GL Class (X164) 2007-2012: GL320CDI, GL420CDI, GL450, GL550

Lightbulb mystery.....

Old Oct 9, 2007 | 10:15 AM
  #1  
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Lightbulb mystery.....

At the carwash today, another GL450 owner asked this question: when does the bottom right rear bulb in the tailight assembly come on? The left one is the "rear fog light" and comes on when you move the light switch all the way to right and pull it out to the 2nd. stop but for the life of me I can't find any way to make that right bulb light up. Local cop stopped the other owner and said "you have a light out on the right side" He was traveling with the rear fog on so there was an obivious difference between the rear lights........there is a bulb on the right side.....cop's point was that Pa. inspection law requires that all original equipment exterior lights on a vehicle must be operable. Anybody have any info on this? I could not find anything in the manual......but there certainly is a bulb in there!
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Old Oct 9, 2007 | 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by blittle
At the carwash today, another GL450 owner asked this question: when does the bottom right rear bulb in the tailight assembly come on? The left one is the "rear fog light" and comes on when you move the light switch all the way to right and pull it out to the 2nd. stop but for the life of me I can't find any way to make that right bulb light up. Local cop stopped the other owner and said "you have a light out on the right side" He was traveling with the rear fog on so there was an obivious difference between the rear lights........there is a bulb on the right side.....cop's point was that Pa. inspection law requires that all original equipment exterior lights on a vehicle must be operable. Anybody have any info on this? I could not find anything in the manual......but there certainly is a bulb in there!
Could it be purely cosmetic? Done for symmetry?
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Old Oct 9, 2007 | 02:20 PM
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I believe this is done primarily for foreign variants in order to leave the park light on overnight. In most cars the respective (street facing) side can be selected and uses front and rear light as an indicator so that other drivers don't hit you on those narrow streets.
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Old Oct 9, 2007 | 02:40 PM
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Originally Posted by emayer
I believe this is done primarily for foreign variants in order to leave the park light on overnight. In most cars the respective (street facing) side can be selected and uses front and rear light as an indicator so that other drivers don't hit you on those narrow streets.
Correct...it has been that way on the MB forever...well at least since 1977 when I first started driving them.
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Old Oct 9, 2007 | 04:34 PM
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It's always been this way on MBs as far as the rear fog light goes. I read that the primary reason was for safety, as having both lights on for rear fogs would make it appear as the brake lights are on.

Rule of thumb with MB is that the driver's side only will light up for the rear fog (so in Europe it would be the right side that brightens).
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Old Oct 9, 2007 | 05:14 PM
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....so what you all seem to be saying is that in Euro models that bulb (the one on the passenger side) will light if you want it to but in our cars it does not?
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Old Oct 9, 2007 | 05:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Nevada Jack
Correct...it has been that way on the MB forever...well at least since 1977 when I first started driving them.

That's pretty close to "forever," NJ........
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Old Oct 9, 2007 | 05:19 PM
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Originally Posted by blittle
....so what you all seem to be saying is that in Euro models that bulb (the one on the passenger side) will light if you want it to but in our cars it does not?
No, on Euro, right hand drive Mercedes, only the right side lights up, as opposed to the left side lighting up for left hand drive.

Whatever side the steering wheel is, is the side that the rear fog light is.
RHD=right rear fog ONLY
LHD=left rear fog ONLY

Last edited by AsianML; Oct 9, 2007 at 05:22 PM.
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Old Oct 9, 2007 | 07:15 PM
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The answer is don't be dumb and run rear fog lights unless you are driving in severe rain/snow/fog.

The bulb isn't going to come on because there's no wiring for it on the right side. The bulb is in the holder because it's cheaper than having two part numbers for each light unit.
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Old Oct 9, 2007 | 07:42 PM
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Originally Posted by blittle
That's pretty close to "forever," NJ........
LOL also...
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Old Oct 10, 2007 | 11:40 AM
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Originally Posted by lkchris
The answer is don't be dumb and run rear fog lights unless you are driving in severe rain/snow/fog.

The bulb isn't going to come on because there's no wiring for it on the right side. The bulb is in the holder because it's cheaper than having two part numbers for each light unit.
Yeah,it may not be wired, but it's a good place to store spare bulbs.
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Old Oct 10, 2007 | 12:23 PM
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Originally Posted by WordSmith
Yeah,it may not be wired, but it's a good place to store spare bulbs.
Here's an even better place.

p/n for GL is B6 681 0022 and you have to source from Europe.
Attached Thumbnails Lightbulb mystery.....-image1.jpg  
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Old Oct 11, 2007 | 12:13 AM
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Originally Posted by lkchris
Here's an even better place.

p/n for GL is B6 681 0022 and you have to source from Europe.
Any leads on where to source the kit?
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Old Oct 11, 2007 | 11:15 AM
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