Xenons +sidelights mind of there own....

[j4gg4]

Ok i opted for a pricey rather than a cheap aftermarket xenon kit which was fitted 4 months ago, been fine till now (past week during this cold spell)


FAULT 1...
With headlight switch on '0' (zero) when i put the key in the ignition and start the car... The headlights come on regardless of it being night time or not. Switching the headlight switch does not turn them off. The only way they turn off is if i take the key out the ignition.


To get BOTH headlights to work i have to turn the headlights ON with the key OUT then start the car(i have to do this a fair few times to get BOTH headlights to come on) after ive done this.... 1 headlight ALWAYS goes out after 5 minutes. (1 or the other) seems like they cant run together anymore as a pair.

As if that wasnt the least of my problems....

FAULT 2...
I swapped my sidelights for some halfords sidelights. It triggered a malfunction on my dash and with all lights OFF they stayed ON regardless. I took them back to halfrauds and i bought myself some off ebay with resistors designed for my merc. Fitted 1 side OK works a treat. Otherside does not work AT ALL, Tried ORIGINAL sidelight bulb doesnt work. Tried known working bulb from other side DOESNT work. Erm... how do i get it working again? seems its triggered some fuse? or some sort of cut off switch or something? Could taking it to merc and getting them to reset something solve this? Im just worried with getting charged £100's and £100s over a poxy little sidelight bulb! this has gone on for almost a year now and its INCREDIBLY frustrating. Luckily i havnt had a ticket yet for this.

Suggestions on what to do below pls? Your help on this situation would be HIGHLY appriciated as im completely baffled ive spend over 10 hours in total trying to figure this out.

 

[j4gg4]

should add...

CLK 270 cdi 2004
W209

 

[j4gg4]

My other sidelight bulb doesnt work now either.

Also my left headlight bulb is off colour a tad (when it wants to work)

 

[Stu_CDX]

I think you'd have been better leaving them as they were.

Original Merc items all the way.

Sorry to hear the problems, but I'm guessing someone will say you've broken a "SAM" unit and that'll need replacing (Circa £250-300.).

 

[television]

It very hard to work out what is wrong here. Only with a meter measuring the voltages will you ever know, and this goes for the Xenon too and compare the voltages going in to the lamps,,If they are the same then the dull one is faulty somewhere

 

[j4gg4]

its so strange. Messing with it again today. Only 1 side wants to work on its own whether it be the dull side or the other side. It doesnt matter. Guess i will have to find the time to take the whole xenon kit out and then re-fit from scratch see if that solves it, if not then will get the multimeter out

 

[j4gg4]

I think you'd have been better leaving them as they were.

Original Merc items all the way.

Sorry to hear the problems, but I'm guessing someone will say you've broken a "SAM" unit and that'll need replacing (Circa £250-300.).

Does this SAM unit operate BOTH headlights and BOTH sidelights?

Or is there a SAM unit for each side??

And where can i locate it in the engine bay?

 

[whitenemesis]

Does this SAM unit operate BOTH headlights and BOTH sidelights?

Or is there a SAM unit for each side??

And where can i locate it in the engine bay?

The SAM operates both lights and a awful lot more as well....

It is located to the rear of the engine bay on the drivers side.

 

[j4gg4]

I now no longer have any headlights or sidelights, Completely GONE. The left headlight does come on for 30 seconds then goes off. Where as the right side is now completely dead. How can my lights just die slowly 1by 1? i mean.... surely if the SAM module has gone it will all go t1ts up straight away? It all started when i kept changing the sidelight bulbs..!!! Its obvious that has triggered it and if thats the case changing the sidelight bulbs is about to cost me 400 odd quid!

Anyone has anyone the part number for this front SAM module by any chance? and where could i get one from at the best price? anymore ppl want to comment on the odds for it being the SAM also? Need to make sure!!!!

 

[whitenemesis]

You need to get the car on a STAR machine to diagnose the fault(s)

You could try the breakers for salvaged units

 

[j4gg4]

Ok thanks for that!

 

[j4gg4]

Is someone able to give me the part number i need?

I think i can get the part half the price of main stealer but i need the part number, Called both my local mercedes and they WONT give me the part number over the phone.
could this be the part NO....2035454601

 

[whitenemesis]

To be sure to get the correct part one really must quote the VIN. There are so many variations, esp the SAM as it controls so much. It will depend a lot on what the specific options are on the car.

 

[television]

Once you have the new SAM it will need to be coded on STAR.

If not when you first start the car it will take a few mins for the car to find all of the things running through it, and the chances are that all of your previous faults will be there, these will go away after 10 mins and a restart until the SAM has been told what the car has got

 

[j4gg4]

Hmm

ive been quoted £250 from mercedes for the SAM unit

and £90 for diagnostic

I dont really want to pay £100 just to get a diagnosis done taking just 10 minutes.

Is there any other companys or options available who can do the STAR diagnosis for me?

Thanks

 

[television]

Many indies will do it for £20 ish

have you looked on euromerc below in my signature

 

[j4gg4]

Just taken it to a mercedes specialist who are charging £30 for a star diagnosis.

They say there star machine didnt throw up any faults.

There now stripping the car electrical system down costing £70+vat per hour and say it will be a MINIMUM 4 hour job just to find the problem.

They say star machine didnt throw up any SAM unit faults and they say the rear lights dont work either :s last time i checked rear lights were fine (the day i took it there)

Feel daylight robbery coming on.

 

[television]

Just taken it to a mercedes specialist who are charging £30 for a star diagnosis.

They say there star machine didnt throw up any faults.

There now stripping the car electrical system down costing £70+vat per hour and say it will be a MINIMUM 4 hour job just to find the problem.

They say star machine didnt throw up any SAM unit faults and they say the rear lights dont work either :s last time i checked rear lights were fine (the day i took it there)

Feel daylight robbery coming on.

There is nothing else other than a SAM that could do this, all of the items in your list were on that front SAM,,

 

[j4gg4]

So do you think they are lyin?

regarding there star machine doesnt detect any faults?

Even my friends £50 handheld cheapo ebay machine throws up short circuit faults on headlights.

shall i just cancel them to start the work tomorrow morn?

 

[television]

There is a lighting module, and I will post back on this later in the day.