Cornering light illumination option.

Mcobinad

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I managed to lay my hands on a CLS (W219) AMG front bumper. Ordered it and the bumper arrived on monday. I went to Mercedes to order the other components like:

Screen (mesh*3) = £216 + vat

Reinforcement*1 = £34.10 + vat

Bracket*2 = £21.40 + vat

Tell-Tale lamp*2 = £136 + vat

Just as I was about to make the payment for the parts, I asked the salesman if the 'cornering light illumination' option on my CLS would still work with the AMG Tell-Tale lamps (rounded fog-lamps). He wasn't too sure so he asked his colleague. His colleague confirmed that non-AMG CLS as from 2006 can have that cornering illumination option fitted but the AMG models as from 2005 don't. The CLS AMG from 2009/2010 onwards now have this option.

Basically, all they are saying is that if I have the AMG bumper fitted to my CLS, I would lose this 'cornering light illumination option' which is not present on the AMG models as of 2005/2006. Mercedes salesmen atimes say things randomly, things which they are not too sure about. I suspended the payment to clarify this issue. I would not want to lose this option. Can anyone shed some light.

For those who don't know what the 'cornering light illumination' option is. It is an option, at the steer of the steering wheel allows the fog-lamps to light-on to any direction left/right of the car.
 

television

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I will do my best to see what is said,, I have the cornering lamps on my 216 with the AMG body kit

This is the bumper from a 219 AMG and it has the lamps

index.php
 
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Mcobinad

Mcobinad

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Thanks Malcolm as always for your prompt reply but the diagram does not answer my question. I wish someone can just answer if the cornering light illumination could be enabled via SDS.
 

whitenemesis

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The option will still work with the AMG bumper and fog lights but the effect will be much reduced as the fog lamp lens isn't designed to throw the light as far to the side as the correct (non AMG) fog lights.
 

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As of late 04 the AMG 219376 version with code 615 Bi Xenon could have had integrated cornering lamps
 

whitenemesis

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Cornering lamps on my '05 AMG are related to the headlamps not the fogs. The fogs are a different pattern. The design of the AMG bumper doesn't facilitate throwing the light sideways as well as the standard bumper.

The function will still work, just not as well as the non-AMG set-up.
 
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Mcobinad

Mcobinad

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Honestly, we keep learning everyday. Don't we? I never knew that the shape of my foglamp was different as opposed to a standard CLS with no Bi-xenon headlamps. If the foglamps are circular then you don't have Bi-Xenons, if they're oval then you do as cornering light function comes with Bi-Xenons and the fog lights are a different shape to widen the beam pattern for cornering function.

Little tip I picked up when looking at other W219s. Many non MB dealers don't know the difference (or assume the car does have Bi-Xenons) and don't mention it in the vehicle details.

A CLS with Bi-xenon (notice the oval shape foglamp). This is how my CLS foglamps look like.

media-4-1.jpg




A CLS with no Bixenon foglamps. (notice the circular shape).

media-6-1.jpg
 
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Mcobinad

Mcobinad

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The option will still work with the AMG bumper and fog lights but the effect will be much reduced as the fog lamp lens isn't designed to throw the light as far to the side as the correct (non AMG) fog lights.

Thanks Peter for the information. My question is how can the cornering option work if the AMG foglamp housing is not designed to accommodate the beam pattern when cornering? Even if the effect is reduced as you mentioned, the fact that this option was not made available in the first place for the CLS AMG is another point to consider. Alternatively, could this option be activated via SDS?

Also, another give away was when the salesman told me that my current oval shaped foglamp is much more expensive than the AMG Tell-Tale lamp priced @ £68.00 each while the oval shape with Bi-xenon is priced @ £120.00 per side. Sure, this is a clear indication that the AMG Tell-Tale foglamp will not perform the cornering light function because even if it did, it would definitely not be at this price.

Anyway, I am considering returning the AMG bumper and probably buy the CLS mesh & grille (with Distronic) from 2009/2011. The shape of the bi-xenon foglamps look the same as the ones on my CLS. As my car is ageing, I wanted to update its front end a little bit. I don't know which look will suit my car better. AMG or face-lifted look?

This is for those who would say, 'why not buy the real thing'. Well, it's not that I can't buy an AMG equivalent but I simply love my CLS 500 and still want to enjoy her. It's a 'DESIGNO CLS' and should not be mistaken for a standard CLS. I have only owned her for a little over 15 months. I still want to get more pleasurable driving experience of this car. As the days go by, I just can't have a plethora of its breathtaking design + its well executed designo cream interior. I can't still believe the car is 6 year old because she doesn't look it.

BTW, is the bumper of my car the same as the 2009 facelift version or was it changed? Find attached a picture of the face-lifted 2010 version. Thanks!!!

media-1-1.jpg


media-8.jpg
 
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Mcobinad

Mcobinad

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Oval vs. Round shaped foglamps!

Oval shape front fog means car has cornering lamps and therefore DOES have Bi-xenon headlamps.

Ovalfrontfog.jpg





Round shape front fog means car doesn't have cornering lamps and DOES NOT have xenons unless your car is an AMG which has xenons as standard anyway.

Roundfrontfog.jpg
 

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