SL/R129: Instrument panel lights out
Thread Starter
Almost a Member!
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 31
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From: New Jersey
300E 2.5; 2001 SL500
Instrument panel lights out
Just purchased a 2001 SL500 triple black. LOVE IT! Im going to depend on you guys for much support for this car is a dream come true for me.
Anyway I noticed the lights are out for the fuel gage and whatever gage sits to the right of it. (smile) There is also no light on the temperature display (not sure there is one, but would expect so.)The radio and right side of instrument panel seem fine.
I'd like to do as much of the easy maintenance as I can without paying the dealer an arm and a leg for small time stuff.
What should I check..fuse? bulbs? where are they?
Will post a photo this weekend.
Thanks
Cheryl (golfin'lady)
Anyway I noticed the lights are out for the fuel gage and whatever gage sits to the right of it. (smile) There is also no light on the temperature display (not sure there is one, but would expect so.)The radio and right side of instrument panel seem fine.
I'd like to do as much of the easy maintenance as I can without paying the dealer an arm and a leg for small time stuff.
What should I check..fuse? bulbs? where are they?
Will post a photo this weekend.
Thanks
Cheryl (golfin'lady)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 75
From: Abbotsford, BC, Canada
1999 SL 500 & 2011 E 550 4Matic
My temperature display does not illuminate in dakness. I,ve gotten used to turning on the interior dome light to see it and to be able to adjust it.
Also ... may be related? ... my temperature display numbers and text get ditorted orf and on. Pressing or tapping the moulding around the edge of the unitseems to fix that. I don't know if your unit is doing that.
A while ago when I posted these simptoms, a guy wrote back to say that regarding the distorted numbers hid MB dealership "fixed it for a grand total of $ 32.25 by changing a bulb (oo2-544-02-94 light bulb). I was skeptical of the fix but it has been 4 months without it happening again".
It is funney how we get used to things. I have not taken the time to implement a $ 32.25 fix. Maybe I'll remember it when the annual maintenance visit comes due.
Also ... may be related? ... my temperature display numbers and text get ditorted orf and on. Pressing or tapping the moulding around the edge of the unitseems to fix that. I don't know if your unit is doing that.
A while ago when I posted these simptoms, a guy wrote back to say that regarding the distorted numbers hid MB dealership "fixed it for a grand total of $ 32.25 by changing a bulb (oo2-544-02-94 light bulb). I was skeptical of the fix but it has been 4 months without it happening again".
It is funney how we get used to things. I have not taken the time to implement a $ 32.25 fix. Maybe I'll remember it when the annual maintenance visit comes due.
Thread Starter
Almost a Member!
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 31
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From: New Jersey
300E 2.5; 2001 SL500
Funny you mention the distorted numbers on the temp display. That is exactly what I am experiencing. I'll be sure to tell my mechanic to look at the bulb you mentioned. Decided not to go in and change them myself. 
Thanks
Cher
ThanksCher
Thread Starter
Almost a Member!
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 31
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From: New Jersey
300E 2.5; 2001 SL500
A good bang does it!
I noticed that if I bang on top of the dash the two left lights then come on and stay on. The next night they are out again and a good bang of the dash puts them back on. Gotta be the bulbs correct? Loose possibly?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,447
Likes: 14
From: UK
SL55 AMG
The 129 instrument panel comes out easily but you need to be careful not to marr the surround, that will really spoil your day. Mercedes have a special tool which slides between the panel and the surround, twists and then you can pull out the panel.
Sounds like this is all loose, failed bulbs. If you are having one or two replaced, replace them all because the older ones will be dimmer than the newer ones.
Sounds like this is all loose, failed bulbs. If you are having one or two replaced, replace them all because the older ones will be dimmer than the newer ones.
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8
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From: Tennessee
1999 500SL
Same experience as several owners. Taping the dash hard makes them come on but the solution was replacing the bulbs. I had the dealership do it because I did not wantr to chance messing up the surround.
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Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 65
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From: Richardson, Texas
1995 SL 320
Sl320 dash lights
My lightbulbs and fuse recently went out in my instrument cluster and the dealer replaced the 3 bulbs in the dash and the instrument cluster fuse.I would have done it myself,but the car was being inspected,so I had to let them do it.Cost is around $300.
It is easy to pop out the cluster with the 2 Mercedes tools.Everything works fine now.
It is easy to pop out the cluster with the 2 Mercedes tools.Everything works fine now.
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Banned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
'04 S430 4 Matic and '05 997
I had the same problem in my SL (distorted temp display--they must have had a bad batch or something). The unit was replaced under warrantee. Hard to believe that MB would pay for a new unit when only the bulb was defective.
Also recently half the instrument display will sometimes get dim but is still readable. Hope this is coverered by MBs extended warrantee as $300 seems excessive to replace a bulb.
Also recently half the instrument display will sometimes get dim but is still readable. Hope this is coverered by MBs extended warrantee as $300 seems excessive to replace a bulb.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: Richardson, Texas
1995 SL 320
Bulbs not expensive but labor is
The diagnosis fee was $189.99 to figure out why my dashborad lights were flickering on and off and my emergency blinker was non functional.I told the dealer to fix it and inspect my car.The parts were about $20 and the inspection was $40.The rest was labor at $100 an hour..ouch.But now I know better and I am learning about all of the fuses and their functions.Should help in the future.
