How to wire this aftermarket LED DRL kit for W164?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
2008 ML350
How to wire this aftermarket LED DRL kit for W164?
I purchased this aftermarket LED DRL kit via Aliexpress, as a replacement for the fog lights in a 2008 ML-350 (W164).
Unfortunately it did not come with installation instructions. A search for this kit online returns quite a few vendors on eBay, and the configuration is not always the same. Some include the resistors, others don't. Some instructions seem to suggest the LEDs plug directly into the fog light wiring, but this kit definitely does not.
See attached pic:
- The two red/black resistor blocks plug into the original fog light wiring, no doubt to create load and avoid error codes.
- The LED strips themselves plug into a smaller "control box" (for lack of better terms).
- This control box has a +12V and a Neutral wire. If I temporarily connect these to the battery, the LEDs come on as expected.
My question is: what are the most appropriate places to plug the red and black wires into? Can anyone identify an empty slot in one of the fuse boxes that provides +12V when the ignition is on? Actually..I would prefer it if the DRLs only come on when the headlights are set to Auto or On, and that the DRLs stay off when the switch is set to Off.
Thanks!
Unfortunately it did not come with installation instructions. A search for this kit online returns quite a few vendors on eBay, and the configuration is not always the same. Some include the resistors, others don't. Some instructions seem to suggest the LEDs plug directly into the fog light wiring, but this kit definitely does not.
See attached pic:
- The two red/black resistor blocks plug into the original fog light wiring, no doubt to create load and avoid error codes.
- The LED strips themselves plug into a smaller "control box" (for lack of better terms).
- This control box has a +12V and a Neutral wire. If I temporarily connect these to the battery, the LEDs come on as expected.
My question is: what are the most appropriate places to plug the red and black wires into? Can anyone identify an empty slot in one of the fuse boxes that provides +12V when the ignition is on? Actually..I would prefer it if the DRLs only come on when the headlights are set to Auto or On, and that the DRLs stay off when the switch is set to Off.
Thanks!
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 427
Likes: 57
13 GL350, 14 SL550
I would connect the power wires to a parking lamp or marker lamp.
That way they'll come on whenever the headlamps are on, but you don't necessarily need to turn on the fog light switch to light them up.
Assuming you want this to be a DRL type setup where these lights run all the time when the truck is running.
Just tap into the wire going to the side marker plug. Before you do this, turn the car on/off, and the headlamp switch on/off to make sure the side marker bulb lights up when you want these new LED's to light up. If it does what you want, then wire them in and you're done.
Make sure to wiretie the wires properly (under the bumper, along the rad support/frame rail, etc) because the wire will flap in the wind and can get damaged by moving parts.
That way they'll come on whenever the headlamps are on, but you don't necessarily need to turn on the fog light switch to light them up.
Assuming you want this to be a DRL type setup where these lights run all the time when the truck is running.
Just tap into the wire going to the side marker plug. Before you do this, turn the car on/off, and the headlamp switch on/off to make sure the side marker bulb lights up when you want these new LED's to light up. If it does what you want, then wire them in and you're done.
Make sure to wiretie the wires properly (under the bumper, along the rad support/frame rail, etc) because the wire will flap in the wind and can get damaged by moving parts.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 15
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From: Houston, TX
2008 ML350
Turns out that is also not the way to go. We always use the AUTO setting for the headlights, and with that setting, the side markers are not on during the day. I need the DRLs to come on anytime the Ignition is ON.
Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 162
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From: Madison, AL
2009 ML320 Bluetec
DRL, fog, or auxiliary lights are not legal in low beam conditions when the headlights are on. When on one is legally in high beams.
DRLs should turn off when the headlights turn on.
DRLs should turn off when the headlights turn on.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
2008 ML350
Hmmm....are you sure?. If that were true for TX, every recent model Audi, Lexus, Mercedes and just about every other non-luxury brand hopping on the LED bandwagon is driving around with illegal lights. The DRLs all stay on with low beams on.
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Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 85
Likes: 1
From: SoCal
Ml350
Mobidutch is right, however they do dim down with the headlights on. There is a slot for a ignition on plug in the fuse box under the hood and use any ground around that area.
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Last edited by yister; May 21, 2014 at 03:28 AM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
2008 ML350
Thanks yister. I bought this ML350 used from a dealer, and it did not have the fuse charts under the spare tire. The info I can find online is minimal. I attached a photo of the fuse box in the engine compartment. Can you indicate which connection point you used?
I took a multimeter to the black, red and blue connectors at the top left (measured against ground), but did not get a voltage. Perhaps they need a fuse to be in place first?
If this is not where I should be looking, can you say which of the connection points in the box is the correct one? Thanks!
I took a multimeter to the black, red and blue connectors at the top left (measured against ground), but did not get a voltage. Perhaps they need a fuse to be in place first?
If this is not where I should be looking, can you say which of the connection points in the box is the correct one? Thanks!
