w204 rear light cluster problem

oilit

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w204 Mercedes, VW, DB9 Volante, Defender 90 50th Anniversary, & Landrover 88"
As per the title really, i am getting a warning that the rear rhs brake, tail, and indicator lights are failed - sometimes when i turn off and restart it goes away for a while.

I got round to having a look at it yesterday after a week of this, and the connector and one of the wires was very hot, the connector had melted a bit and so i cleaned off the terminals and reconnected - all was fine but today the message is back :-(

Is it a common fault? and if so what is the cure/solution? (ie is it a new light plate, a new connector or a new loom (gulp!)

Thanks for any help or guidance !!
 
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npuk

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Known problem, have read Mercedes have replaced the cluster for cars under warranty. If out of warranty try get the dealer to push to get it fixed FOC by Mercedes as a goodwill gesture.
 

ernieh

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Have had the same problem with mine; the earth is common to all circuits and is a stupid little wire that uses the same size of connector as the others. As a result it heats up and eventually builds up crud that stops all the circuits working, including the fall-back circuits. A very dangerous piece of poor design by MB!

I cleaned the crud off mine and sprayed it with switch cleaner and so far it has been fine. I think MB's solution is a new lamp holder and connector; our 'local' reckoned about £200. However, I'm sure a Bosch autoelectrician would do it a lot less than that, if goodwill doesn't work.

Ernie
 
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oilit

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w204 Mercedes, VW, DB9 Volante, Defender 90 50th Anniversary, & Landrover 88"
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thanks guys - i will spend some time on it at the weekend :)
 
W

westmoors

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turn / indicator signal warning

Hi . I wonder if this fault of the earth could apply to my most recent problem, the rear offside turn / indicator on the dash flashes at twice the speed of normal and a screen warning comes up telling me the bulb is faulty.
But get out and go and look and the light is flashing normally, another time it will all work normally. I have taken the lamp cluster out to examine it but could not find a fault but in the coupe there is little room to see anything unless I strip out the panelling in the boot area . When faulty if I give it a 'thump' on the body near the rear light the indicator speed sometimes goes back to normal. I would have thought a bad earth would not just affect the warning system and not the actual flasher. has anyone any ideas

perhaps a squirt of WD40 is the answer ! westmoors.
 

nrg220

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220cdi Elegance Saloon
rear lights

Might be speaking out of turn but I had a warning light come up so I changed all the bulbs and bingo, they were blackish. Realised then that because I have an automatic then the lights are illuminated a lot using the brakes so they will go black eventually then you get a warning dash light, nothing wrong that a few pounds didnt cure
 

markg14

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C-Class Sport C220 CDI 2007
Known problem, have read Mercedes have replaced the cluster for cars under warranty. If out of warranty try get the dealer to push to get it fixed FOC by Mercedes as a goodwill gesture.

Just had this problem with my W204 - 5-year-old with FSH, MB contributed 30% of £180.

If it is a common problem and a design issue, would have expect MB to pick up the whole tab, but I suppose 30% is better than nothing.
 
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westmoors

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Reference to my off side rear turn/indicator problem,( C200k SE Coope ) now the rear flasher occasionally flashes, but I have rapid flashes of the reversing light, this is usually an earth problem, I had already changed bulbs, cleaned contats etc to no avail. A new earth was run from the wiring loom just behind the multiplug that goes into the lamp cluster to the main earth point on the nearside rear, but it has not made any difference.
I am contemplating swopping the light units over just to see if the unit is at fault, but does anyone know if the lamp clusters are identical ? I don't want to blow fuses if I can help it ! While on the subject I tried to find the flasher unit but from the sound it seems to be behind the dash not with the relays under the bonnet, any suggestions would be very welcome westmoors
 

DanRaz

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C Class W204, 2009, 220cdi
Easy to change, and reported to VOSA

Hi everyone! I'm new on here.

I just wanted to let you all know that it is not the hardest thing in the world to fix if out of warranty and not too expensive with Genuine Parts from the MB dealer. It takes approximately 1 hour to do if you have a little technical background.

The Parts department I went to in London was fully aware of the problem and knew the exact parts to give me.

You will probably need the bulb holder (if damaged) £12, the black multi connector piece (£2) and one new cable for the damaged brown one (£4).

It will help to use a paper clip to take out the cables that are ok. Have a look at the new connector piece and new cable and you should understand how the paper clip can be used to pry out the old cables from the old multi connector. You also need to break off the "lid" of the connecter. See the new one to figure out where it is located on the old one.

