Is it me or ????
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From: Dallas TX
2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
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Mercedes
True story, I was at the dealership last Friday taking my car in for the initial service when this lady pulls up in her new C240. She gets checked in by the "valet" guy and then her SA comes out to ask her what is wrong. She tells him her tail lights are messed up. She goes on to explain that everytime she shuts her lights off the right parking light stays on. 
Of course she was turning the dial ALL the way over the the left instead of stopping in the middle:
Of course she was turning the dial ALL the way over the the left instead of stopping in the middle:
so we are supposed to keep the dial straight up and down, and not all the way to the left? what is the position all the way to the left for? why does it activate just the right parking light and taillight?
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From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
I just got a 2000 s class and this happened to me.... no owners manual...my neighbor came knocking on my door to tell me the right front parking light and taillight were on...i played with the headlight switch till it went off...
so we are supposed to keep the dial straight up and down, and not all the way to the left? what is the position all the way to the left for? why does it activate just the right parking light and taillight?
so we are supposed to keep the dial straight up and down, and not all the way to the left? what is the position all the way to the left for? why does it activate just the right parking light and taillight?
Last edited by Barry45RPM; Jan 21, 2009 at 12:43 PM.
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From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
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From: chicago
06 SL65 AMG, 04 E5004Matic,02 911Turbo (Fluidmotorunion tuned),06 Cayenne S
This brings up a few questions . . . You must be talking about he parking lights right? If you are talking about these then I have a stupid theory: have you (or your significant other) turned on the front fog lights? When you turned on the front fog lights, did you pull the switch out once or two times?
If you pulled it out two clicks and two lights around the lights switch are on . . . THEN YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WHO IS DRIVING WITH THE REAR FOG LIGHT ON!!! TURN IT OFF AND STOP BLINDING THE PEOPLE BEHIND YOU!
Sorry to write like this, but I am constantly bothered by people in German cars who drive with their rear fog light on and blind me. I simply turn on my Bi-Xenons behind them. I recommend you read the manual and the law in your state that explains how to use it. This has been discussed by me and others on other threads, but you will have to search under "rear fog light" I hope you can find the explanation of when to use it.
But just in case, when you pull the light switch pull it (once) for the front fogs ONLY. The rear is only for times when visibility is bellow 50 meters. If the visibility is so low that you can not drive faster than 50 KM/hr (approx 35 mph), then you need to use it. If you can drive faster than 35 mph, then you are asking to be pulled over by cops and you are bothering the hell out of the people driving behind you!
Hope this sheds some light on your light question,
Steve A
If you pulled it out two clicks and two lights around the lights switch are on . . . THEN YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WHO IS DRIVING WITH THE REAR FOG LIGHT ON!!! TURN IT OFF AND STOP BLINDING THE PEOPLE BEHIND YOU!
Sorry to write like this, but I am constantly bothered by people in German cars who drive with their rear fog light on and blind me. I simply turn on my Bi-Xenons behind them. I recommend you read the manual and the law in your state that explains how to use it. This has been discussed by me and others on other threads, but you will have to search under "rear fog light" I hope you can find the explanation of when to use it.
But just in case, when you pull the light switch pull it (once) for the front fogs ONLY. The rear is only for times when visibility is bellow 50 meters. If the visibility is so low that you can not drive faster than 50 KM/hr (approx 35 mph), then you need to use it. If you can drive faster than 35 mph, then you are asking to be pulled over by cops and you are bothering the hell out of the people driving behind you!
Hope this sheds some light on your light question,
Steve A
i am so with you on this one. i too turn on my high beams. it takes more effort to pull it out so the action is definitely deliberate...
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From: Vancouver, Canada
03 E320
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From: Longmont, CO
04 E320 4 Matic, 95 Audi S6, 99 Carrera 4 Cabrio, 12 Fiat 500 Sport, 00 BMW R1200C 10, BMW R1200R
Well, what can you do?? I actually had to use the rear fog light this last December while driving in a monster snow storm at about 20 MPH. I was very grateful to have the extra visibility from the rear (especially since my car is white!).
My Audi also had just one fog light, but I wired it so now I have two. I sometimes pass the folks with their rear fog lights on and then I turn my on when I am in front of them. I noticed that Audi drivers are the most common offenders here in Colorado.
I know that MB light bulbs are not at full voltage when they are set to the "parking light" setting and that they go to full power when the rear fog is turned on. I have been wondering about these people who purchased after market taillights, does the fog light work correctly? I guess I should ask on those threads.
Steve
My Audi also had just one fog light, but I wired it so now I have two. I sometimes pass the folks with their rear fog lights on and then I turn my on when I am in front of them. I noticed that Audi drivers are the most common offenders here in Colorado.
