W204 Mercedes C Class Tail light Recall Error Faulty Earth Wire Repair Fault Socket Connector
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 พ.ค. 2014
- How I repaired the faulty earth connection on the right (RHS) tail light assembly on the W204 C Class sedan.
Use 10A to 15A automotive wire to create a new earth. Note Mercedes uses brown coloured insulation for earth wires.
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Almost 6 years later and this video does some good. Thanks for posting and taking the time to show a good fix for this issue MB has decided not to fix in the US. At least for my 2013 C63.
Thanks. Make the repair and you won't have any more problems. Scott
I’ve just had this exact same issue, I got some 17amp (instead of 5amp or whatever MB fit as standard) and soldered it directly to the metal of the bulb holder, with the other end of the 60cm wire I put a ring connector on it and connected it directly to the earthing point near the fuse box, I then put some electrical tape over the old thin burnt brown Ground cable - Job done! Lights are now bright again and working fine - Tools needed = Soldering iron and solder, 17amp wire, connector to attach to the earthing point. - Thank you for this Video!!!
Best video EVER !!!
Took me 20 minutes to fix all my lights. Drilled a 1.5mm hole through the plastic plate and the metal connectoer then pushed the wire in from the back and soldered it with a blob. Scott. you rock !
Hi Scott, I had the same issue with my W204. The earth wire is indeed seriously under rated, my maths told me the wire required needed to carry 4 times more current when all lights were needed. I noticed you carried out the same repair on both the right and left side. I did the same as both my connections were badly burnt. My new brown wires was rated at 15 amps. I also noticed my rear parking sensors improved in operation. No more false warning whilst driving normally. As far as can ascertain no recall was made in Ireland.
Hi Scott, After discovering same problem my first thoughts were to take to MB garage. However after watching your clip I decided to purchase 15 amp cable and do the job myself. Only difference was I used a crimped ring connector to main Earth. First attempt at soldering but was chuffed to bits when I fired motor up and 100% success. Great educational video, easy on the eye and simple to follow. Saved a bit of cash, learned something new and stuck two fingers up money grabbing MB. Thank you very much
+Bob May Good on you Bob. I've found life is much easier with these cars if you take control. Thanks for the compliment. You should sleep easier knowing your car is unlikely to go up in flames. Regards, Scott
Got around to doing it today. Worked like a charm!! Warning lights on the dash have gone, tail light now nice and bright and no chance of this burning. Used a 15amp wire soldered to the plate and run back to grounding point as described in the video. Once again thank you!!
Dan Cross Good work Dan. Glad to hear your Mercedes won't go up in flames. Kind regards, Scott
Hello Scott, thank you very much for video sharing. I replace circuit and connector twice however they still damaged after a certain time. I will replicate your method to my W204. thank you very much!!!!!
Always the way init Scott, just had my back-plate and connector replaced as error messages on dash indicated failure of each light in the cluster . Cost an extra £30 during a B1 service. Then found your fix. Will almost certainly carry out your suggested upgrade soon. Thank so much for your expertise. UK
scoobyman Yep it's always the way. The sad thing is MB will not admit there's a design fault. I'd say their lawyers have their grubby hands all over it.
I wrote a letter to MB headquarters in Oz. They never replied despite sending it twice. So I sent my letters to the Motoring Editor of one of the national newspapers as I have some contacts there. He sent a letter with my letters to MB.
I received a short reply from MB saying they'd never received any letters from me (BS!). They didn't address anything I'd raised. Their only comment was if Mercedes in Germany told them to do something they would.
I read on the Benzworld forum recently about some poor soul in the USA with a W204. His car went up in flames in the garage due to the tail light problem. It destroyed his car, his wife's car, his BMW motorcycle and his house!
Corporations now have no moral fibre be it the Catholic Church or a car manufacturer. The number one driver when there's a problem is to protect the corporation. I'm so glad I'm retired as I was an "Executive Manager" in the construction industry. Being an honest professional person caused me a lot of stress as the industry clashed with my own values constantly.
Scott... 8 years on and this video of yours is still a gem. The right rear tail cluster failed yesterday on my S204 2010 estate and its exactly the same problem. Unfortunately, the 8 pin plug has fused with the bulb board and won't come out so I need to replace both. Got a temp fix in place with another earth cable connected buts a fire hazard. Previously I had a S202 estate for 16+ years and that car only had 3 issues ever. How this isn't a worldwide safety issue is beyond me and MB needs to be called out on it.
Thanks. Yes it's amazing that there hasn't been an upgraded part available.
thanks MrScott52; this is the 2nd of your handy tips which helped fix my 2009 W204. First was the broken command controller wheel. Inthis case the RH blinker started flashing quickly; inspection showed the conector was melted so i applied the fix. Turned out the LH side assembly was also starting to melt so i fixed that as well!.
Could on you Brett ... it's great seeing as all taking control. I was glad I could help. You could probably see it's a potentially serious safety problem.
I'm part though preparing a letter to MB about it. I'd love to see the media get hold of this. Kind regards, Scott
Thanks for the very helpful guidance here, Scott! My UK spec. 2011 C250 W204 Estate car had the very same fault - brown earth wire had burned through the black femail spade connector and onto the bulb circuit board, failing all the lights on the removable bulb board. I had thought I need to buy a new bulb board, readily available on eBay - £18+ for copy, £33+ for 'genuine' Mercedes (off eBay...). But, by just cleaning up the burnt parts on the black female connector unit into the male blades on the bulb board, I soldered a fresh Brown 10 Amp wire onto the metal frame, as recommended by you .... but connected the other end of the new wire back out to the cleaned up brown earth wire (original Merc earth). Maybe not the ultimate workaround, like yours Scott, but I will keep an eye on it just in case. I also contacted my local Mercedes Franchise to see if it was still being fixed 'quietly' by Merc when you have it Serviced (I use my own mechanic now, given its age) , but no response back - and I needed to be driving it again.
