andrewk-S550

Can we get to the bottom of this issue please?

I am seeing two different versions of headlights (GL550 active bi-xenons with ILS - intelligent lighting system)

One with Yellow Amber Strip, and one with White version

That is one below the Turn signal

So the questions:
- Are these locked to one color for specific market? USA and everywhere else?
- Maybe I just do not know how to switch them, please share any knowledge
- Or picture shows one from ML - GLE ?

In perfect world It would be nice to have it white as day time driving in addition to LED on the bottom of the bumper.

Pictures of both below.

cadetdrivr

FWIW, the top photo is identical to my U.S. spec GL350 with the optional lighting package (STD on the 550 in the USA.)

The standard headlamps on the 350 and 450 have a slightly different design, at least in the US:




What is the source of your lower photo?

andrewk-S550

source, found it searching google with GL550 headlight

also, I saw white LED strip on that movie (which I cannot find now) of a guy doing a walk around video of a GL in the dealership with brown design

Lone Star Benz

I have never seen a GL with white strip. My GL and every other GL I have seen with the lighting package has an amber strip, just like your first pic.

Somebody must have modified it to make it white.

andrewk-S550

where is that video of a guy taking a walk around view of a GL550 in a dealership ? designo brown, and some dark color of the vehicle?

it was not in US for sure, but the car had it white while standing still.

help me find it, its posted somewhere in the forum, guy says he wants to show how big of a fanatic he is........

andrewk-S550

Found the video, sorry its a GL350, with AMG package so has to be non US




its right at the beginning 20-30 seconds to the film

!!!!!!



I WANT IT !!!!! HOW TO GET THIS? NOT MODIFIED VEHICLE, CLEARLY SITS AT THE DEALER.

???????????????????

cadetdrivr

Two thoughts:

1) It's possible that's a camera artifact due to the realitive darkness of the showroom. Light of any color that is over exposed will appear white with many digital cameras. But I don't see any yellow reflections either from those lights either....

2) If it is not #1 then must be version offered in a different market with different local regulations. Almost any "foreign" OEM part can be sourced but I would be hesitant to assume it is "plug and play" without some other verification.

p.s. There is an extreme closeup starting at 1:18 into the video.

sg021

First you need to find out exactly what that light is classified as. It might be in the manual. Next find out what the US regulations are for that type of light. There are restrictions on colors that are specific to each country or region.

Also, how easy is it to replace this light? Is the whole headlight assembly one unit or can you access the individual lights? If it's one sealed up part that you can't get inside of, it's going to be really expensive.

Lone Star Benz

Yeah definitely not a US model. Appears to be an EU model, perhaps Germany, based on the license plate size and the "GL Klasse".

I found this one for sale at MB Hamburg. White light strip.

http://www.theparking-cars.com/used-...g-germany.html

andrewk-S550

That's it? Are we going to give up? Does it really matter if its US version or one from Tasmania (or some distant place

I believe this forum need an injection of ....... well you know....something exiting !!!

Here is what I will do.

There are some scratched up Headlights on eBay for less then $200, I will try to get one on investigate what is inside. I am guessing its an dual LED or something that can be retrofitted.

Does this interests anyone? or am I alone on this?

skw

The pic/video of the white light is another market. US DOT regulations require an amber marker light. Manufacturers decide how to comply w/ this. Most times for the US and other markets it's the same headlight design and same connectors but a different bulb. It was easier back when everything was incandescent bulbs, easy to swap out. W/ LED's being used and their intent being to last the lifetime of the vehicle, these are a lot of the times in a sealed part of the headlight unit. So now it's up to you how bad do you want to change it. Bake the lamp for a bit to release the glue and take it apart. Find a non-US unit on Ebay, Amazon, or Craigslist.

bmd88

Just saw this on a GL on the highway last week. It caught me off guard at first, I couldn’t tell what looked different from ours... then I realized it was the light strip! Only thing is this one had the illuminated star in the grill. Wondering if that somehow makes a difference.. I can’t change out the star because of the distronic but don’t really think it should matter. If anyone has finally figured this out I would appreciate the update!!!

bmd88

Absolutely not true. Do you know how many cars have a White LED strip and a very small almost unnoticeable amber light? Even the S-Class has this (2010+) & the newer Dodge Chargers just to name a quick couple

bmd88

Absolutely not true. Do you know how many cars have a White LED strip and a very small almost unnoticeable amber light? Even the S-Class has this (2010+) & the newer Dodge Chargers just to name a quick couple

vivaitalia

on my 2013 GL450 ... I have the amber "eyebrow" strip (like it actually) and Lower white LED Daytime running (and as it turned out, no front fog lamps, even though I have rear fog lamps) ... the challenge I'm facing is my front amber signal halogen bulbs ... and to this day, I still have not figured out how to access those signal bulbs without having to disassemble some part of the whole light housing ... SERIOUSLY engineers??? ughhhhh ... anyone with any knowledge of how to get access to these halogen (I believe only on 2013 models before they went totally LED) signal bulbs, much appreciation ... still annoyed ....

bmd88

So is it maybe that the 2015 &/ or 2016 headlights have the white strip instead of the amber??

vivaitalia

I have definitely seen more than one GLs (not sure of the years) with the White eye brow strips ... not worth it to me to switch to white (as it's not a simple plug-n-play bulb swap), I kinda like the contrast of the amber ... and I have also seen rear brake lamps as LEDs (unlike my halogens, seriously though ... arrgghhhh) ... as many as I've seen on the road, I doubt these are MODs .... but those damn halogen signals ... seriously MB? seriously? ughhhh still frustrated ...

DC-BENZ

Bingo! But I believe its the 16' -18'/ GLS models.

chriswit1

chriswit1

vivaitalia

I have the 2013 GL450 and mine are amber, I actually prefer the amber vs. white, I like the contrast ... I also read somewhere that before they renamed it to be GLS (2017, I think) ... that the 2015/16 GL was when they went to white and dropped the amber ...

chriswit1

I wasn't able to find any info on what bulb creates the amber light so I just ordered a cracked 2014 gl550 headlight from eBay. I'm going to open it up and get to the bottom of the amber eyebrow issue. I'll keep everyone posted.

vivaitalia

Would be awesome if you could share ... also, could you pay some extra attention to the front signal bulbs ... particularly how to gain access to them, my 2013 are incandescent bulbs, the only ones left in and outside of my car that is NOT LED ... many thanks.

chriswit1

Yes I'll take some pics once it's opened up.

Bogdan Lupas

Hi,
I'm from Canada, i'm trying also to make that change from amber to white. I saw many more clips from youtube, from Europe. Europe market they are white. North America is amber. I'm guessing that inside the headunit there are 2 led, or one led that can be programmed from one color to the other. I will see the deler to ask them if they can make the change. Please let me know if u found the answer for that. Thanks. For me also is very important