I know that MB light bulbs are not at full voltage when they are set to the "parking light" setting and that they go to full power when the rear fog is turned on. I have been wondering about these people who purchased after market taillights, does the fog light work correctly? I guess I should ask on those threads.
Steve
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From: Los Angeles
2009 SL550 Roadster Diamond White, 2008 CLK550 Coupe Obsidian Black
Ya, most people i see doing this are Audi drivers, but they have two fog lights, at least the older ones i always see doing. I also see a lot of MB drivers with it on, bothers the crap out of me. I've never seen anyone with a BMW with this or does BMW not have this.
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From: Texas, USA
2008 E550, 2013 C250
As I recall, cars in Europe used to have 2 rear fog lights. However this was very confusing as it also looked like someone could be hitting the brakes and it was less obvious when someone with fog lights on was braking (this is in the days that there was no 3rd braking light).
So in order to distinguish between brake lights and rear fog light, it was decided to disconnect one of the rear fog lights.
Do you really need to read the manual to figure out the symbols above the light switch?
So in order to distinguish between brake lights and rear fog light, it was decided to disconnect one of the rear fog lights.
Do you really need to read the manual to figure out the symbols above the light switch?
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From: Longmont, CO
04 E320 4 Matic, 95 Audi S6, 99 Carrera 4 Cabrio, 12 Fiat 500 Sport, 00 BMW R1200C 10, BMW R1200R
Well, the Euro norm now (for a long time now) is to only have one on the driver's side. Not only that, the bulb for the rear fog light has to be a certain number of centimeters away from the brake light. Some US cars that are in Europe comply with this by loosing one of their reverse lights. Then they put the rear fog light in the reverse light's spot. England has it on the RHS and we have it on the LHS. I really don't know how it is that even some new Audi cars still have two. My 1995 Audi only had one, but I put a socket in and set it up so now it has two. They sure can be confused with stop lights though.
Mercedes uses the bus system to simply send more voltage to the two parking lights in that light cluster ( the bulbs are long life bulbs by not having them on at full brightness). In England, the computer is programmed to send more voltage to the other side. I wonder if there is a Star D. setting to make it light up both rears on the W211. That would be really bright!
BMW has totally disabled this feature. Audi disabled the side parking light feature that Mercedes still has. My Audi's blinker stalk still indicates that if you leave a side blinker on it would turn on the parking light on that side only if the key is out of the ignition, but that is disabled on it.
I wish US-American drivers were a bit more educated about this feature. When the visibility gets bad here in the USA, they turn on their emergency flashers. That is a disaster!
Steve
Mercedes uses the bus system to simply send more voltage to the two parking lights in that light cluster ( the bulbs are long life bulbs by not having them on at full brightness). In England, the computer is programmed to send more voltage to the other side. I wonder if there is a Star D. setting to make it light up both rears on the W211. That would be really bright!
BMW has totally disabled this feature. Audi disabled the side parking light feature that Mercedes still has. My Audi's blinker stalk still indicates that if you leave a side blinker on it would turn on the parking light on that side only if the key is out of the ignition, but that is disabled on it.
I wish US-American drivers were a bit more educated about this feature. When the visibility gets bad here in the USA, they turn on their emergency flashers. That is a disaster!
Steve
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W221 S600, W220 S55 AMG Kompressor, W124 300E, W140 S320, W210 E3204M W164 ML320 Bluetec
Well, the Euro norm now (for a long time now) is to only have one on the driver's side. Not only that, the bulb for the rear fog light has to be a certain number of centimeters away from the brake light. Some US cars that are in Europe comply with this by loosing one of their reverse lights. Then they put the rear fog light in the reverse light's spot. England has it on the RHS and we have it on the LHS. I really don't know how it is that even some new Audi cars still have two. My 1995 Audi only had one, but I put a socket in and set it up so now it has two. They sure can be confused with stop lights though.
Mercedes uses the bus system to simply send more voltage to the two parking lights in that light cluster ( the bulbs are long life bulbs by not having them on at full brightness). In England, the computer is programmed to send more voltage to the other side. I wonder if there is a Star D. setting to make it light up both rears on the W211. That would be really bright!
BMW has totally disabled this feature. Audi disabled the side parking light feature that Mercedes still has. My Audi's blinker stalk still indicates that if you leave a side blinker on it would turn on the parking light on that side only if the key is out of the ignition, but that is disabled on it.
I wish US-American drivers were a bit more educated about this feature. When the visibility gets bad here in the USA, they turn on their emergency flashers. That is a disaster!
Steve
Mercedes uses the bus system to simply send more voltage to the two parking lights in that light cluster ( the bulbs are long life bulbs by not having them on at full brightness). In England, the computer is programmed to send more voltage to the other side. I wonder if there is a Star D. setting to make it light up both rears on the W211. That would be really bright!
