///M3N

I'm planning on getting aftermarket HID's for my 02 ML500, I've read about the flickering and the dealership needing to program/set the car to accept HIDs. What's causing the flickering of the lights with HID's? Is it necessary for the dealership to set the lights?

Will the 3rd row seats from a 99 ML work for an 02 ML? Can I buy the installation hardware from the dealerships?

Thanks for any info anyone can give me.

Mark

LiquidSmile

A Couple Tutorials for you
If you change to an aftermarket HID system and retain your factory housings, I believe you don't have to go to the dealership. I am not sure though.


How to change to newer halogen housings (non HID/Bi-Xenon)
http://www.benzworld.org/publications/pub.asp?id=280

How to Change to Bi-Xenon system
http://www.benzworld.org/publications/pub.asp?id=176

3rd row Seat Install procedure
http://www.benzworld.org/publications/pub.asp?id=88

Hope this helps

amb9800

I believe the flickering issue has been resolved. As for the stealership, yes, you'll have to go there to have activate the HID lights in the car's computer.

Yes, 3rd row seats from a '99 will fit physically, but you probably would not want to do that because the colors would not match -- MB changed all of the interior colors in MY2000. The texture of the leather is also a bit different I believe. As for mounting hardware, I think you can get the parts from the dealership, but it's probably not worth it given the prices and the need to find out exactly the part numbers you need. Keep in mind that there are different versions of the parts in the kit, so you have to get the ones you need. Thus the installation process is also a bit different from the older models ('98-'99) to the post-MY2000-interior-facelift models (e.g. you don't have to cut holes in the third row pillars for the seat belts -- there's already a hole there, filled in with a piece of plastic).

It will also depend on whether you want to retrofit the special hinge system for the 2nd row right-side seat so that it flips forward for access to the third row. MB has an extremely complex system with a big hydraulic arm for the seat. So IMO it's probably best to get seats with the whole mounting kit, which should include the new second-row mounting system. The other option -- seats only and get the mounting parts from the dealer -- will probably require a lot more effort in terms of finding which part numbers you need, not to mention the extra cost you'll probably end up with, taking that route.

///M3N

Will it be the same if I'm not going for the bi-xenon set-up? I'm just planning on getting aftermarket hid's and doing a plug and play.

As for the the seats, it's is different. The design is kinda different and I think the shade of the gray is darker for the 99's.

Thanks for the responses, any more inputs for pnp hid's?

amb9800

You mean for the dealer activation? Well, I think that mostly has to do with the way the computer handles the high/low beams with the HID (different lights are illuminated -- high beams only turned on for flash-to-pass, etc.), so I guess it might depend on the HID setup that you put in...

Yeah, the pre-'00 gray (called just "gray") is a bit darker than the newer gray, which is called "ash." Similarly, MB replaced the yellow-ish Sand color with the more cream-ish "Java." Also in '00, Charcoal leather was added as a third interior color, and Charcoal cloth replaced gray cloth as the non-leather option. The leather design was also a bit different.