1990 230 TE dash warning light question

[easydriver]

My 230 TE has the icon that is a lightbublb with the ! mark in on whenever I turn my lights on. Roughly translating the owners manual I believe that indicator means something is wrong with an exterior light somewhere. All my exterior lights work o.k., so maybe it means something else too? Can anyone help me?

 

[television]

My 230 TE has the icon that is a lightbublb with the ! mark in on whenever I turn my lights on. Roughly translating the owners manual I believe that indicator means something is wrong with an exterior light somewhere. All my exterior lights work o.k., so maybe it means something else too? Can anyone help me?

Have you checked the brake lamps and number plate lights, when the brake lamp has gone, it will light the warning once you touch the brake pedal.

malcolm

 

[AndySmells]

Hello there. I managed to put out my warning light (230TE) by checking that all the light bulbs where exactly what they should be! Make sure they are exactly what it says in the handbook with regards to wattage and you should be OK. Well, it worked for me anyway!!!
Cheers.

 

[television]

Hello there. I managed to put out my warning light (230TE) by checking that all the light bulbs where exactly what they should be! Make sure they are exactly what it says in the handbook with regards to wattage and you should be OK. Well, it worked for me anyway!!!
Cheers.

That's a very valid point that you make, I can recall that when I tried to use 100w headlamp bulbs the warning lamps were always on.

malcolm

 

[easydriver]

Thanks !

Yes I did check the brake lights and number plate lights. They are working.

I think the key to this may be in checking to see if all the bulbs are what they should be in each case. I recently got this car and the previous owner did put some wrong bulbs in the wrong place! I'll give it a good check this morning and see if that's it.

 

[jberks]

also check all the contacts. A bit of corrosion, even if the bulb appears ok, can trip the warning system. Just give them a wipe with wire wool and spring them back up.
The light should only come on when it detects the fault. So start without lights and slowly switch things on until the warning light comes on. This should tell you where to look.

 

[easydriver]

I checked all exterior bubls today and found previous owner mismatched the bulbs in both tailghts. I replaced them with correct ones and replaced all fuses in the fuse box because they were really corroded and the warning light disappeared! On to my next challenge!

Thanks everyone!

 

[MW]

Yes, I did this some years ago. Very common, and difficult as all the lights are working, but the warning system says a bulb has blown!
The system works by measuring what current should be going through it, to be normal. If it is different, a bulb must have blown, by definition.
However, if a 10w bulb or 5w bulb was put in a holder where 4w etc was needed, the system says wrong voltage, so a bulb must have blown, so lights up.
I spent ages convincing myself all was well, which it was not.

 

[television]

I checked all exterior bubls today and found previous owner mismatched the bulbs in both tailghts. I replaced them with correct ones and replaced all fuses in the fuse box because they were really corroded and the warning light disappeared! On to my next challenge!

Thanks everyone!

Thank you too for putting the answer up.

malcolm

 

[Doyle]

**thread hyjack**

whats is the correct wattage for a brake lamp bulb then? cos i have the same wee light on. i got rid of it by replacing the bulb with another i got froma scrappies.....alas that one failed too.

Thanks

Doyle

 

[C220GJS]

Doyle,
W202 brake light bulb is 12v/21w single filament, make sure any corrosion is cleaned off the bulb holder and centre contact before fitting.
Geo.

 

[Blobcat]

Not 21W ??

 

[C220GJS]

You're right Blobcat, brainfade!!,thanks for the correction.
Geo.