The other day I had my dealer activate the front fogs on my 2000 ML320.
(Charged me $30 to install the PIAA H3s and activate the switch.)

The switch works correctly and the fogs shut off when hitting the high beams.

However, the indicator in the cluster does not come on.

The dealer said that there is no indicator and that the owner's manual is wrong. (It was near closing last Friday night.)

Is the dealer correct?

THANKS

Mark

 

Could be correct as in the 98 I once had the dealer installed fogs worked fine but did not turn on the green indicator light on the cluster.

 

On our 98 the dash light does not come on when the front fogs are turned on either. Pretty stupid thing to leave out IMO, but it's not that big of a deal.

 

On my 99 ML430.....when factory fogs are on..green light in middle of cluster illuminates. Dealer had to change AAM setting to activate. I bet the 2000 is the same way.......BTW the PIAA Crystal Ions are a great choice for these H3's.......produce a yellow light at ground level........

 

I have the green light in my dash cluster. Maybe it was only on 1999's and on?

 

Hey,

I am very new here will introduce later with picts. However your title was right on. There is no light in cluster. The spot is their you need to buy a $5 bulb and install it in the cluster. I am 99% sure that will fix your problem, and you will have green light when you turn on your fogs.

 

Actually my dealership turned the green light on for me. I think they had to put the ML on their computer to do it. They didn't tell me they had to buy a bulb??

 

You need to have it turned on in the computer AND you need to make sure the bulb was installed. I have heard of a few situations where if the feature is not enabled at factory the bulb is not installed behind the light on the dash.

Their is an easy way to find out. Billiken when you first fire up your ML and all the gage lights go on do you see the green one for fog? If you do then it's the computer if you don't you are missing a bulb.

 

The dealer is correct--no indicator on '98s.

 

ummm.. I have a 98

 

Well, a picture is worth a thousand words. I was recalling there is no light by the switch like for the rear fogs. So, the dealer was just able to activate it? I thought it wasn't operable until '99s.

 

swizzles.....I see you're from Canada and your outside temp is in celcius. Settings for the AAM will be different than US models. Heck..it was difficult to get this switch to work at all in certain states due to government foglight height restrictions.

billiken.....I would bet that all you need is an AAM change to activate the cluster light. This a.m. I noticed that with the key in #2 position the green light did illuminate, but I know that it did not before the setting was changed.

More than likely...the bulb is already in place and just needs a technician to change setting..........

 

The only way for us to really know for sure is to wait for billiken to check things out a little more.

Here is a DIY that I found on the web for removing the cluster. Used it when my odometer light burt out.

I've had to access mine recently due to the, somewhat, same problem. Here is how I did it which is fairly simple:

1. Remove both "D" shaped panels that are on each side of the steering column. You may want to release the steering lever so that you can push up the steering column. This will enable you to use your finger to pry behind the "D" panel while pulling towards you (don't be afraid to pull hard or use a flat head screw driver to pry the other side w/o scratching the plastic). There are 3 pressure fasteners (like the ones on door panels) on each panel. Use the same procedure for the panel on the other side.

2. With both panels removed. Adjust steering column down as far as it can go. Immediately above the steering column is a thin color-keyed dash panel strip. Yes, use finger again to pry thin panel at base. This space is tight and you may need to maneuver panel out of this space.

3. Now that 3 color-keyed dash panels are removed the black plastic trim around the instrument panel is next to remove. Locate the 2 plastic latches on bottom of plastic trim at either side of steering column and pull to release while pushing down. This will release the trim from the dash. Note the alignment slots and tabs when reinstalling trim.

4. You are now ready to remove dash. Remove 2 metal screws on either side of instrument panel and 2 plastic screws above dash. The only thing attaching to the dash should be the electrical cable for the electronics. Pull-up the release and the connector should popup out of the socket.

5. The instrument panel should be free of attachments but will take some maneuvering to get it out. Now you should have access to the bulbs.

Instrument panel installation is the reverse of above. BTW I didn't have a new bulb so I use one from the fog light indicator since mine was not activated when the fog light was activated.


Let us know.

 

Thanks springerfever and everyone else.

On my 2000 ML320 the cluster light does not come on when the key is in position #2. Apparently, there is no bulb.

Thanks again for all the great responses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Mark

 

On my US '99 ML430, the car came with the bulb in place behind the green dash light. Activating the front fog circuit ( I installed the fog light bulbs in the headlight housing first ) and turning on the green lamp are two unrelated AAM functions . My dealer did both for free at delivery, but I heard shortly after that MBUSA sent a letter to dealers not to activate the " headlight" fogs because they were too high for US regs and only to activate the circuit if the lower stand alone ones on the bumper bars were installed.
These pre -HID headlights are so marginal so it's great having the fogs on all the time to supplement the road ahead in all conditions . Those front fogs are on even with high beams , so I never loose side illumination even on dark country roads !

 

Is that also an AAM feature? When I turn on my Hi Beams my Lo Beams stay on but my fogs shut off. Can I have all of them on? Do you think it's better to have Lo and Hi or Hi and fog?

 

on mine the fogs cut off when high beams are activated, althought the green light stays on........

 

on mine the fogs cut off when high beams are activated, althought the green light stays on........

also, the fogs can be activated with low beams or just the parking (running) lights......

 

Same for me!

 

The fog light in the cluster was a mid year change in the 98's so early ones don't have them and some later ones do.

The fogs are designed to go off when hi lights are on. The only way to have both is to rewire your fogs for independent power and use a new seperate fog switch.