R-class rear light problems
#1
R-class rear light problems
Hi!
My `2006 R class 320cdi have warnings for brake lights and rear lights not working. Turn sign and centre brake light works fine. I have taken the light harnesses out, sanded away corrosion and reinstalled bulbs. No change. Switched light sides, and funnily more of the lights worked. The SAM had a little corrosion in one corner, so I bought a new (used) SAM with same partnumber and installed, no change. I have bought and installed rep wiring set for one of the brake lights, no change. Then I gave up. What now? Do the SAM need to be reprogrammed/errors deleted? Could there be anything else causing this?
Hope anybody have possibility to point me in the right direction...
My `2006 R class 320cdi have warnings for brake lights and rear lights not working. Turn sign and centre brake light works fine. I have taken the light harnesses out, sanded away corrosion and reinstalled bulbs. No change. Switched light sides, and funnily more of the lights worked. The SAM had a little corrosion in one corner, so I bought a new (used) SAM with same partnumber and installed, no change. I have bought and installed rep wiring set for one of the brake lights, no change. Then I gave up. What now? Do the SAM need to be reprogrammed/errors deleted? Could there be anything else causing this?
Hope anybody have possibility to point me in the right direction...
#2
Hi
Hi!
My `2006 R class 320cdi have warnings for brake lights and rear lights not working. Turn sign and centre brake light works fine. I have taken the light harnesses out, sanded away corrosion and reinstalled bulbs. No change. Switched light sides, and funnily more of the lights worked. The SAM had a little corrosion in one corner, so I bought a new (used) SAM with same partnumber and installed, no change. I have bought and installed rep wiring set for one of the brake lights, no change. Then I gave up. What now? Do the SAM need to be reprogrammed/errors deleted? Could there be anything else causing this?
Hope anybody have possibility to point me in the right direction...
My `2006 R class 320cdi have warnings for brake lights and rear lights not working. Turn sign and centre brake light works fine. I have taken the light harnesses out, sanded away corrosion and reinstalled bulbs. No change. Switched light sides, and funnily more of the lights worked. The SAM had a little corrosion in one corner, so I bought a new (used) SAM with same partnumber and installed, no change. I have bought and installed rep wiring set for one of the brake lights, no change. Then I gave up. What now? Do the SAM need to be reprogrammed/errors deleted? Could there be anything else causing this?
Hope anybody have possibility to point me in the right direction...
The following 2 users liked this post by Edvard Hole:
Beeswax (01-06-2023),
R3504Matic (03-29-2023)
#4
Great news
That's great Iam in the same situation r320 CDI L do you have any pictures on exactly what parts you cleaned and how did you clean up the pins on the plug did you take the pins out and clean them that way ? Just wondering on the best method to clean the pins what grid sand paper did you use cheers 👍
#5
Junior Member
I forgot the source, but hope this helps:
It is a bad connection between the bulb holder and the tail light assembly. The aft bulbs are in bayonet-mounted (push-and-twist) holders. Notice, there are no wires going to the bulbs. Electricity is delivered to the bulbs via metal traces on the back surface of the housing. The contact points from the bulb holder to the traces on the back of the housing become corroded and the contacts get burned.
Here is what you do:
1) See if any of the tail light bulbs look dimmer than normal (usually happens on one side) or bulbs who's brightness fluctuates.
2) Remove that bulb.
3) Look at the contacts on the bulb holder and carefully inspect the metal traces on the back of the tail light assembly that supply power to that bulb.
4) If the contacts and / or the traces look pitted, corroded, burned, discolored, carefully but thoroughly clean them to remove any residue (use fine sand paper or a dremel steel brush). Make sure you get to the base metal in order to re-establish good contact.
5) Replace said bulb and holder into the tail light assembly.
6) Re-start car, test function.
7) Repeat in other locations if necessary.
If the problem remains, you may need the direct wiring harness sold by Mercedes that wires the bulb directly. P/N for the direct wiring harness is A 164 826 00 07
It is a bad connection between the bulb holder and the tail light assembly. The aft bulbs are in bayonet-mounted (push-and-twist) holders. Notice, there are no wires going to the bulbs. Electricity is delivered to the bulbs via metal traces on the back surface of the housing. The contact points from the bulb holder to the traces on the back of the housing become corroded and the contacts get burned.
Here is what you do:
1) See if any of the tail light bulbs look dimmer than normal (usually happens on one side) or bulbs who's brightness fluctuates.
2) Remove that bulb.
3) Look at the contacts on the bulb holder and carefully inspect the metal traces on the back of the tail light assembly that supply power to that bulb.
4) If the contacts and / or the traces look pitted, corroded, burned, discolored, carefully but thoroughly clean them to remove any residue (use fine sand paper or a dremel steel brush). Make sure you get to the base metal in order to re-establish good contact.
5) Replace said bulb and holder into the tail light assembly.
6) Re-start car, test function.
7) Repeat in other locations if necessary.