Good on you David. Keep an eye on it because the existing ground wire in the connector is undersized by my reckoning. I estimated that wire could draw close to 10A under certain conditions ... lights on, brake on, in reverse with indicator going and engine off thus lower voltage and more amps.
The point I was trying to make in the video was it's safer to bypass that original wire and connect a new ground direct to the body.
Exactly this is what happened to me / my car now! The video shows the issue and the countermeasure in a great and understandable way. Thank you very much!
Thanks Marco. You won't have anymore problems after this modification.
Experiencing this problem, a huge safety issue. Thank you for your video. I'm in Australia too
Many Thanks for that Scott.I contacted Mercedes Benz in Newcastle Upon Tyne regarding my "dim" rhs rear light cluster!
They advised me to book my 2010 model c class in for a diagnostic check!which i declined.
instead i followed your advice,spent less than £1 on wire and connector and solved the faulty earth in less than an hour.
Once again Many Thanks...
Good work Ken. Glad I could help. Scott
After watching this video several times I decided to do it. Mine had same issue however the harness was not damaged or melted. Went with the soldering approach and came out flawless. Attached other end to the nearest ground and vwala. No more error message and light functions.
Hello Scott
i have a 2007 200c and was going crazy had the faulty RH stop light warning i replaced stop light globes a, a day latter fault warning came on again replaced the right turn bulb fault warning came on again
After looking a many how to fix the problem
Luckily i found your site , after close inspection of the wiring harness in the RH rear light component i noticed the brown earth wire was burnt upon pulling out the wiring harness mine was a lot more burnt than your one on the instruction video.
I followed your instruction problem fixed.
A great video I cant thank you enough great advice
best wishes Andrew
my problem is fixed today. thank you very much. I went to Mercedes-Benz Derby they don't accept any recall because of this problem, but they say is a common fault. anyway I have fixed it as you said in this video. Thank you very much. Said.
Nice one Scott! Had the same trouble with my 2010 UK c-class estate. I replaced one rear bulb plate with a new one as it was very badly melted, only for the other side to start over-heating. Fixed an earth wire to both sides as you suggset and it worked a treat. No more burning plastic. It's really dented my faith in Mecedes though. They shouldn't produce cars with this issue.
+paul ryan Well done on solving the issue. You can sleep at night. It's annoyed the hell out of me to. I've written to Mercedes Australia and pointed it out as a safety issue. No reply until I passed a copy of my letter to a national newspaper. They didn't print it but the Journalist contacted Mercedes. I got a reply but they fobbed it off to Mercedes in Germany. This is against our Consumer Protection laws as the vendor must take responsibility to correct the faults.
I'm going to take them on through our Competition and Consumer Protection department as they're not being accountable. I read on the Benzworld forum a members W204 caught on fire in his garage due to the tail light. He lost both his cars, his BMW motorcycle, the garage and his house!
paul ryan . I am in Australia. those days temp 45+C Mersedes and Vwlkswagen cars becomes ( 2007 onwards ) having lots problems. Australians lost faith in German cars
Scott Elliott. really you r doing very good job for those Blaffed Mercedes Customers who hv no time to follow their lawful rights.
paul ryan Hi. How can I contact you? Im in the UK, as well. 2009 C class estate. Currently trying to deal with a rear door lock actuator replacement ( door blocked on shut mode), good luck to me. Meanwhile, after I lock up the car, the right side, front top part of headlight stays on and also the rear same side has got light on. Is it the same issue? Luckily I drive it everyday or most of days. Just need to fix it.
Thanks a ton Scott..I got the stuff needed and used an 8 amp wire..it works fine..saved me a rip-off trip!! to the Merc dealer!..please keep sharing..
Glad I could help out. Scott
Hi Scott, firstly, thanks for the heads up and the video tuition. I see how the 2nd wire is connected with the solder to the plate and then to a grounding point but you mention that you also replaced the original wire to the connector..... i'd like to do that too but once that 5a wire goes into the bunch of cables and under the fuse box i have no idea where it goes to..... can i just use the 1 wire soldered to the plate and grounded?
Dan Cross Hi Dan. The answer is yes. You don't need the original wire once you've added the new earthing wire soldered to the metal bulb holder plate.
The only reason I've got the original wire is that was my first attempt at trying to fix the problem. I replaced that wire when I discovered the burnt and melted connector. It was still getting hot as the pin itself is too small and being zinc coated starts oxidising quicker with the heat.
Use a decent cable soldered to the metal plate like 15A for example. Put an eye connector on the end and bolt that end to the earthing connector near the fuse compartment. Ditch the OEM wire.
You'll be able to sleep at night.
Great video and very informative. Fixed my W204 rhs rear tail light with this simple solution. Genius!
Thanks Tony. Glad it helped.
An ingenious way to correct the problem. I added one modification when I used in on my USA version of the C300. I inserted a bullet connector in the new wire about 6 inches (150 mm) away from where it exits the lamp holder. This makes it a lot easier if it is ever necessary to remove the bulb holder from the car later. I checked the change carefully and continuity was fine and it introduced no additional resistance above that of the same length of continuous wire. I used a bullet connector rated for 15 amps @ 12 v. Thanks for coming up with your solution.
Good one Rusell. For interest I've never had any further problems with my tail lights since adding these additional earth wires. No burning smell, smoke, error messages or flickering bulbs. It all works perfectly as they should have done from the factory in the first place.
Because of your video I was able to fix my 2009 C300. Thanks.
Good news. You can sleep at night now. Scott
Great video Scott, just replaced the full bulb cluster unit and added the extra earth for £30 and 1 hours work. Thanks for the advice
Glad I was of some help. Scott
Thank you for this video! You saved me!
Thank you so much for this video upload I can now fix it myself. Being without any money to get this fixed you helped me alot.
Josh Takken Josh good on you for taking control. Glad I could help out. Scott
this is owsome i had this issue for about 14months and i changed a few bulps during this time... today when i checked i had a hole in the plastic where the bulps go ;) however i did this and it took me like 1h for both tail llights and the cost was like 3.50 euros :) cheers mate keep posting stuff like this :)))))
Valeri that's great news. Glad I could help. You won't have any more problems with your taillights now. Regards, Scott
I think the previous owner of my car watched your video... in my case only the bulb had gone and the fix had been applied exactly like in this video :) Double thumbs up!