Although in this instance there was no death or injury I find the problem concerning as the whole light cluster failed on my car without warning. Over the last few weeks I had smelt some sort of mild burning in the car which I now presume was this.

In addition my light cluster was the driver side and one which the wiring loom passes the petrol tank intake and fuse box. Both of which causes some concern.

So I contacted VOSA in the UK. They deal with investigating these sort of issues and deeming whether necessary to enforce a recall. Email: vsb@vosa.gov.uk | Phone: 0300 123 9000. They were very helpful on the phone.

If anyone is also of the opinion that a recall is required contact them on the details above.

Hope this helps.
 

leonpavlidis

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2007 W204 C280
thoughts on my "electrical" problems

I am also having problems with rear left and right light bulbs. I continue to blow them. Also bloing front "parking" light bulbs. Also blew the GPS/Radio "screen". And had problems with my audio amplifier. It was gradually increasing the volume, by itself. .... Just had my "twist" switch on the centre consol fail as well...

thoughts?

Australia. w207 2007 C280
 

television

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Do check the voltage over the battery with the engine running it should not be more than 14volt
 

sid300sl

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Had the same problem soldered a brown wire to negative section of rear light cluster and connected it directly to nearby earth (body of car) so bypassing faulty plug connection.Works fine next to no cost.
 

Hitchie

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C350/2010/3.0 DIESEL
Same Rear Light Issue on a 2010 C350

I have the same rear light issue, it has burnt out on both sides. I was driving and had issues with the indicators and a message saying rear light problems. took at look and the connector going into the rear drivers side light was smouldering, I was just about to drive to 300 miles to Cornwall. I spoke to a motor vehicle \ car electrician I was talking to said if I had noticed it and started the journey I would have a burnt out wreck by now.

Took my car into Mercedes this morning, it's 6 months out of warranty and both back lights are burnt out where the connectors attach via the brown wire. Mercedes answer is to change the cluster at an estimated cost to me of £288 initially.

I've read in quite a few places now that this is a manufacturing issue, it is being investigated in the U.S. (example) :- http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/24/us-autos-mercedes-nhtsa-idUSBRE9BN0DO20131224

Even the Mercedes garage said this was a common fault that happens.

Not Impressed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

television

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Not good is it, you must be very disappointed in this kind of service only all too common on here.

The worst is they want to earn from their mistakes and do not even offer a special price
 

bluenosemason

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C220 CDI SPORT AUTO 2008 W204
204W rear light fault

Burnt Earth connector caused rear lights to go haywire on my 2008 c220 cdi, just googled it and there is a report that tha NHTSA (America) are expanding their probe into this fault see complete article at http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? apparently already caused 5 fires and one injury after 100 reports of this exact fault, SHOULD'NT MERCEDES RECALL?
 

tbaron

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c class 200 k 2007
Just had the same problem with my 2007 c class 200k,took it to Lodge Garage,Colindale London NW9. (www.lodgegarage.com) Replaced lamp carrier,plug,contact bush £60.84 inc. vat.Mercedes said they were unaware of the problem and could not help even though the car has only done 35000 miles.
 

television

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Just had the same problem with my 2007 c class 200k,took it to Lodge Garage,Colindale London NW9. (www.lodgegarage.com) Replaced lamp carrier,plug,contact bush £60.84 inc. vat.Mercedes said they were unaware of the problem and could not help even though the car has only done 35000 miles.

They say the same thing no matter what goes wrong, we had a post once where MB said they did not know of this fault in spite of then sending out over 2000 replacements, well I should say sold 2000 .:(
 

star

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Fitted 4 in the last 3 weeks, all o/s/r??
 

television

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Fitted 4 in the last 3 weeks, all o/s/r??

Mercedes say they never fail:rolleyes:

Absolutely awful in this day and age, there were problems on the 210 rear lamps, maybe the different departments at Mercedes are not on talking terms.
 

r055bud

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w204 2008 C200 SPORT
Hi hope you can help me with my issues, faults below.

Faults:

1. Rear left/rear light indicator bulb failure.
2. Radio cutting out intermittent.
3. Blow fans cutting out intermittent. (when this happens windows do not operate, if I turn off car it will not restart, doors wont unlock with key or lock with key)
3. Full beam light and handbrake light flashing together intermittently.
4. Sometimes fuel gauge does not work.
5. Sometimes when these all happen rear brake lights stay on.

When this happens the low beam lights stay on even though they are off on switch. If the full beam is on this flashes on and off.

When this happens I stop car, get out, lock, unlock then restart car and it works perfect again. Can happen at any time.
 

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