If the problem remains, you may need the direct wiring harness sold by Mercedes that wires the bulb directly. P/N for the direct wiring harness is A 164 826 00 07
Last edited by mustnged; 01-07-2023 at 10:51 PM.
The following users liked this post:
R3504Matic (03-29-2023)
#6
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 47
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2006 R3504Matic, S430, BMW750E66, E350 207, PORSHCE 911C4S, BMW128 E88, VWTREG, 86 560SL, 88560SEL++
I forgot the source, but hope this helps:
It is a bad connection between the bulb holder and the tail light assembly. The aft bulbs are in bayonet-mounted (push-and-twist) holders. Notice, there are no wires going to the bulbs. Electricity is delivered to the bulbs via metal traces on the back surface of the housing. The contact points from the bulb holder to the traces on the back of the housing become corroded and the contacts get burned.
Here is what you do:
1) See if any of the tail light bulbs look dimmer than normal (usually happens on one side) or bulbs who's brightness fluctuates.
2) Remove that bulb.
3) Look at the contacts on the bulb holder and carefully inspect the metal traces on the back of the tail light assembly that supply power to that bulb.
4) If the contacts and / or the traces look pitted, corroded, burned, discolored, carefully but thoroughly clean them to remove any residue (use fine sand paper or a dremel steel brush). Make sure you get to the base metal in order to re-establish good contact.
5) Replace said bulb and holder into the tail light assembly.
6) Re-start car, test function.
7) Repeat in other locations if necessary.
If the problem remains, you may need the direct wiring harness sold by Mercedes that wires the bulb directly. P/N for the direct wiring harness is A 164 826 00 07
It is a bad connection between the bulb holder and the tail light assembly. The aft bulbs are in bayonet-mounted (push-and-twist) holders. Notice, there are no wires going to the bulbs. Electricity is delivered to the bulbs via metal traces on the back surface of the housing. The contact points from the bulb holder to the traces on the back of the housing become corroded and the contacts get burned.
Here is what you do:
1) See if any of the tail light bulbs look dimmer than normal (usually happens on one side) or bulbs who's brightness fluctuates.
2) Remove that bulb.
3) Look at the contacts on the bulb holder and carefully inspect the metal traces on the back of the tail light assembly that supply power to that bulb.
4) If the contacts and / or the traces look pitted, corroded, burned, discolored, carefully but thoroughly clean them to remove any residue (use fine sand paper or a dremel steel brush). Make sure you get to the base metal in order to re-establish good contact.
5) Replace said bulb and holder into the tail light assembly.
6) Re-start car, test function.
7) Repeat in other locations if necessary.
If the problem remains, you may need the direct wiring harness sold by Mercedes that wires the bulb directly. P/N for the direct wiring harness is A 164 826 00 07
Says Discontinued which is a bummer. I need 2 for my SUV
#7
Junior Member
You can also try getting new tail light bulb sockets.
Mercedes Tail Light Bulb Socket Black 199 345 Updated To Blue 140 826 05 82 | eBay
Good luck
Last edited by mustnged; 04-06-2023 at 12:25 PM.
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#8
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Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Fairfax County, VA
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2008 R320, 2002 E320
Hey all, I've been wrestling with this problem intermittently for a few months, and just attempted a fix that I think will be permanent. Looking for someone to tell me why this was a terrible idea and should be undone. I should note that I tried the full process and it worked for a few months, but I think the dielectric grease I put to aid in the connection eventually wore off, and cleaning the contact and replacing the somewhat melted bayonet connector with a fresh one was insufficient for the gap that the spring contact had to close to make good contact.
Tonight I followed mustnged's process through step 4. I then cleaned up the area with a bit of rubbing alcohol. Then I got out my soldering iron and put a small mound of solder over the pitted area, turning it from a concave shape (dent) to a convex one (bump). I checked to make sure it was fairly smooth and not bridging the contact between the power and ground sides of that metal plate, and finally reinstalled the bayonet connector. I tried it, and naturally it didn't work, but then I noted that the bayonet connector wasn't fully clicked all the way into the final spot, and got hung up between the two sides of the metal plates. I did one final click, and everything seems to work great at the moment.
I'll probably go in and check to make sure the connection isn't getting worse, melting, moving the solder, etc. in a month / 1000 miles, but I don't see why rebuilding the lost metal with decent solder won't work.
Terrible idea?
Tonight I followed mustnged's process through step 4. I then cleaned up the area with a bit of rubbing alcohol. Then I got out my soldering iron and put a small mound of solder over the pitted area, turning it from a concave shape (dent) to a convex one (bump). I checked to make sure it was fairly smooth and not bridging the contact between the power and ground sides of that metal plate, and finally reinstalled the bayonet connector. I tried it, and naturally it didn't work, but then I noted that the bayonet connector wasn't fully clicked all the way into the final spot, and got hung up between the two sides of the metal plates. I did one final click, and everything seems to work great at the moment.
I'll probably go in and check to make sure the connection isn't getting worse, melting, moving the solder, etc. in a month / 1000 miles, but I don't see why rebuilding the lost metal with decent solder won't work.
Terrible idea?