Good news Marcus. I'm pleased the video was helpful. Scott
Lifesaver. My connector and wiring was even worse than yours. Both sides. Thanks, man.
Glad you've sorted it out. Well Done.
hi dear the engine light is now on in the dashboard after doing that operation. what can the problem be? thank you.
said
You Sir, are awesome! Even though I just found a pre-recall letter for this very item, I am going to spend a few minutes and use this procedure--even if it is only for the drive to the dealer to get them to fix it properly.
Good one Bill. I've written to MB Australia about this serious safety problem with the suggested repair. Needless to say I've had no response. I would guess my letter is with their legal counsel.
It doesn't matter if it's the Catholic church or a car manufacturer the protection of the corporation will always come first.
MrScott52 So I remembered receiving something from them a month ago. I dug through my filing system (Pile of papers) and found a letter informing me that when they have parts they will call me for the replacement service. It seems that Canada and the states are part of the recall coverage, I'm not sure why it hasn't reached down under yet. They were specific about years and vin numbers. Good on you for providing an interim fix until their attorneys work it out.
Hello im from indonesia... and i fixed tail light my W203 because this video. Thank you 👍
Devi I'm pleased I could help. Scott
Thank you, this worked great for my 2010 wagon.
Good news Darren. Glad I could help out. Regards, Scott
0:35 Wow for a second there i thought that was my car in the background..i had the same issue but my left rear luckily i caught it early, you notice that one tail light is a little dimmer than the other. Brilliant fix i will be doing this thanks.
Hi Yusef. You don't need the original earth once you add the new one. Some people make up a lead with eye connectors on each end. Drill a hole through the backing plate and bolt it on and bolt the other end to the earth point.
Once you've done each side you'll be able to sleep at night!
if her black plastic socket is already melted and burned, whether it should replace all? or just make new ground cable wire? I had problem in the left side.
You just need to make a new ground cable. If you wish you can buy new bulb carriers on eBay. www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mercedes-W204-Rear-Right-Tail-Light-Cluster-Bulb-Holder-A2048201600-/172479316372?&_trksid=p2056016.m2516.l5255
Great Scott! This is exactly what I had in mind to do LoL but wanted to 1st chk if any others had done same. I'm no electrician, so didn't want to burn the car out. Thanks Scott.
Thanks. It's a simple modification. If you don't wish to solder, drill a hole in the metal, put an eye terminal on the wire and bolt it down.
Very nice video, and it helps me to solve the exact same problem, good on you mate
+Adam EL Masri Thanks Adam ... happy to help out. You'll sleep easier once this modification is done. Regards, Scott
Hi Scott, does the earth wire connection prevents from that cable to heat the faulty tail lamp cables?
btw; i have no idea on electric circuits.
***** Eddy the original earth wire is too small for the current so it heats up. It gets so hot the plastic in the socket and connector starts melting.
My modification is to install a larger earthing wire that can accept the current. It works well and I've had no problems since making the modification. If you have a W204 I'd urge you to make this change as it's a safety hazard. Regards, Scott
hola tengo un con la luz de reversa de un Mercedes Benz 204 año 2008... me puede ayudar....
despue cambiar el Sam ..... se encendiende la luz reversa al poner la llave en on
hey scott wpuld it be ok to cut the brown cable leave it connected to the harness and simpky ground it to a chassis point or should u actually remove it from the harness altogether and then solder it to the plate and ground to chassis
You need to connect a new earth wire to the tail light backing plate and ground that. That's the point of the exercise ... a new ground connection direct from the backing plate bypassing the dodgy connector.
@@ScottElliott152 understood ... ive seen then do exactly this for some quick fixes ... i guess if your gonna do it right better do it once
another question scotty i noticed u still had a wire connected to the harness for the ground pin connector .... fid u leave it connected or cut it off completely.... same with lhs i npticed that there was still a wire there too.... i. guess as long as u connect another solid grounding point it will fix the issue?
@@MIKEYZVLOGZ you don't need the original ground wire. The new one replaces it.
Hi Scott, firstly great video have followed it step by step so far. I am however struggling with soldering to the earthing point in the car, are there any tips you have for sorting this out I can't quite see the area you've soldered to. I've tried using the multimeter to make sure there is a connection but I am getting no response from the earthing point on my car. Thanks
Hi Tom. Put an eye connector onto the wire and bolt it to the earth point. You'll see it ... it has a bunch of brown wires with eye connectors all bolted to that little stud. Regards, Scott
Hi Scott, thanks a ton for this great video. I had this issue on my 2009 S204 on the right/passenger side tail light. I replaced the 7 pin socket, the bulb holder and every bulb with brand new ones and added the extra ground line as indicated. After doing so, every light in the holder works except for the stop/tail park lamp (bottom/right on the bulb holder when you look at it facing the bulbs) which feeds from the 5th pin from left (ground/brown string) to right in the socket. I did some testing and I am not getting any signal from the corresponding string (in my case black/yellow) that connects to the rear SAM. If I connect any other powered string of the harness to the 5th pin the stop/tail park lamp does turn on. Do you have any thoughts on what could be done to solve this? Do you reckon that the brown/ground string melting the prior bulb holder could have damaged the rear SAM? Could there be a damaged fuse affecting only that single lamp? Thanks so much in advance!
Difficult to know what your problem is without seeing the car. All you can do is use a process of elimination and work through it in a logical fashion. The previous melted ground wire could have affected the rear SAM but I'm speculating. If it was me I'd be connecting my Xentry/DAS software to see what fault codes exist, if any, in the rear SAM. You will have to find someone with the diagnostics to plug it in to find out what's going on.
Hi Scott, you mention in your video you used a 10 Amp wire of 600mm for the right hand side of the lights circuit. If I were have a grounding cable from the left hand side of the light circuit to the right hand side of the car to ground at the common grounding point. How many amps wire should I get? Does it affect any part of the electrical devices (interference etc.) if I do not use the common ground point?
