SL/R230: Trunk Light
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 259
Likes: 1
2003 SL500
Trunk Light
Do any year or trim line R230's have an interior trunk light? Has anyone installed a good quality unit? I'm tired of fiddling in the dark looking for something everytime I open the trunk at night.
Glenn
Glenn
Senior Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 395
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From: So Cal
04 SL 500, 09 R350, 09 E63, 2010 Prius
there should be a trunk light on the right side when you open the trunk, behind the rear right light... mine is an 04... but I assume everybody's got one... maybe yours got a bad connection...
Banned
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,982
Likes: 393
From: Atlanta, unfortunately
'09 S600, (2) R129 300SLs, '03 SL500, '03 SL55
The latch mechanism in the trunk lid has a switch. If I recall correctly, this switch actuates the closing assist mechansim for the trunk and also controls the light. So, if the closing assist works, I would suspect the light -- otherwise the switch.
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 545
Likes: 1
Actually I believe its a different switch used for the light than the closing assistance. Im still having the problem but havent been able to play with it and checking the switches with a volt meter. But when the closing assistance stops working and when I click on the latch to lock the light turns off. I believe it could still be a different switch.
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 259
Likes: 1
2003 SL500
Trunk Light
Obviously this is turniing out to be a much more wide spread problem than I had antisipated. As a follow up to my post, the dealership claims they "replaced" the light receptical to rectify the problem. I do not believe this was done nor was it the problem. I checked the light assembly before bringing it in to the dealership and there was no power to the unit. I think they only claim this to repcoup additional warranty monies from MB. What they really did to fix the light is basically unknown.
Glenn
Glenn
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Washington DC
2005 SL55
Trunk Light in R230
Mine was misbehaving also. In fact my trunk had been dark so long, I too had forgotten the light was there (or maybe I never knew!)
In any case, after a bit of analysis and fiddling, I was able to fix this by simply cleaning and re-seating the bulb.
The issue for me was that the actual bulb contacts on the bulb housing seem to be an alloy that did not maintain good connectivity for this circuit. The bulb was fine, though I did clean the ends off a bit to ensure better connection (at least for a while), and I similarly cleaned the housing and slightly squeeze the ends together in the hope of ensuring a longer working life for this fix.
BTW, this car is fair weather only and garage kept, so trunk moisture and stories about bad seals and other issues with leaks in the trunk do not appear to be a significant contributors to this issue from my perspective.
Hope this helps somebody...
cb
In any case, after a bit of analysis and fiddling, I was able to fix this by simply cleaning and re-seating the bulb.
The issue for me was that the actual bulb contacts on the bulb housing seem to be an alloy that did not maintain good connectivity for this circuit. The bulb was fine, though I did clean the ends off a bit to ensure better connection (at least for a while), and I similarly cleaned the housing and slightly squeeze the ends together in the hope of ensuring a longer working life for this fix.
BTW, this car is fair weather only and garage kept, so trunk moisture and stories about bad seals and other issues with leaks in the trunk do not appear to be a significant contributors to this issue from my perspective.
Hope this helps somebody...
cb
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
2003 SL55
Trunk light
My trunk lid spends a lot of time ajar, since I use my trickle charger a lot. The light automatically goes off after 10 minutes or so. But my bulb finally burned out and I started calling around to find a replacement. My local dealership told me that I'd have to buy the entire light unit, including the bulb for $14. Didn't sound right to me, since I could get to the bulb and easily remove it from the housing. Two other dealerships a little further away told me it's a standard $1 bulb, that they routinely stock. I went in and picked up two, which they didn't even charge me for, and replaced it in about 15 seconds. Did the trick for me.
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 5
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sl600 and cls550
does anyone know how to fix the trunk light? my cls 550 2007 has similar problem, if I open the trunk and move the trunk lid slowly, the light will some time turn on, when this light turn on, also the third led break light and the licence plate light also will work....can some work please help....
also I can not open my trunk with my key remote control nor with the button on the driver door, I only can open it manually with the key slide out from the main key...
Thanks
TQT
also I can not open my trunk with my key remote control nor with the button on the driver door, I only can open it manually with the key slide out from the main key...
Thanks
TQT
