First drive - a few electrical niggles

[mjhmjh2]

I jut picked up my 'new' 1987 D reg 250 TD W124. Noticed a few odities amongst the plain broken stuff.

The inner headlight thingies don't seem to work - are they meant to come on with full beam, aka spot lights?

The headlight rotary switch appears as though if you pull it out should have some kind of fog lights - can't see anything else come on at the rear - what's supposed to happen, can't spot any front fog lights (unless the above are they), nothing comes on at the front either. I don't ever use fog lights to be honest, so I'm not that bothered, unless it is likely to fail an MOT test, any ideas?

It looks like I've two non working electric window mechs, one the switch doesn't appear to engage so could be as simple as that - the otehr (a rear) doesnt work with either switch. I'll get the test meter out tomorrow but IME electric windows are funny things - any ideas how to test them?

I've not got a car manual, has anyone got a scan or something they would part with? Then I wont have to ask what the funny switch on the top right of the centre console is meant to be (looks like a light with no light and some light on the other side) - doesn't seem to do anything.

Oh and finally, if I bung on the hazard lights other things appear to dim and I seem to recall the seatbelt light goes a bit funny I'm guessing there is an earth problem somewhere, the radio also goes fuzzy (horrible after market thing). Any obvious problem areas to look out for?

Thanks very much in advance and sorry for being daft!
Matthew

 

[JEZ.S320L]

I jut picked up my 'new' 1987 D reg 250 TD W124. Noticed a few odities amongst the plain broken stuff.

The inner headlight thingies don't seem to work - are they meant to come on with full beam, aka spot lights?

The headlight rotary switch appears as though if you pull it out should have some kind of fog lights - can't see anything else come on at the rear - what's supposed to happen, can't spot any front fog lights (unless the above are they), nothing comes on at the front either. I don't ever use fog lights to be honest, so I'm not that bothered, unless it is likely to fail an MOT test, any ideas?

It looks like I've two non working electric window mechs, one the switch doesn't appear to engage so could be as simple as that - the otehr (a rear) doesnt work with either switch. I'll get the test meter out tomorrow but IME electric windows are funny things - any ideas how to test them?

I've not got a car manual, has anyone got a scan or something they would part with? Then I wont have to ask what the funny switch on the top right of the centre console is meant to be (looks like a light with no light and some light on the other side) - doesn't seem to do anything.

Oh and finally, if I bung on the hazard lights other things appear to dim and I seem to recall the seatbelt light goes a bit funny I'm guessing there is an earth problem somewhere, the radio also goes fuzzy (horrible after market thing). Any obvious problem areas to look out for?

Thanks very much in advance and sorry for being daft!
Matthew

Silly question. Are you in a position to take it back to the seller and get the faults put right?

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
If your light switch pulls out and has two positions first one is front fogs (inner headlight bulbs on 202s c class 'should be the same' as yours) and has no warning light. Second position are the rear 'should' be just the drivers side rear cluster, this position should illuminate an orange warning lamp in the middle of the light switch and it will fail the MOT if the rear fog or its warning light don,t work.
I would check your battery and engine earths first, then clean and check the fuse box.
Try swapping the electric window switches around as it could be one of these.
I hope this is of some help to you, keep us posted on your progress.
Good luck with the motor.

 

[mjhmjh2]

hi, no cant take it back - ebay auction - I never asked "does the light switch work" etc so anyway, my fault but I kind of like fixing stuff anyway. None of this seems particularly daunting (I built (building?) a kit car at the moment anyway.

thanks for the hints bigasotonuk, knowing how the button is meant to operate is half the battle.

I'll get the multi-meter out tomorrow and have a play. Certainly no dash light comes on (headlights on, button all the way out). Do you know how the tell tale is wired - i.e. if the whole lot is off one fuse then I'm guessing it is that being the most likely cause.


Thanks for your help

Matthew