Thanks
Leong you could do that but use 20A wire. It won't affect anything in the car if you do that.
Although I think that will be more work for you. I looked at different options and found the quickest and easiest way was to add the 10A wire to each side. Good luck with it. Did your connector show signs of burning and melting?
MrScott52 both side are burned. I've ordered a new set of the lamp holder to replace them plus doing some modifications on them for the grounding soon.
For me to fix the grounding on the LH side of the vehicle requires me to strip down the boot to remove the boot lining to access to the chasis of the vehicle.
Just that I need to run the grounding wire back to the common grounding point on the RH side of the vehicle.
BTW what do I do with the RH side grounding wire of the parking sensor. Can it be directly connected with the grounding wire on the lamp carrier
Leong xia wen Both sides burned! That's terrible.
Parking sensor can be grounded with the bulb carrier ground wire at he same point.
Hi Scott. Quick question. Thanks for the video - what do I do if the harness clip itself is melted. Am I able to source a new harness clip and use the existing good cables into it? Thanks again.
Thanks. I doubt you'll be able to purchase a new connector from Mercedes but you should ask because these things have been a problem for over a decade. The other option is a Wrecker ... and yes you can use the existing cables. Search TH-cam for a video on how to extract the cables from the back of the connector and insert into another. I'd recommend you still add the additional earth leads as shown in the video so you can sleep at night 😁. ASV Euro Car Parts have plenty of W204 C Class Mercedes being parted out.
thanks a lot for the demonstration very helpful. I did all you've shown but when I turn on the indicator it will just flick 2 to 3 times and then the upper light start flicking and message saying check bulb and all the bulbs are working, checked the connector but seem to be okay. Any suggestion on what to do next?
+Ahmed yousuf yaradua Ahmed it's a process of elimination. It sounds like an electrical connection. If it was me I'd remove the plastic bulb carrier and check that all bulbs are making good electrical contact in each socket. You may have some corrosion deposits. Use some abrasive paper to clean the contacts in the sockets and on the bulbs. Also spray the connectors with CRC/WD40 before reconnecting. Regards, Scott
Hi Scott, what did you do to the original brown wire that was connected into the connector? did you just leave it out without connecting into the connector or did you just leave it connected to the connector?
Originally I left in the connector. Later I removed it completely. Once you added the new earth wire the original is not required. Regards, Scott
@Scott Eliiott, Thank you for the great video. When I am on the traffic light, i hold the brake and indicator to the LHS for 20+ sec, I will get a LHS indicator FAILED message on dash & indicator sound became very fast, however the indicator works fine. I do not have problem on the RHS, do you think the Earth Wire would fix this?
Thank you very much!
Not sure but the earth wire should be done anyway. The original is undersized so replace that first and see if it fixes the LHS indicator.
Scott Elliott thanks! The LHS bolt should be easy to find?
@@alexanderchen345 Yes. Just follow the video.
Remember to install a new earth wire to both sides.
@@ScottElliott152 I have added the ground wire (hopefully I done it correctly) Image: imgur.com/a/GyAJnf6 However sometimes it still giving me the Rear Left Indicator error message (but it works fine), usually during Left Turn intersection. Any idea? Thanks !!
Thanks for the video, I was about to buy new parts but now I’m thinking of running a new ground cable with more heat resistance.
I have a question if you can help, I have some brown cable single core 1.5mm (thickness) top flex tri-rated 600/1000v heat resistant 90. E194780, is this cable good enough? The amper may be 20A or more but I can’t find the exact rating.
Safeer that cable will be fine. Some people put an eye connector on each end. Obviously one end bolts to the grounding point on the body. For the other end they drill a hole through the backing plate and bolt it on. I decided to solder ... I must like soldering!
Scott Elliott thanks,
I did exactly what you said I did not solder it’s working.
I don’t know if you have a video on this error “Right Cornering Light” and “Intell light inoperative” however this second one has disappeared for now
@@54FEER "Right Cornering Light" is the right fog lamp. They illuminate when you turn. The right one for right hand turns and left for left hand turns. Check the fog lamp bulbs.
Hi Scott - so my left bulb plate went a few months ago and a garage replaced the board and connector and now my right has gone and I've just ordered a plate an connector - and then saw your video. Mine is a mercedes w204 estate (station wagon). I was wondering if I can use the brown wire in a lighting cable (for mains electricity in UK homes as I have this already) - its thicker than the Mercedes brown earth cable?
Yes that should be fine. Read through the comments as there's some good information to give you various ideas to work with. Good luck and report back with your findings. Scott
@@ScottElliott152, its official you are a genius. The hardest part was tinning the panel, but once done - its fixed the problem. I can return the rear light panel plate and connector I bought back to Mercedes. I'll do my other side as a back up when I get some time too. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for this video!
Thanks Raul.
Thanks, Scott my right side burnt out last year on my W204 and yesterday the left side burnt out.
I had the rear tail lamp bulb carrier repaired at the dealer just last week. After I picked up the vehicle after the repair I received a notice that the front driver's side low beam light was not work. I purchased a new bulb expecting a simple fix. It was not the problem. There was no voltage to the left bulb (right had proper voltage). A review of the possible problem suggested it was not a fuse, but probably in the electronics (the SIM, I believe). Any thoughts on whether this recall fix may have affected the electronic components serving the headlight?
Rod D It's hard to imagine how replacing the rear bulb carrier would affect one of the headlight low beams. I'm at a loss to give any suggestions. Could the dealer have damaged something? ... possibly but hard to prove.
Is it all possible that you're checking the wrong light bulb? The hi-beam is the easiest to get to, while the low-beam is located in a lower and more outward position from the center of the engine compartment. Many people make this mistake.
Hi Scott. Mine melted the metal plate that connects to the brown cable when the black part with all the wires is in,leaving me without a pin to be attached to the earthing spot yoh found. It actually the melt penetrated the plastic and its visible on the side of the plate that should take the new wire. Do you think I need a new plate and black holder for the wires?