BMW has totally disabled this feature. Audi disabled the side parking light feature that Mercedes still has. My Audi's blinker stalk still indicates that if you leave a side blinker on it would turn on the parking light on that side only if the key is out of the ignition, but that is disabled on it.
I wish US-American drivers were a bit more educated about this feature. When the visibility gets bad here in the USA, they turn on their emergency flashers. That is a disaster!
Steve
MBUSA is GREAT about sending all of the materials you need to operate every feature in your car if you call the 1-800-FOR-MERC. They will even assemble the leather binder and cellphone books, etc., with the owner's manual. Not free, but all it takes is a call and a credit card number. Very convenient for cars that don't come with manuals.
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From: chicago
06 SL65 AMG, 04 E5004Matic,02 911Turbo (Fluidmotorunion tuned),06 Cayenne S
it's just inconsiderate. jaguars have two of them in the back and they're even brighter than german cars. just high beam them they usually move over. i used to go in front of them and turn mine on but most of them are OBLIVIOUS. it's really annoying.
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From: chicago
06 SL65 AMG, 04 E5004Matic,02 911Turbo (Fluidmotorunion tuned),06 Cayenne S
feels good to vent this one out. i've been driving for almost 30 years and never really had chance to publicly complain about this issue :-)
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From: Los Angeles
2009 SL550 Roadster Diamond White, 2008 CLK550 Coupe Obsidian Black
Ya, it's annoying that people don't even take the time to see what the switch does. I mean u can see at night that if you pull it back twice, the light switch, that one light comes on in the back.
I hate the Lexus drivers that always have their fog lights on. Why is it that almost all of them drive with it on, does it just come on automatically? WTF? It's so annoying. I also see a lot of chrysler 300 and dodge charger drivers with the fogs on, wtf, you think the car looks bad a** cause you have the fog lights on? I used to have a chrysler 300, didn't like the "image" that came with it, glad it was leased as they could never figure out what was wrong with the tranny.
I hate the Lexus drivers that always have their fog lights on. Why is it that almost all of them drive with it on, does it just come on automatically? WTF? It's so annoying. I also see a lot of chrysler 300 and dodge charger drivers with the fogs on, wtf, you think the car looks bad a** cause you have the fog lights on? I used to have a chrysler 300, didn't like the "image" that came with it, glad it was leased as they could never figure out what was wrong with the tranny.
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I also see a lot of chrysler 300 and dodge charger drivers with the fogs on, wtf, you think the car looks bad a** cause you have the fog lights on? I used to have a chrysler 300, didn't like the "image" that came with it, glad it was leased as they could never figure out what was wrong with the tranny.
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From: Seattle, Wa
2007 E350 Sport
I had the same problem when I returned the vehicle from a test drive. The dealer noticed it and he couldn't figure it out either. I did after looking at it for a sec. Granted this was a used, non Mercedes, dealership but give guy a break. Natural intuition would say if far right is all on, far left is all off. What is the purpose of this anyways? Do the lights turn off after a bit and then turn back on when unlocking?
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W221 S600, W220 S55 AMG Kompressor, W124 300E, W140 S320, W210 E3204M W164 ML320 Bluetec
I had the same problem when I returned the vehicle from a test drive. The dealer noticed it and he couldn't figure it out either. I did after looking at it for a sec. Granted this was a used, non Mercedes, dealership but give guy a break. Natural intuition would say if far right is all on, far left is all off. What is the purpose of this anyways? Do the lights turn off after a bit and then turn back on when unlocking?
The rear fog light is enabled by turning on the headlamps manually and pulling out the knob two notches instead of one.
Some things are just different on Euro cars and they are beneficial in some parts of the area but may not be used often here. In this area we rarely get fog enough to warrant a rear fog light, but in some areas they do. I guess like the headlamp washers. I find more humor in them than practical use, but I am sure some areas use them.
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From: chicago
06 SL65 AMG, 04 E5004Matic,02 911Turbo (Fluidmotorunion tuned),06 Cayenne S
fog light "tuning" is big - many people actually put HID or those fake HID lights on fogs and think it's cool...
obviously they're going to turn them on no matter what the weather is like
. even people who don't tune them think having fogs on are cool
. another problem is that some people adjust fog lights upwards so it's like staring at high beams 
obviously they're going to turn them on no matter what the weather is like. even people who don't tune them think having fogs on are cool. another problem is that some people adjust fog lights upwards so it's like staring at high beams
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2009 SL550 Roadster Diamond White, 2008 CLK550 Coupe Obsidian Black
the guy driving it.Saw a Audi A8L 4.2L today (newer style) driving with both back fog lights on. It was so annoying cause the BMW behind him was scared the whole time and wouldn't speed up.
