I just picked up a '13 GLK. I'm trying to figure out the lights on the car.

The LEDs in the lower bumper are the daytime running lights (DRL). I have that function enabled via the dash controls. At nite, when the headlights are on (auto on), the LEDs don't light up. Is that expected? I would have assumed they would light up day and nite.

Also, in the main headlights (non-HIDs), what are the lights next to the low beams? I know they're high beams, but when the high beams are off, the bulbs are on and dim. At first I thought this was the DRLs, but eventually figured out the LEDs are the DRLs. So what is the purpose of the dim lights in the high beam location?

The drl and low beams should be on at night, I don’t think you have the selector set properly , experiment with different settings of the big dial.
I think you have the parking lights on, which is no real illumination, but my 13 had the worst lights I’ve ever had in a car,

I may be confusing my X204 & W204, so taking down the reply.

This is what I found when trying to figure it out.

https://mbworld.org/forums/glk-class...lluminate.html

The high beam bulb also has a separate parking light filament.

I'd leave the headlight switch straight up and forget about it.



Halogen headlamps
1 : Low-beam headlamp: H7 55 W
2 ; High-beam headlamp/parking lamp/
standing lamp: H15 55 W/15 W
3 Turn signal lamp: PWY 24 W

Proper position for DRL and low beam together

I finally drove the car yesterday at night! So the LED running lights were on when I got home and parked. I left the car on and got out to check. Yuppers, the LEDs were on.

The headlight output is a disappointment to say the least. Even when hitting the highbeams it was sad. I can't believe cars use to have sealed beam headlights or replaceable H4 bulbs. Need to explore how to improve this.

If the bulbs have been in the GLK for many years, they may have dimmed over time, but the reflector headlamps on the GLK are marginal at their best with standard H7 bulbs. Long life bulbs are even worse. Phillips and Sylvania make legal (55W) high output bulbs that provide better light output than the standard H7 bulbs. The trade off is that they’re more expensive and only last about 2 years.

Yes the Glk lights are the crapiest I’ve experienced, I put in HID which are 2.5x brighter , but I aimed them all the way down so not to blind oncoming traffic. Try led, but you have to aim them down. Even setting them lower is better with the bulbs you now have because they were set to high from factory.

On the pre-facelift (2010-12) GLKs, the projector headlights aren't bad. Not the best I've seen either, but certainly adequate. And you aim there where they should be aimed, with or without LED bulbs (my LEDs didn't change the pattern at all, but I took care to find new LED "bulbs" that had the emitters at the same position as the halogen bulb's filament).

The facelift C-Class with halogen headlamps was even worse.
H7 bulbs are terrible IMO because placement of the filament in an attempt to get a "point source" throws light out around the sides and nothing forward. All the light has to be reflected off the aluminum coated plastic reflector which loses 15% of the light when new and dulls further over time. That added to the yellowing of the aerodynamic polycarbonate cover means much of the original light from the bulb is lost. For reference, the "protected silver" lined technical glass landing lamps on aircraft are 96% efficient in transmitting the light of the bulb. But then we're not driving aircraft to the Walmart, either.
I gave up on trying to find an LED bulb replacement for the facelift halogen reflectors that didn't project "whiskers" and "eyebrows" all over the place. I settled on the Philips Xtreme Vision+ and Sylvania Silverstar Ultra. It's been a few years, so there might be better options now.

HID work super well in my 13, it’s only a 35 watt bulb but puts out 2.5x more light.

Is this a modification you made to the halogen lights? Is it documented anywhere?

It is a kit , I bought a Phillips Hid 35w , I think 5000k kit. Two replacement bulbs and two ballasts. The kit was maybe 150$. I paid about 125 for the install years ago. But a warning , the ballasts need to be mounted low or when uou shut off the motor they heat up from the engine and may not light until they cool down. The bulbs will last as long as your vehicle. Google or YouTube it. I think mb installs the ballet in the front quarter way low. I’ll look for before after photos of change. And you must aim lights all the way down . Light output with a 35 watt bulb is 2.5x more than the 55 watt halogen you have now

Bottom are mb 55 watt halogen, notice how high mb set them, just lowering them put more light on the road. Top are 35 watt HID 5000 kelvin, Phillips. The photos are not exactly as it looked.

So, only the low beams, right? Do you get an error from them? I don't think my lows are as good as the second photo, and I have 100 watt bulbs in there. Maybe they're aimed too low!

Where did you get the kits?

I only have low beam hid, both photos are low beam. The bright photo is 35w hid low beam. The stock lights are the worst I’ve ever had, and I’ve driven things like Camry , Volvo , blazer . For being mb you would think they would be great. But the Glk 13 stock lights are worthless. I upgraded just to see potholes. Now I see them ! You do need a Canbus Hid. Philips is the only company I know if that has it in one unit. Most companies sell the Canbus separately. Never a problem or code. Only mine are mounted to high and get to hot in summer and have failed until cooled down. They need to be mounted low. There is a Philips kit on eBay for 150 now.

I would recommend going to your local stereo auto store and ask them, and let them put it in . Then you have a warranty. Car stereo shops wire cars all day long. What they sell you they will warranty . I might be switching out my ballast to a different brand that is heat resistant, or I need to get it lowered down so it doesn’t heat soak and fail, when I stop somewhere. If you’re in Chicago ABC automotive is good.

Did you measure the voltage at the back of the 100 watt bulbs? Maybe there's a "decent" voltage drop if the factory wiring was just adequate for the stock bulbs.

FWIW, I prefer the halogen beam pattern of the two photos. Lighting the road surface immediately in front of the bumper is nice, but has no bearing on being able to see where you're going. In fact, bright lighting in the immediate proximity to the vehicle makes it harder to see "down-range", which is really what "better lighting" is supposed to be about.

It also appears that the HID messed with the pattern in terms of what's shining above the "cut-off" (a relative term when used with non-projector lights, but you know what I mean). The halogen photo shows a fairly distinct cut-off of light above the designed pattern.

I've read the same from many who've installed HID lights in halogen headlight (aim them down, and they light up the road better) but the end result is the opposite of what I was looking for when I upgraded my (projector, thankfully) headlights.

Is this the one?
The listing says "Condition: For parts or not working" and it's in the UK. Call me inept, but that's all I could find. Also, it says H4 and I recall the bulbs in mine are H7.

I didn't check, but that's a good idea. Probably not much I could do about it, though... at least not without triggering an error.

I apologize I just looked at the price , led are now worth looking into. I did the conversion 9 years ago . Led were new then and not very good

No problem! Is the kit the same as the one you were referring to??

It looks basically the same , I can’t find any new Philips units so maybe they stopped selling them . But if I was doing this now I would try LED, 1/3 the price. Plug in. Maybe get them today.

You tube has a few good reviews on Led for cars. Your local auto stereo dealer probably has the good brands in stock now.

My ballast is mounted to high and overheats . I don’t know if it is normal or defective