If yours is that damaged it maybe wise to get a new backing plate and connector. You'll still need to install the additional earth wire as per the video. Scott
@@ScottElliott152 Thanks. I did yesterday from Mercedes:D They dont want to admit liability in the UK. Ill do the whole thing when Im off again. Shame. This was my first german car experience. One advice for you, rear door actuators will go at some point. Mine got stuck on lock mode. So I have to fix the rear right side and replaced the damaged actuator. There are ways to bypass it for front doors in order to prevent failing and be stuck in lock mode. Do you still have the car? Thank you. Wishing you a nice weekend:D
@@japanluv Yes I still have the car and intend keeping it for a long time. It's very low kms at 78,000 but not worth much as it's 10 years old. Thanks for alerting me about the door actuators. Scott
Hello scott first of all this is a really informative video and I would like to thank you for uploading it...I was wondering where your from I would like to bring my car and do some work on it...coz this days u can't trust anyone and I like the way you do your work...very impressed
Thanks Zakir I'm very flattered. Unfortunately I don't wish to work on others cars as it would end up a job ... not enough time then to ride my motorcycles! I'm in Australia. Scott
Hi Scott, Many thanks for your vid on burnt light cluster connector, Is it the case where you solder the brown 10 amp wire on to the back plate it takes the load off the thin brown wire. Many thanks great vid cheers mate.
Yes Ronnie. It's an alternative earth wire. You can remove the existing earth wire in the connector. For good measure use a decent earth. I calculated 10A is enough but use 15A if you want to make extra sure.
Hi , im having automatic lights inoperative message , i dont have intérior lights on my car , the message are
B22E3 and U0231 any help Will be gréât thanks
Error codes are B22E3 and U0231 thanks
If you google those codes you'll find their meaning. Also join www.benzworld.org as they usually have that information. You may need to have your vehicle plugged into DAS/Xentry to track down the faults.
What years is this an issue with? I have a '12 C300 4Matic ; did they fix it by then? Thanks !
+Todd Miller Todd I know it's an issue from 2007 up to the face lifted model released in 2012? I'd have a guess the face lift model will be the same.
Just pull the connector off the RHS taillight and inspect it. It's only a couple of minutes work. It's worth doing for peace of mind. Let us all know what you find. Regards, Scott
Scott Elliot. I have the same issue. My 2010 c300 melted the plastic backing plate a bit and the connectors at the ground wire part. (Both sides). Before I even seen this video or tried your method, I soldered the original ground wire straight to the backing plate. Worked fine for a few months but then just yesterday one of the tail/brake lights was always staying on even with the car off. And at that point I had no blinkers either just in the rear. Also all the notifications came up for every rear light in the car. So I tried your tip. It worked with every light except blinkers. So I don’t know what happened to make it so every light works except my blinkers. Then I tried to do it over again cuz I figured I didn’t have a good solder on the back plate. When I was done and connected everything it seems nothing wants to work now. I am completely stumped. Also I do not have led blinkers. Any help would be appreciated please
It's difficult for me to diagnose. You need to use a logical process of elimination to isolate the problem. Check the fuses, check if power is getting to the bulbs, check the bulbs, make sure your earth lead is soldered to the negative or earth part of the backing plate.
I have the same issue. It’s starting to melt but not too hard. If I make this workaround, I wonder if the original wire can be conserved in its place. I mean, the original wire attached to the pin and the other one soldered and attached to the chassis “working together”. Is there any problem with that? Thank you in advance.
You can leave the original in place. Just add the additional earth cable as shown in the video.
Hello,
Gonna try this method soon as having same issue now. Only one question:
Do I need to use crimping tool in order to connect grounding wire ending with an eye connector?
Well you need to connect your wire to the connector. So yes you can crimp but you don't need to buy the crimping tool. You can use pliers to squeeze the metal onto the wire. I usually crimp and solder my connectors.
@@ScottElliott152 thanks, gonna use pilers and then add some extra solder
How did you fix a burned out original brown earthing wire? Did you change the whole cable from connector to the end of the cable? Also how do I get the lugs out of the connector pin?
Terrence, Yes I replaced the complete wire. The slot in the connector fell apart as the plastic was burnt to carbon almost. I pushed it through and soldered a new wire to the end of it. You can see what I mean at 5.27 where the little metal lug comes out as it can't lock in anymore.
I'm not sure what you mean by "lugs out of the connector pin"? Are you talking about the individual little metal lugs that are locked into the plastic connector fitting? If you are ... you pull the connector out of the back of the tail light, Look at it face on and push a very small stiff piece of wire or tiny jewellers screwdriver into the bottom slot under each metal lug. You are pushing a locking tab in that will allow the wire with the metal lug to be pulled out from the back. To install you just push them in from the back again. It's fiddly and the wire needs a decent tug to come out. Hope that helps. Kind regards, Scott
its now 2019 and I have the same problem with my 2009 w204 on the left side just noticed the lights had gone dim. My thought is to go see what MB say about it if it was a recall and what they would do to fix it but your solution looks solid.. Thanks J
Jason don't bother with MB. In some countries there was a recall but all they do is replace the connectors and/or backing plate. To use redesigned parts by default is admitting there's a problem. Just make up a lead and earth the backing plate directly. You can dispense with the earth lead in the connector. Some people put an eye on each end of the lead and bolt it to the plate if they don't wish to use a soldering iron.
@@ScottElliott152Hi Scott okay good point I will add the lead on both sides and not make this more complicated. Thank you for your advice.
Hi Scott. My case is even more drastic. My vehicle burns all bulbs in less than 30 days. I have decided to work on it myself. I could really use some advice. Will start checking all ground wires since the battery drains quite quickly too. Thanks for your videos.
That's a strange issue. No option but to logically work through each circuit with a DMM looking for shorts or open circuits.
Hi Scott. Thanks for this! I have an led cluster on my 2008 w204. The indicator light is flickering and I think it may be because the earth wire is melting. I see you have bulbs on your cluster. Will your fix work for the led cluster you think ?
