Where is the regular (low beams) wires behind my headlights?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 68
Likes: 16
From: West Coast US
E350 (W212)
Where is the regular (low beams) wires behind my headlights?
I have been trying to install an illuminated star for too long now and I ran into this problem. People say that there is a wire that connects to running lights or low beams etc but i simply cannot find these wires. There are many wires but the only ones that ever get power are a red one that seems to be hot as long as the battery is connected, even when the car is off, and a yellow/red one in the same situation, and a green/black one that pulses with the signals.
I am really getting confused here as i thought one wire would get power as i turn on the low beams, one with the highs, etc.
The car is a 2014 E350
I am really getting confused here as i thought one wire would get power as i turn on the low beams, one with the highs, etc.
The car is a 2014 E350
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 6,602
Likes: 6,549
From: Jakarta-Indonesia
2014 - W212.065 - E400 ( M276.820, 3 liter Turbo) RWD not Hybrid
Go to any VIN decoder of Mercedes Benz, like say this one : https://carinfo.kiev.ua/cars/vin/mercedes/vin_check
Get the data card and find the type of headlight on you car.
Could be the STATIC LED 631 or 632, could be the DYNAMIC LED 640 or 641 or 642 .
While STATIC LED 631 or 632 would likely be the same in terms of power supply management and CAN BUS commanded/operated headlight, my experience is with DYNAMIC LED 641 ( Right Hand Drive ).
Gone are the days of simple +12V commanded by a relay to turn on Low Beam and then another relay to turn ON the High Beam.
Now it is all constant 12V power to the headlight, and activation of a few LED lights inside the headlight is by CAN-BUS.
You will spend minimum US$300 to buy a European made CAN-BUS command interceptor and solid state power relay, to power any kind of lights to be operated at the same time with your low beam....digitally by CAN BUS.
You must also DIY the wiring properly and safely, direct from F32 Prefuse box with a proper add ON waterproof ATO fuse housing.
If you want to know more, read here : https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...a-can-bus.html
Have fun.............
Get the data card and find the type of headlight on you car.
Could be the STATIC LED 631 or 632, could be the DYNAMIC LED 640 or 641 or 642 .
While STATIC LED 631 or 632 would likely be the same in terms of power supply management and CAN BUS commanded/operated headlight, my experience is with DYNAMIC LED 641 ( Right Hand Drive ).
Gone are the days of simple +12V commanded by a relay to turn on Low Beam and then another relay to turn ON the High Beam.
Now it is all constant 12V power to the headlight, and activation of a few LED lights inside the headlight is by CAN-BUS.
You will spend minimum US$300 to buy a European made CAN-BUS command interceptor and solid state power relay, to power any kind of lights to be operated at the same time with your low beam....digitally by CAN BUS.
You must also DIY the wiring properly and safely, direct from F32 Prefuse box with a proper add ON waterproof ATO fuse housing.
If you want to know more, read here : https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...a-can-bus.html
Have fun.............
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 11,924
Likes: 6,776
From: Silicon Valley
W212 MY'14 M276-3.5NA @75kMi
big star
what style HL option do you have on your MY'14?
You want to be careful where exactly you tap power on these cars because just about every circuit is monitored for current draw.
The HL are not particularly beefy to support add-ons. Before you know you maybe triggering fault codes and driving around with single HL working !!
That brings us to: any chance you can locate a diagram for your illuminated star option before trying things out with mixed tesults.
I have a non-iluminated hood ornement.
You want to be careful where exactly you tap power on these cars because just about every circuit is monitored for current draw.
The HL are not particularly beefy to support add-ons. Before you know you maybe triggering fault codes and driving around with single HL working !!
That brings us to: any chance you can locate a diagram for your illuminated star option before trying things out with mixed tesults.
I have a non-iluminated hood ornement.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 68
Likes: 16
From: West Coast US
E350 (W212)
Go to any VIN decoder of Mercedes Benz, like say this one : https://carinfo.kiev.ua/cars/vin/mercedes/vin_check
Get the data card and find the type of headlight on you car.
