1998 ml320: how to remove headlight assemblies
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Mercedes Ml 320 1998
1998 ml320: how to remove headlight assemblies
Hello all, looking for instructions on how to remove and replace the whole headlight assembly (left and right) on my ml320. I am install bi-xenon's that are supposed to be plug and plays.
thanks up front.
Leo
thanks up front.
Leo
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 52
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From: Vancouver, B.C.
1998 C280 Sport many mods, 1991 SL500 many mods, 1999 ML430 in progress, 1991 GTR (parted)
You'll need a 10mm socket wrench (preferably extended socket)
Next you'll need to remove the small cover plate below the headlight.
-from the inside edge, (closer to grille) pull apart from behind the clips holding the panel to the black plastic headlight housing surround
-rotate it out around to the turn signal
-wriggle it up and down to release it from the fender
Now there's three 10mm nuts holding the headlight in place: one at the top and two below. Don't drop them into the engine bay, as that'll suck.
Pull the headlight out (may have to wriggle around), unplug your wiring harnesses.
Now here's the important thing: your projectors probably won't light up properly, because the wiring's different. Pop your old halogens back in using a reverse order of what I listed above, bring your car, 10mm socket wrench and new projectors to a car audio shop to have them re-wire the projector's harness. If you need instructions on how to remove a headlight you'll most likely need a pro to handle the re-wiring. I'm not even attempting that stuff!
Next you'll need to remove the small cover plate below the headlight.
-from the inside edge, (closer to grille) pull apart from behind the clips holding the panel to the black plastic headlight housing surround
-rotate it out around to the turn signal
-wriggle it up and down to release it from the fender
Now there's three 10mm nuts holding the headlight in place: one at the top and two below. Don't drop them into the engine bay, as that'll suck.
Pull the headlight out (may have to wriggle around), unplug your wiring harnesses.
Now here's the important thing: your projectors probably won't light up properly, because the wiring's different. Pop your old halogens back in using a reverse order of what I listed above, bring your car, 10mm socket wrench and new projectors to a car audio shop to have them re-wire the projector's harness. If you need instructions on how to remove a headlight you'll most likely need a pro to handle the re-wiring. I'm not even attempting that stuff!
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Newbie
Joined: Oct 2010
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Mercedes Ml 320 1998
Thanks....
thanks for the reply. I found it quite easy to r & r. But as you said the they did not function fully and it looks like I need to so some slight rewiring.
I figured they were "plug & play".
again, thanks, Leo
I figured they were "plug & play".
again, thanks, Leo
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 4
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Mercedes Ml 320 1998
Question: With my 98 ml320, the bi-xenons I have installed, the towards center of vehicle will not light. The outside lamps will shift from low to high beam, but the towards center of vehicle lamps - I am supposing that they are the High Beams. To get these High Beams to turn on, I figure I have to connect some wires. So my question is:
Does the 98 stock wiring have the amp capacity to handle these secondary High Beams? or do I have to do some thing special in terms of a relay.
The units I bought are at :
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=150530817436
You can see my units. The bulbs that will not light are the larger towards the center.
Thanks for ideas to all.
Leo
Does the 98 stock wiring have the amp capacity to handle these secondary High Beams? or do I have to do some thing special in terms of a relay.
The units I bought are at :
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=150530817436
You can see my units. The bulbs that will not light are the larger towards the center.
Thanks for ideas to all.
Leo
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, B.C.
1998 C280 Sport many mods, 1991 SL500 many mods, 1999 ML430 in progress, 1991 GTR (parted)
Leo: those units you bought look nice. I would've bought the same if I didn't already have my '03 OEM projectors to swap in. EVEN WITH OEM, it still wasn't plug & play.
Another thing to consider is the LED strip. That'll require another wire that definitely wasn't in your OEM wiring harness. If I had the same lights I'd prob use the LED's (and halos... those were the ones I liked) to light up as daytime running lights. Then act as "citylights" when lowbeams activated.
From what you've said so far, your high beams need to be wired in. Have some wiring pros at a car audio place do it for you quickly.
One question I have for you is are you also installing the ballasts for HID's for both low and high beams? A lot of these eBay sellers are vague on this, and from looking at the eBay item description you provided i didn't see any mention of ballasts being included. So basically you're just getting a projector halogen housing, with an extra strip of LED's. If you want a real bi-xenon setup, you'll need to install extra HID ballasts. That's something I know nothing about, so best bring you car and lights to a pro
Oh, after u get them installed, please post sone pics! Thanks mang!
Another thing to consider is the LED strip. That'll require another wire that definitely wasn't in your OEM wiring harness. If I had the same lights I'd prob use the LED's (and halos... those were the ones I liked) to light up as daytime running lights. Then act as "citylights" when lowbeams activated.
From what you've said so far, your high beams need to be wired in. Have some wiring pros at a car audio place do it for you quickly.
One question I have for you is are you also installing the ballasts for HID's for both low and high beams? A lot of these eBay sellers are vague on this, and from looking at the eBay item description you provided i didn't see any mention of ballasts being included. So basically you're just getting a projector halogen housing, with an extra strip of LED's. If you want a real bi-xenon setup, you'll need to install extra HID ballasts. That's something I know nothing about, so best bring you car and lights to a pro
Oh, after u get them installed, please post sone pics! Thanks mang!
Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 227
Likes: 10
From: Bay Area, California
E400S4 '17
Question: With my 98 ml320, the bi-xenons I have installed, the towards center of vehicle will not light. The outside lamps will shift from low to high beam, but the towards center of vehicle lamps - I am supposing that they are the High Beams. To get these High Beams to turn on, I figure I have to connect some wires. So my question is:
Does the 98 stock wiring have the amp capacity to handle these secondary High Beams? or do I have to do some thing special in terms of a relay.
The units I bought are at :
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=150530817436
You can see my units. The bulbs that will not light are the larger towards the center.
Thanks for ideas to all.
Leo
Does the 98 stock wiring have the amp capacity to handle these secondary High Beams? or do I have to do some thing special in terms of a relay.
The units I bought are at :
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=150530817436
You can see my units. The bulbs that will not light are the larger towards the center.
Thanks for ideas to all.
Leo
Did you get this fully working? How much re-wiring was there in the end.
Not bad at ~$500 for the set. Did the LEDs work directly with your parking lamps or did they need extra wiring?
Did you choose the 8000K or 6000K?
Most importantly, can you share pictures?!
In case you had not got an answer to your question yet, I believe the inner large bulb is not Xenon, it is Halogen and on a BiXenon setup is used only for flash-to-pass. In the event a Xenon lamp is not lit it would take too long for the arc to start up and stabilize, plus running Xenon lamps for very short periods is bad for them - probably shortens the lifetime.
The BiXenon high and low beam is actually projected from the same lamp, just using a shutter to prevent the high-beam pattern from blinding oncoming traffic. There are lot of details in this link.
I like the LED style, it reminds me of the S Class 2009+ refresh styling.