+nuddaaa Yes it will work. My tail light has LED indicators. I think yours will be the same in that the other lights will be conventional bulbs. In fact they must be hence the current draw and the earth wire being overloaded. I'd strongly recommend you do this modification because there's a serious fire risk. Regards, Scott
+Scott Elliott Thanks Scott. Although the symptoms were the same, it turned out that taking the connectors off each side of the cluster and putting them back on has fixed it. There is zero visible corrosion etc inside the connectors or on the earth cable. I wonder if I still need to change the earth wire with urgency
+nuddaaa Yes as it's a known problem. The earth wires is undersized in my professional opinion as an Engineer. For peace of mind I'd do the modification. It's only 30 mins work if you're organised. Scott
+Scott Elliott will get onto it soon. Thanks!!
+nuddaaa Good on you. I read on the Benzworld forum about a fellow who parked his C300 in the garage after work. The tail light earth had caught fire and he didn't know. The car went up in flames. He lost the Mercedes, his wife's car, his BMW motorcycle and his house! Let us know how you go with the modification. Regards, Scott
hey mr scott , my just have the melting issue not the scotching on the connectors but i still add the wires on both sides cause the bulbs generating too much heat ..you they something else than that at fault ?
It is the earth wire that causes problems so I can't think of anything else. Make sure all connections are clean and double check your work.
+Scott Elliott ..funny now it won't start ..its on on dash but not the red to start
Karim Anwar , my engine light is on in the dashboard. did you fix your problem?
hello Scott, could you tell me how do you replace all the wires in the right hand side connector.
what kind of size do you use to replace the original wires?
the black connector is Embrittlement after using and I have a new one. before I put it back. I would like to consult you about wire change, does each wire need to be changed or only the brown one with new pin? thank you very much!
Barry only the brown wire needs to be changed. You can leave out the brown wire from the new connector because with my method the new brown wire will replace the brown earth wire in the connector. Use a minimum of 10A wire for your new brown wire.
You need a very small screwdriver ... like a jewellers screwdriver or a hairclip to push into the front of the connector to release the small catch on each pin connector and pull the wires out from the back. Then you just push them into the new connector from the back. This is another persons video but it should explain what I mean: How to remove wires from a 4G63 DSM wiring harness ECU connector. Hope this helps. Kind regards, Scott
Hello Scott, thank you for your reply. I cut the connector due to it's too hard to me to use a very small tool to remove the pins out. thank you.
Barry Wu That's another method for sure. So did that expose all the pins and you will now push them into the new connector?
MrScott52 I insert them back to a new connector, I purchase it from MB part dealer USD 4 dollars.
Barry Wu
Hi Barry, would you have a link for that new connector?
My rear tail light just gave me the indicator warning.
Very helpful, thanks.
Thanks Neil ... happy to help out.
hello, at first thank you for video tutorial. Tomorrow i will try repair my right side. Can i use brown 15A cable? Before i start with repair, must i disconnect battery? thanks!
Yes a 15A wire is suitable. If you're not confident with doing electrical work it's good safety policy to disconnect the battery.
All your settings in the car are stored so it's not problem having it disconnected. I do it all the time. Scott
+Scott Elliott So i only need to go to shop and ask for 15A brown cable? Dont need to know about material of cable or thickness of cable? thanks
Go to the auto accessory shop and buy a roll of 15A automotive wire ... brown colour.
+Scott Elliott Done! thank you again!
Does it matter if both new earth wires are connected to the same ground which is already in use? Thanks for the video.
No it doesn't. Connect to the stud that has a bunch of brown wires bolted two it.
Can someone tell me if the grounding point is the same when soldering on an earth wire on the rear left light cluster ?
yes. But check with a multimeter for continuity from the soldering point to a grounding bolt.
Yes it is. I do both bulb carriers in the video. To satisfy yourself check for continuity with the earth pin in the socket and the metalwork on the bulb carrier. You can make up a simple test light using a battery, wires and bulb or a multimeter that has a continuity testing circuit
Thanks Scott! Worked for me!!! :)
Well done. You can rest easy knowing your car won't burn to the ground!
:)
@@ScottElliott152 hie Scott my c class is not lightning the indicator lamps .changed the rear fuse box its stil doing the same ,on the diagnosis its saying open circuit or short
@@stanslaustyavambiza2540 Difficult to say from afar. Check continuity of wires with a multimeter or test light. Check power is getting to the indicator light.
How did you change the original thin earth connector wire? Is there a connector behind the fuse box?
Don't worry about the original earth wire. If you do what I do in the video you're installing an alternative earth wire.
Doesn't it still need to be connected?
Lenny in PA you installing an alternative earth connected to the same earth. The brown wire in the connectorcinrs from the metal backing plate and goes to the earthing point in the body. You're doing the same thing but with a thicker wire soldered directly to the backing plate. Scott
Lenny in PA read my reply to Dan Cross as he was asking similar questions. Scott.
Scott, sorry I missed that. Thank you for your help. Didn't mean to be a pita...
I’ve got this same issue, could you not just attach the original earth wire to the body of the car instead of getting new wire and soldering that?
Adam you need to bypass the connector by soldering or fastening a new earth wire to the backing plate. Fasten the other end to the body.
Hi Scott, I did similar modifications as yours, but the 'Fault Codes' still appears... "Left Tail Lamps faulty". Did the Fault Codes dissappear for u guys ?
Yes they did. All works properly now.
MrScott52 I will re-check my solderings n new connectors. Thanks
GS Ong Good idea. Check your bulbs are connecting properly in the sockets. Sometimes a little bit of oxidisation will cause a fault light to come on.
MrScott52 I re-scraped n sand paper polished both contact ends ie. 1. car body where the nut sits 2. Lamp module surface. Now no more fault codes.
Hi guys I have to this repair too 🤨but could that loose earth affect my speedometer lights because they are flickering but not all t time
Hello Scott, thanks so much for this video!!! I've had the "faulty bulb" issue for a long time now only the past week when I started looking into it did I realise this was a known issue (frustrated US has a recall but Australia does not).
