Left license plate light housing doesnt work, no power, help needed!
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 115
Likes: 3
From: Vancouver Canada
MB
Left license plate light housing doesnt work, no power, help needed!
So my left plate light is out. I tried swapping bulbs but no luck, so today I took the whole housing out to replace with JBspeed LED housing. It seems like the wire itself has no power becasuse the stock housing works when I plug into the other side. If there is no power going to it why do I still get the error message in my display for light out left rear license plate. Also all fuses are good and working.
Has this happened to anyone before? Anyone know how I can trace the wire back and check for damage maybe? Im gonna guess it leads down to the left by the nav drive and all the wiring there, will check there tomm morning.Is there any wiring diagrams around for this wire that can help?
Easy fix would be to splice into the right side wiring and extend it from there but Im sure the car computer wouldnt like that too much, anyone?
Has this happened to anyone before? Anyone know how I can trace the wire back and check for damage maybe? Im gonna guess it leads down to the left by the nav drive and all the wiring there, will check there tomm morning.Is there any wiring diagrams around for this wire that can help?
Easy fix would be to splice into the right side wiring and extend it from there but Im sure the car computer wouldnt like that too much, anyone?
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 557
Likes: 1
From: Laramie, WY
E55 AMG
Sounds to me like the new bulb you tried was bad or you took the right one out to try in the left side. In that case, If I remember right, neither will turn on with no bulb or a bad bulb in the right side.
If I were you, I would try to make sure you have a good bulb in both sides at the same time before you dig any deeper into the situation. Unless you already did and I am wrong about what you did.
If I were you, I would try to make sure you have a good bulb in both sides at the same time before you dig any deeper into the situation. Unless you already did and I am wrong about what you did.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,939
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From: Seattle WA
99 E320
i would just pop the trunk liner and work upstream of the socket....until you find
where there is a break in the wring. the license plate lamps are on a single fuse
as far as I know so that is unlikely to be the cause. I'm thinking wire separation
ie cut or connection break.
if you have D/VOM, you can improvise and ground BLACK lead and terminate the
RED lead to a stick pin. this way, you can simply power up light to the license
plate, then....progressively, poke into the wiring harness to see where and when
you go from ZERO volts to 12 vdc. start from point closest to sockets and work
towards the front of the car.
where there is a break in the wring. the license plate lamps are on a single fuse
as far as I know so that is unlikely to be the cause. I'm thinking wire separation
ie cut or connection break.
if you have D/VOM, you can improvise and ground BLACK lead and terminate the
RED lead to a stick pin. this way, you can simply power up light to the license
plate, then....progressively, poke into the wiring harness to see where and when
you go from ZERO volts to 12 vdc. start from point closest to sockets and work
towards the front of the car.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 115
Likes: 3
From: Vancouver Canada
MB
how about something like this post
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ure-fixed.html
or this one
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ml#post3694210
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ure-fixed.html
or this one
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ml#post3694210
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 352
Likes: 1
E55 AMG
probably broken wire. I fixed my trunk. I followed the harness from left side arm.... down behind the left interior trunk panel. I really had to inspect. Make sure you unwrap all the wires. I found brown/yellow stripe wire for my trunk that was broken. It will be a different color wire for you license plate light. good luck
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,540
Likes: 5
From: Arizona
2004 E55, 1997 E320 "Sold"
i would just pop the trunk liner and work upstream of the socket....until you find
where there is a break in the wring. the license plate lamps are on a single fuse
as far as I know so that is unlikely to be the cause. I'm thinking wire separation
ie cut or connection break.
if you have D/VOM, you can improvise and ground BLACK lead and terminate the
RED lead to a stick pin. this way, you can simply power up light to the license
plate, then....progressively, poke into the wiring harness to see where and when
you go from ZERO volts to 12 vdc. start from point closest to sockets and work
towards the front of the car.
where there is a break in the wring. the license plate lamps are on a single fuse
as far as I know so that is unlikely to be the cause. I'm thinking wire separation
ie cut or connection break.
if you have D/VOM, you can improvise and ground BLACK lead and terminate the
RED lead to a stick pin. this way, you can simply power up light to the license
plate, then....progressively, poke into the wiring harness to see where and when
you go from ZERO volts to 12 vdc. start from point closest to sockets and work
towards the front of the car.
You know your electrical pretty well.
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Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 115
Likes: 3
From: Vancouver Canada
MB
thanks for the help guys. Gonna go follow the wires back to the left panel. Seems like the wires like to get pinched from what I've read thorugh search. Hopefully I can find it quickly and move on to install my rear diffuser as well!
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Joined: Jan 2010
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From: SWFL
E55, E320 CDI , CLA250, Jag XJ Supersport
[URL="https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w211/314638-no-power-trunk-3rd-brake-light-license-plate-lamps.html#post3694210"]
My best guess is this one. Happened on mine and it's an easy fix. The severed wire is likely to be next to the drivers side trunk strut. That plastic shroud on the trunk lid arm pinches the wire and eventually severed it. To prevent it from happening again, add a 3-4" segment to the wire to give it some slack.
My best guess is this one. Happened on mine and it's an easy fix. The severed wire is likely to be next to the drivers side trunk strut. That plastic shroud on the trunk lid arm pinches the wire and eventually severed it. To prevent it from happening again, add a 3-4" segment to the wire to give it some slack.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 115
Likes: 3
From: Vancouver Canada
MB
Yup found it, had 4 wires cut. My inside trunk lights never worked before, I assumed it was the bulb before. Fixed all 4 wires and all my lights work now. Its surprising how clean cut the wires were, no fraying or bending just staright cuts. I have a pic I will post later when I get home.