Could be the STATIC LED 631 or 632, could be the DYNAMIC LED 640 or 641 or 642 .
While STATIC LED 631 or 632 would likely be the same in terms of power supply management and CAN BUS commanded/operated headlight, my experience is with DYNAMIC LED 641 ( Right Hand Drive ).
Gone are the days of simple +12V commanded by a relay to turn on Low Beam and then another relay to turn ON the High Beam.
Now it is all constant 12V power to the headlight, and activation of a few LED lights inside the headlight is by CAN-BUS.
You will spend minimum US$300 to buy a European made CAN-BUS command interceptor and solid state power relay, to power any kind of lights to be operated at the same time with your low beam....digitally by CAN BUS.
You must also DIY the wiring properly and safely, direct from F32 Prefuse box with a proper add ON waterproof ATO fuse housing.
If you want to know more, read here : https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...a-can-bus.html
Have fun.............
Get the data card and find the type of headlight on you car.
Could be the STATIC LED 631 or 632, could be the DYNAMIC LED 640 or 641 or 642 .
While STATIC LED 631 or 632 would likely be the same in terms of power supply management and CAN BUS commanded/operated headlight, my experience is with DYNAMIC LED 641 ( Right Hand Drive ).
Gone are the days of simple +12V commanded by a relay to turn on Low Beam and then another relay to turn ON the High Beam.
Now it is all constant 12V power to the headlight, and activation of a few LED lights inside the headlight is by CAN-BUS.
You will spend minimum US$300 to buy a European made CAN-BUS command interceptor and solid state power relay, to power any kind of lights to be operated at the same time with your low beam....digitally by CAN BUS.
You must also DIY the wiring properly and safely, direct from F32 Prefuse box with a proper add ON waterproof ATO fuse housing.
If you want to know more, read here : https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...a-can-bus.html
Have fun.............
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 68
Likes: 16
From: West Coast US
E350 (W212)
Y'know what, forget it. I'm going to do the sensible thing and use a fuse tap instead for safety and headache purposes. After reading more about it I realize that tapping any old wire isn't the best idea anyways in a car. I will probably tap into the headlight fuse with a fuse tap I bought at Autozone for $8.
Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 101
Likes: 17
From: Elk Grove, CA
2011 w212, 2018 W166, 2024 v167
Independent separate wiring with accesory trigger
[QUOTE=DBSeer;8861788]I have been trying to install an illuminated star for too long now and I ran into this problem. People say that there is a wire that connects to running lights or low beams etc but i simply cannot find these wires. There are many wires but the only ones that ever get power are a red one that seems to be hot as long as the battery is connected, even when the car is off, and a yellow/red one in the same situation, and a green/black one that pulses with the signals.
I am really getting confused here as i thought one wire would get power as i turn on the low beams, one with the highs, etc.
The car is a 2014 E350[/QUOTE
Use a 12VDC relay to turn on illuminated star wired (tapped) direct to any wire that turns on when you start the car ( you can find this wires in the fuse box ) so basically you are just drawing energy to turn on relay, and from the 12 volt relay direct wired to car battery to power the illuminated star, purchase a relay with built in fuse or 2 separate inline fuse 1 for in between the fuse box to relay and 1 for the 12 VDC battery connection
I did this as a separate circuit so it won’t mess up the cars delicate circuits which can sense energy fluctuation and throw a code
this wiring will turn on illuminated star all the time when you start the car
I am really getting confused here as i thought one wire would get power as i turn on the low beams, one with the highs, etc.
The car is a 2014 E350[/QUOTE
Use a 12VDC relay to turn on illuminated star wired (tapped) direct to any wire that turns on when you start the car ( you can find this wires in the fuse box ) so basically you are just drawing energy to turn on relay, and from the 12 volt relay direct wired to car battery to power the illuminated star, purchase a relay with built in fuse or 2 separate inline fuse 1 for in between the fuse box to relay and 1 for the 12 VDC battery connection
I did this as a separate circuit so it won’t mess up the cars delicate circuits which can sense energy fluctuation and throw a code
this wiring will turn on illuminated star all the time when you start the car