Anyways I'm looking to do this on the weekend but there is just one thing I'm unsure of (maybe I didn't pay enough attention). Do you disconnect/cut the ground (brown) wire from the connector completely, then attach a brand new wire (10amp) from the base plate to the grounding point of the car, essentially bypassing the connector for grounding?
+LostyJai I was happy to make a video to help out as this is very poor form by MB in not addressing a serious safety problem. I believe the recall in the US & Canada is to replace the melted and burnt bulb carrier with the exact same part again! I'd guess their corporate lawyers may have had input. If they use an upgraded part I guess they'd be admitting the original design was unsafe.
Yes you can dispense with the original brown earth wire ... cut it off and post the charred remains to MBUSA :-)
Make a new wire ... go for 15A if you like for an added degree of safety. Solder to the metal plate in the location shown, put an eye connector on the other end and bolt it to the earth point. You won't have any more problems and you'll be rewarded with nice bright bulbs in the tail light assembly. Regards, Scott
+Scott Elliott excellent Scott, thank you so much for the prompt reply. I will let you know how I go on the weekend!
Hey Scott Elliott, so I was too excited to wait till the weekend and considering it's Thursday night, grabbed everything I needed for this. Took me a bit of time but eventually I got it done, however the indicator bulb still won't work and I've tried with different bulbs. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Here are the steps I took:
- Cut the original grounding wire from the connector
- Drilled a hole on the bulb plate
- Attached electrical connectors to a new (10amp) grounding cable
- Connected new grounding cable to the bulb plate and the bolt on the chassis
Photo here to make sure I got everything right
imgur.com/a/kz84O
Your work looks nice and tidy. If the other bulbs are working then the earth wire and connection must be ok. Do you have the LED turn signals? It looks like you do because I can see the blue and red wires that connect to the bulb carrier. Those wires must be corrected with the correct polarity or the LED's don't work. Are the indicators on both sides not working? If not check fuse as well.
+Scott Elliott not 100% sure. When looking at the lights there is the top, middle and bottom. Top and bottom is all good, middle doesn't work.
Not sure I know enough about electronics to know what reverse the polarity means =[
Might get a multi meter and check if there is any power flowing to the indicator bulb.
Hey buddy after doing this exactly I still get the warning on my dash , do I have to get it cleared ? Regards
If you've fixed the problem the error light will extinguish by itself. Check all the bulbs are working.
Thanks for the detail guide Scott! I'll give it a go..
I had the same issue W204 220CDI , For me, I noted it after rear lights non working intermittently.. checked on the internet .. noted a recall in US..went to the dealer. They checked on the system said there are no such for AU and quoted around $400 for pins labor etc but no a ground wire ...I'm thinking about sending a email to MB AU as well. In my view, It can lead to fire hazard.. as well as possible road accidents due to random rear light malfunction unknown to to driver.. Surely MB AU dosn't want much negative publicity on QC with new model launch coming in..
Cola thanks for your comments.
I sent a letter direct to MB Aust. last week with photographs. I put my Engineers hat on and said in my professional opinion it was unsafe for the reasons you mentioned. I told them I'd also sent the information to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission so it's on the public record. I did that last week as well.
Please send them a letter if you can. I measured the current in the earth wire and it hits 6 amps and I'm sure they've only got a 5A wire.
In the US they're saying there's a corrosion issue with the pin under certain circumstances, which causes the overheating. This is the corporate lawyer at work. They're subtly turning it around saying it's the owners fault. I challenge that as it's the other way around. The overheating causes the oxidisation which reduces the conductivity even more which makes it hotter again and so on. Like any corporation they will be dragged kicking and screaming before they admit there's a design fault.
My understanding is the recall in the US & Canada is only replacing the damaged parts with new parts that are the same plus no extra earth wire or a larger capacity wire. This is crazy and not fixing the problem. We need to go on ACA and create a fuss.
kind regards,Scott
MrScott52 I did it last weekend and now the lights are quite bright.. Thanks mate !
Sent a letter to MB as well.
Cola Good on you Cola. I've had no response as yet. Let's hope we're applying the pressure.
the light above the compartment on my car doesn't light up anymore and there is no error code shows whatsoever on the screen. Car is 2009 C300 Sport. Any help, sir? Thank you in advance.
+Tung Nguyen Without the car for me to diagnose I can't really say. Your question is also unclear to me. "The light above the compartment" ... I'm not clear as to what light you're referring to ... what compartment ... at the back of the car? ... the front of the car? With these problems it's a process of elimination. Check the bulb and the fuse first. Scott
My apologize about the unclear question. The light i was referring to is the light inside the trunk. It located at the right side of the car above the compartment where you open to reach inside the tail light. I checked the bulb and sure it is not the bulb. I'm going to check the fuse this weekend and see what it could be.
+Tung Nguyen Ok Tung ... eliminate the obvious things first like bulbs and fuses. Let us know how you go. Scott
Scott: today i checked our other w204 wagon 2010 and of course the RH tail-light very badly melted. LH side was OK, but i applied the fix to both. i took a photo of the RH melted fitting. I really think this is a safety issue and happy to send you a pic of the melted fitting; do you have an email address i can send it to you? I think we should push for the recall. i wonder if there is a recall in other parts of the world?
Brett this is a "Ford Pinto" all over again. Google it if you don't know the story.
users.wfu.edu/palmitar/Law&Valuation/Papers/1999/Leggett-pinto.html
There's a recall planned for the USA and Canada. Apparently all they're doing is replacing the burnt/melted parts with the same parts again ... can you believe that?
This would be the Corporate Lawyers at their worst ... don't admit there's a problem even if we incinerate a few passengers.
I think a photo and letter to MB Australia is the way to go plus a copy to Consumer Protection.
There is a recall in Japan, but it's easier to use this fix rather than deal with the service dept.
Daven I agree. I stay away from the dealers as I'm sick of being treated like a halfwit. I took control and do everything myself. From my understanding they don't fix it properly anyway.
works fine! thanks mate.Shame on MB though.
