Numberplate Light - Boot lid wiring

[Orlando 300E]

Hello all,
I have had a search for this problem mentioned before- but nothing came up.

My left number plate light works sometimes or dose not play ball-the right one keeps working though. Sometimes it works after a good slam of the boot lid.
Its not the bulb, replaced it -still intermittent.
Its not the fitting -got a new one -still the same.

Are there any known problems with W124 wiring in or to the boot lid -recent discussion about TE hatch wiring makes me wonder.

Does anyone have any ideas? Would really appreciate any suggestions before I get stopped by the Police!

Thanks in advance
O.

 

[andy_k]

I'm guessing here but i would expect the two bulbs to be wired into the same connector or at least on a "spur" from the rear lighting clusters. I'd check the cable feeding to the dodgy holder and trace it back to where it plugs into the loom. The fault could be either at that connection or in the wirng between the two.

Andy

 

[Orlando 300E]

Cheers for the reply Andy,
Just to clarify: The dodgy holder is currently a brand new one from Merc.
Its got to be the wiring!
O.

 

[NormanB]

As it is boot lid I suspect it is on the harness that is close to the hinge try giving it the old wiggle test!

 

[Orlando 300E]

Tried that! No dice....
Think I am going to have to strip the boot lid down to get at the loom.
Not looking forward to that, to many trim holders on the carpet & the loom goes through the tube hinge -bit too fiddly for my liking.
Cheers for the suggestion,
O.

 

[Orlando 300E]

Finally did it today- yes I know my last post was in February! It stopped playing up not long after my post. It raised its ugly head again a month ago.

Yes (Norman) it was the wiring, adjacent to the hinge within the black corrugated flexible "trunking".

The insulation on all five wires was split, with the live feed core to the number plate lights was snapped -just a little disconcerting..........

It seemed to have snapped right at the mid point of the bend in the loom before it goes into the left boot hinge. Probably the insulation had lost its malleability and the exposed wire snapped from fatigue.

I actually stripped the complete loom from the boot lid, this proved to be complete overkill. Could have fixed from inside the boot.

over and out
O.

 

[Bruce_Jeffares]

C180 Number Plate Lights - bootlid wiring

Interested to read O's problem on his 1988 300E

I have just had exactly the same problem on my 1997 C180.

The cable is clipped too close to the hinge and eventually breaks.

Fixing, or checking is fairly easy, without removing much. if any, trim.

Check under the parcel shelf, offside, close to the hinge. If the cables are gone you can feel the break through the black flexible trunking.

BRJ