No Main Beam (W212 E350)

[E350-Sam]

Hi All,

I have just bought a 2010 E350 and all is great other than a few smaller issues... one of the ones I would love some help with is that I have no main beams on my headlights. I have checked the bulbs and they are fine, the blue icon comes up on the dash when I try to engage the main beams, but nothing happens with regards to light. Is this a common fault somebody can help with? I have tried searching but cant seem to find anything.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[mioba]

Hi Sam,

Where are you located, biggest plus with a MB is get a good indy at hand, hence the question, maybe some can recommend.

I assume the rest of the things working of the power supply are working to that bulb holder?

 

[E350-Sam]

I'm located in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire... I have ordered a Icarsoft MB V2.0 diagnostic thing as I also have a problem with the parking sensors and am hoping this will help diagnose, so maybe it will also show something for the headlights. There are no errors on the dash etc. All other lights are working fine.

 

[Rotorhead500]

Have you got main beam assist on?

 

[Uncle Benz]

Might be a red herring, but if you replace the ballast units the main beam won’t work until they are coded. I’d have thought it’s unlikely if neither are working, but maybe they’ve both been replaced and not coded.

(Assuming you have xenons )

 

[E350-Sam]

Have you got main beam assist on?

I'd be lying if I said I knew , how do I tell this?

 

[E350-Sam]

Might be a red herring, but if you replace the ballast units the main beam won’t work until they are coded. I’d have thought it’s unlikely if neither are working, but maybe they’ve both been replaced and not coded.

(Assuming you have xenons )

I know the main beams are just standard H7 bulbs, so assuming not Xenons...

I did work something out this morning though actually, if I turn my headlight dial to side lights only, the full beams suddenly work, but if I turn back to dipped beam or Auto or even off the main beams no longer work. very strange

Light dial set to off = Main beams dont work
Light dial set to Auto = Main beams don't work
Light dial set to sidelights = Main beams do work

 

[mioba]

Is it the same in day or night, I ask as you know they are connected to a light sensor.

 

[E350-Sam]

This was on the dark this morning, I will check it in the light shortly

 

[Rotorhead500]

I'd be lying if I said I knew , how do I tell this?

I'm on my phone at the mo, so don't know know what age your car is, but if you have Main Beam Assist, the blue main beam dash light normally has a small "A" in one corner.

 

[E350-Sam]

I'll take a look, the car is a 2010 - W212 E350

 

[Velo]

Do you have intelligent light assist and is it set to on. If so when the light selector is set to auto the main beam comes on when travelling over 50 kph and will dip automatically. It will also change when your speed increases to light more of the road furthest from you.

 

[E350-Sam]

Nope definitely don't have that!
I've also noticed that when I turn the switch dial it doesn't seem to cha he the lights, I think something may have been bypassed/bodged

 

[E350-Sam]

Did also find this yesterday, not sure what it means though ...

 

[LostKiwi]

Implausible signals are those that fall outside expected range. For example is something should be 12v or 0v and it returns 5v that would be implausible.
It would suggest the light switch is faulty or given its a stored code encountered an issue (for example if there was a bad connection).

 

[E350-Sam]

Hmm, think it is worth swapping the switch with one off of fleabay for the sake of £20ish?

 

[joderest]

If the same as mine, lights are controlled by a module, the switches just send a signal.
my Mercedes has positions on the light stalk for off, side lights, auto and just lights. ( i have never used auto)
If no main beam, and dip is coming on, would not think it would be the light switch, more the stalk. ( on the w163, switch and stalk are same thing), could be a loose connection on the stalk when you push forward for main beam, but it could also be the module not switching the signal.
Its going to be "one of those" faults

 

[E350-Sam]

I kind of rules out the stalk due to the blue main beam light coming on the dash when I push the stalk back/forward etc... The dipped and side lights work... But the dial doesn't have any effect on them i.e they are just always on regardless of position

 

[EmilysDad]

...... ( i have never used auto)
.....

Why would you not? Mine is rarely set to anything else .... parking lights or light set to ON so I can I have main beam when I want it

 

[joderest]

i dont know, just never used it !!!!, maybe its an age thing