Surround Lighting ON, it will only work if the headlight switch is in AUTO as the manual states.

Finally, I will not reference any manual by page number in the future nor will I recommend that anyone use a particular function like AUTO or Daytime Running Lights. I will say that the Surround Lighting function is very convenient when you are trying to find your car in a parking lot after a concert. Of course if anyone should want to use this function, they must also set the light switch to AUTO.

 

I think that's an often overlooked point that you mention... the interior lighting must be activated. Probably not his problem... but still a good point.

-s-

 

Nope, unfortunately not my problem. I do, however, have a new twist to add. Just for you know whats and giggles, I played around with the auto headlight setting, which, by the way, I hate, though I don't exactly know why. It seems that if I put the headlight switch in auto, unlock the doors, put the headlight switch back in off, the puddle lights function normally until I start the car again. Very weird.

 

There should be no relationship between the puddle lights and the headlight switch. The only switches that should matter are the ones in the doors and the one on the upper control panel. After experimenting and reading the manual, I can't see how any kind of programming function could effect the puddle lights. They work just like the lights in the bottom of the door on my 300E. In other words they are tied to the interior lights so long as the interior light switch is set to automatic.

I don't know what people find wrong with the AUTO feature. Even if you don't want to use it all the time, you could program Surround Lighting and then only turn on AUTO when you need to use the Surround Lighting feature.

I absolutely want Surround Lighting activated if my wife is going somewhere at night. It's a safety feature for her along with the Panic button on the key.