Front o/s indicator - pop, bang, bang and it was gone

[philharve]

Hi All

Less than an hour ago I suffered an unexpected loss which I'm still struggling to explain. My front offside indicator module decided to part company with my car. All I have left is an empty hole in the front wing and an amber bulb attached to an electric cable hanging down over the bumper.

My passenger and I swear the road was clear - nothing to hit - and we saw no airborn objects, e.g. birds, hitting the front of my car. It sounded like something hit the front wing and I was beginning to wonder if an object was thrown from a passing car but I saw no evidence of it.

I couldn't stop to investigate because it was travelling along a clearway and I only discovered what happened when I got home. The 'pop' was the sound of the module exiting the wing and the 'bang, bang' was the sound of the module striking the body of my car. Where the module ended up I have no idea. I saw nothing in my mirror. It must have bounced into the hedge alongside the road. It's probably still there unless it's been smashed to smithereens.

I've just had the wings and sides of the car repainted to eliminate a slight corrosion problem and I feared the worse: dents running along the side of the car. But upon examining the car I could find no signs of damage, just a hole where the indicator module used to be!

The only conclusion I have been able to come up with is that the module was not fitted correctly after the car was repainted and it chose that particular moment to 'pop out'. Is this possible, pop out, I mean?

I have never changed an indicator bulb on this car and therefore I am beginning to wonder if it is normal for the module itself to come away from the car in order to replace the bulb. Presumably there is a catch under the bonnet which releases the module? Doesn't sound very secure to me.

Now I have to replace the missing module. I'll do it on Monday. Does any member know how much this module is likelty to cost? Knowing Mercedes prices it could cost an arm and a leg.

Has any other memory experience such a loss? Anything 'popping off' their car for no apparent reason?

REGARDS

Phil

 

[television]

hello Phil, yes I have heard of this before, it was not pushed home when the car was painted. They go in with a click and cant come out without releasing the catch.

They are on Ebay from time to time

 

[philharve]

Hi Malcom

So, it's true, the indicator module simply clips in. I hadn't thought about looking on eBay for a replacement, but I will.

Do the rear light cluster modules also clip in? I enquire because I was almost hit by one about a couple of years ago when, by shear chance, I was standing at a crossroad in the Marleybone Road thinking how incredible it was there weren't more accidents at such busy junctions, when suddenly there was an almighty 'bang' from within the scrum of vehicles before me. But to my surprise the traffic kept moving as if nothing had happened. No one got our of their car and shook their fists. The traffic continued to flow as if nothing had happened.

But something did happen: there was a collision. I know this because a fraction of a second after the 'bang' I saw an object tossed into the air at the centre of the scrum. However, the object got rapidly bigger and I quickly realised it was headed in my direction. It travelled about 20 metres before coming to rest about 6 inches from my feet. i bent down and picked it up. It was a rear light cluster from a Mercedes. I don't know which model. Surprisingly it wasn't broken and it looked almost new. I guess it 'popped out' during the collision. I placed the module on the pavement and went on my way, thinking, 'that was lucky'.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[television]

Rear lamps are usually screwed on, I have not known one that is clipped into the rear, it is a 8 hour job to change them on my SL

 

[kth286]

One of the writers for Mercedes Enthusiast has purchased a 320 coupe (124) and he lost his whilst driving on the motorway.

He is writng an occasional running report on his car.

Someone should tell him that his car must have had a a paint job before he got it.

 

[television]

One of the writers for Mercedes Enthusiast has purchased a 320 coupe (124) and he lost his whilst driving on the motorway.

He is writng an occasional running report on his car.

Someone should tell him that his car must have had a a paint job before he got it.

Maybe the last owner was like me and would take them out to clean them underneath

 

[philharve]

A happy ending and a lesson learned

Hi All

I visited my indie this morning and he had a front o/s indicator lens in stock which had been purchased for another customer. This customer had lost his lens in similar circumstances. However, my need was urgent so I had first claim upon it.

It cost me over GBP40.00 to replace the lens. A new amber bulb was free. A pair of such lenses cost between GBP20.00 - 35.00 on eBay, excluding delivery, and there are several types to choose from. I was therefore expecting a biggish bill but at least I now have peace of mind, and I'm legal again.

I said losing a lens must be very unusual? The indie disagreed, adding it was quite common. He agreed that when my o/s wing was repainted recently, the lens was not refitted correctly. However, there were mitigating circumstances because there's a design flaw in the latch that retains the lens. It may not latch.

He inserted the new lens but it wouldn't stay in. He disappeared to the back of the garage and I heard a grinder start up. He returned a minute later and reinserted the lens with a loud 'click'. He said that won't pop out again. There's an important mod' that needs to be done to the latch to make the lens stay in. Sounds like the latch has to have some material removed. I checked my n/s front indicator and all's well.

I looked for the original lens on my journey to and from the indie. I couldn't see it anywhere. There was no debris on the road either. I wonder what happened to my old lens?

REGARDS

Phil

PS - The W202 C class is not the only Mercedes model that occasionally pops its indicators, apparently.

 

[television]

Sorry that you did not "see the light" on your way.

The catches can be filed a touch and this is what he did as sometimes the pressure to push them in is excessive, just the thickness of the paint can be enough to stop it going click

 

[philharve]

One of the writers for Mercedes Enthusiast has purchased a 320 coupe (124) and he lost his whilst driving on the motorway.

He is writng an occasional running report on his car.

Someone should tell him that his car must have had a a paint job before he got it.

Hi David

I re-read your comment several times before I got your point. Maybe the wing had been repainted???

But maybe another possibility is that the indicator bulb (or lens) had been replaced by someone who didn't fully push the lens home? The lens should re-seat with a definite 'click'. If it doesn't latch in, it may hold the lens in place for a time, but a sudden jolt combined with the suction of the air over the bonnet will yank the lens from the wing. It's alarming when it happens because it's noisy and you're left with the impression that a lot of damage has been done. The experience was worse for me because I had just had all 4 wings repaired under warranty (light corrosion to wheel arches) and she had had a new coat of paint. However, the paintwork was unmarked (Thank God!)

REGARDS

Phil

PS - I wonder if any member can enlighten me as to exactly what the mod' is that is done to the lens to make it latch correctly? I now have a generous thickness of paint to protect the bodywork. Is the increased paint thickness a reason for the mod'?