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3
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Ml350 edition 10
I would like to install these new led's but I read on another thread that you have to Dremel out a part of bumper and render the old fog lights useless. Is this true? Also would I wire these lights the same in Canada? 1 wire to the ignition slot on the fuse box and the other to a ground? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 85
Likes: 1
From: SoCal
Ml350
Yes, no going back after this mod. Never used my fogs anyways, the led strip is quite bright. I'm guessing the wiring will be the same for Canada as well. This was one of my favorite mods, wished I would've done it sooner as others will agree.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3
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Ml350 edition 10
thx for the quick reply yister, that's good to know. Was it tough running the wires from the aftermarket led main black box to the ignition terminal on the fuse box? Also totally unrelated. Can you recommend any aftermarket led tails that Don't require a Sam upgrade/reprogram ? I did some searches and none have any specifics, just that some would plug and play. Thanks .
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 347
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From: Brooklin, Ontario
JGC SRT, ML 550, GLB 250
I know this is an old thread. But how did this end up?
Was the Red/Black Fuse in the fuse box the one that did the trick?
I'm looking at the fuse diagram and it has that slot as blank.
Was the Red/Black Fuse in the fuse box the one that did the trick?
I'm looking at the fuse diagram and it has that slot as blank.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 15
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From: Houston, TX
2008 ML350
I can confirm that the slot marked in post 11 above is the correct one. The negative wire can be attached to the bolt that is sticking out the frame just behind the fuse box.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 347
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From: Brooklin, Ontario
JGC SRT, ML 550, GLB 250
Awesome and thanks.
I ordered a kit for my Canadian ML 550.
Should be here tomorrow. But from what I can tell it's different than yours.
To be confirmed upon arrival. But mine has two connectors from the LED housing. One goes to the Control box and the other to the stock fog lights.
That's it. I'm puzzled with this layout. How do they get power during the day if the fogs are off?
Also another troublesome issue I might have is with my Canadian Spec model that has DRL's. This will signal the control box to always run in DIMMED mode even during the day since my headlights will be on.
Also there is a chance they wont even come on unless I pull the fog light button and run full headlight mode.
This just sucks.
I ordered a kit for my Canadian ML 550.
Should be here tomorrow. But from what I can tell it's different than yours.
To be confirmed upon arrival. But mine has two connectors from the LED housing. One goes to the Control box and the other to the stock fog lights.
That's it. I'm puzzled with this layout. How do they get power during the day if the fogs are off?
Also another troublesome issue I might have is with my Canadian Spec model that has DRL's. This will signal the control box to always run in DIMMED mode even during the day since my headlights will be on.
Also there is a chance they wont even come on unless I pull the fog light button and run full headlight mode.
This just sucks.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 15
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From: Houston, TX
2008 ML350
I am guessing that - since there are also wires going from the "control box" to the LED strips, they will be on all the time whenever ignition is on and engine started. The extra connectors coming from the LED strips to be plugged into the wiring harness of the original fogs is a bit puzzling. Maybe that will a) create enough load on the original fog wires to avoid error codes and b) allow the LEDs to stay for 10-20 seconds after shutting off ignition/engine at night, if your fogs are currently configured for this behavior.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 347
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From: Brooklin, Ontario
JGC SRT, ML 550, GLB 250
My fog lights just arrived. Surprisingly they aren't the ones that just plug into the harness.
They are the older connections like yours.
Now that I think about it that's a blessing for my Canadian spec ML. This way I can have them running during the day and the Bixinon DRL's wont impact them.
THeu'll be running 24/7 with that setup.
How did you connect it to the red black fuse? Did you just lift the fuse and wedhe it back in the slot with the wire in there?
Are the wires ling enough to get to the fuse box?
Thanks for all you help.
They are the older connections like yours.
Now that I think about it that's a blessing for my Canadian spec ML. This way I can have them running during the day and the Bixinon DRL's wont impact them.
THeu'll be running 24/7 with that setup.
How did you connect it to the red black fuse? Did you just lift the fuse and wedhe it back in the slot with the wire in there?
Are the wires ling enough to get to the fuse box?
Thanks for all you help.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 15
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From: Houston, TX
2008 ML350
I used a crimping tool to press a ring connector onto the black wire, and a "lip connector" to the red wire. The black wire stays out of the fuse box, I attached that to the bolt sticking out of the car frame behind the fuse box. For the red wire, I used a small file to file a groove into the plastic, routed the red wire through it and held it in place with a little zip-tie on the inside and the outside of the fuse box. When you put the fuse box lid back on, it nicely seals off the box again without the red wire getting "trapped".
My red wire had an inline fuse, so all I had to do is slide that "lip connector" into the red slot. If your wire doesn't have an inline fuse, I would recommend you go that route and add one.
The wires were long enough, but I ended up taking the front spoiler off to route the wires nicely. That was a be-otch to accomplish without breaking the plastic pop-in thingies that hold attach the bottom shield to the spoiler...
My red wire had an inline fuse, so all I had to do is slide that "lip connector" into the red slot. If your wire doesn't have an inline fuse, I would recommend you go that route and add one.
The wires were long enough, but I ended up taking the front spoiler off to route the wires nicely. That was a be-otch to accomplish without breaking the plastic pop-in thingies that hold attach the bottom shield to the spoiler...