Hi Scott I had this recall done in 2014 today I notice it’s melted again. Will Mercedes take care of it again?
Why bother with them as they only replace with the same defective design. Make the modification as shown and sleep well knowing your car is unlikely to burn to the ground!
@@ScottElliott152 im going try doing, for some reason my left connector is melted and left sideways dimming but the right side warning is on as well
If I add my own wire should I cut the melted wire off after
Also does the left side melting trigger a check right parking and brake light on as well? Which is odd
@@nationsmostwanted You can if you wish. Once the new earth wire is attached the original is redundant ... but it can stay in place.
Hi Scott i just a big issue with my w204 regarding this matter.Is there anywhere that i ca refer my complain and get it fixed.thanks mate
Well I tried writing to Mercedes Australia and got no where. I wrote to Consumer Protection and they didn't even respond.
As far as fixing it? Do it yourself as no one else will do it properly. The Dealers will only replace the damaged parts otherwise they're admitting there's a fault. Follow the video as it's 20 to 30 minutes work. If you try to take it someone it will take longer getting your car to and fro. Scott
mate thanks for replying so fast .My problem started from the left hand side.what do i with damaged (striped wire and melted plug)?
Stephanos just install new earth wires to each side as shown in the video. Solder the new wires to the metal backing plate in the location shown. If the other wires in the plug still connect in the socket it will ok even if the plug and socket is a bit distorted.
thanks Scott.All good so far ,like i said my problem is on the left side and i cant locate an earth point.can i use one of those screws that are holding the back lights on the car body?
Yes. As long as it's bolted to the metal work of the car body that's an earth. Do both sides as it's usually the RHS that's worse.
This is awesome. I just fixed my w204 using this tutorial. And also saw your video for the knob! Will do that one also but using the aftermarket aluminum part instead of gluing the old plastic from Mercedes. Could not believe they are using plastic for that part. Seems like Merc is becoming like made in China.
Thanks Sve. I've since replaced my shaft with a nylon item printed on a friends 3D printer. The reason the OEM plastic one breaks is because it's designed to break. A solid plastic (PP) or nylon shaft will last forever and is naturally lubricated. I stayed away from the alloy shaft as I feel it will wear the PP bearings in the switch. You can buy solid PP versions on eBay. Hope this helps. Scott
Cheers buddy.
Hi Scott, did you cut the original earthing brown wire?
I didn't but you can. You don't need it once you install the alternative earth lead.
@@ScottElliott152 okay thank you Scott. Anyway one more question.. For the left side, my W204 C200 2010 doesn't have any bolt on that position shown in your video..Where should i bolt the new earth cable?
@@wirawanrizkikaharahap9794 If you look carefully there is an earth point on the LHS ... well there is on my car and I show it in the video. Alternatively use one of the nuts holding the tail light in place. As long as it's connected to the metal body you'll be good. Scott
@@ScottElliott152 great, I will give it a try. Thank you Scott! Wira
@@ScottElliott152 hi Scott, sorry that i had one more question. I've successfully installed the cable for the right hand side, but for the left hand side, the solder won't stick to the metal plate, i have been sanding them until it gave a shiny metal looks, but it still wont stick. How do i make them stick to the metal plate? Thank you
Hi my message centre keeps saying front indicator bulb fault. Indicator on dash flashing fast but all bulbs working on w204 2102 facelift.
+Graham maybury Maybe it's the flasher relay. It may need to be plugged into DAS/Xentry to discover the problem area.
Thanks Scott got in car today and all working fine again.strange
Hi Scott, mine was so warped that the wire came off the slider. Do you think I can rely on the solder bypass only. Ie eliminating the original earth?
MegaFukup Hi Mega ... yes you can as I tested that option ... it won't be a mega fuk up! Use decent size wire, say 15A and do both sides. Put an eye connector on the ends and bolt to the original earth point and you won't have any further problems. It's very poor form by Mercedes. Take photos and send a letter to the local headquarters of MB showing them how you fixed this serious safety issue. They're avoiding responsibility for this mess and need to be held accountable. I've written two letters and they didn't have the decency to reply until I sent copies to the motoring editor at one of the national newspapers. You can't trust any major corporation these days believe me. They will not admit any mistakes or take responsibility because they all have legal counsel. Once lawyers are involved all you get are weasel words in reply.
+Scott Elliott hello luz reverse problems
Hello Scott
What kind of wire is it that we need
See 7:38 in the video and read the Description.
I have been cursing the person who has done this very mod to my mercedes! thinking it was a bodgeit and scarper job, only difference mine now seems to have a earth fault leaving one light always on, the bulb closest to the place you soldered, i am also getting multiple warnings of lights not working on the dash board
So what are you saying?
The fault won't be the additional earth lead. Cut the wires if you don't like them and it will be returned to stock. You'll have problems with the connector melting and a possible fire risk as the earth pin in the connector overheats.
Plug your vehicle into the DAS/Xentry system and find out what the fault codes are.
No you misunderstood, it has already completely melted the connector and some one has cut away a section of wire, used a connector pin and connected it back to the board similar to how you have done it but without going straight to earth. I am not critizeing what you have done clearly its a fix for a fault. I was just wondering if this could be why my light stays on thanks
Ok. It sounds like the previous modification wasn't done correctly. If you connect the backing plate directly to the earth point you will probably solve your issues. Use 15A wire to give plenty of safety factor.
@@ScottElliott152 Hi again. Do you leave the original earth wire plugged in the 7pin black socket? Or canceled it and insulated it?
@@japanluv You can leave the original earth wire if you wish. The important thing is to solder a new wire to the backing plate and connect to the earth point on the body. As previously suggested use a decent wire like 15A and you won't have any more problems. Since I did this modification my lights have been bright and worked faultlessly. Good luck. Scott
I have the same issue in my 2012 and the recall was only for 2008-2011
Mercedes replaced mine on a recall 4 or 5 years ago on a recall. Now I an getting intermittent rear right indicator alarm. I checked the ground connector and it is starting to burn too. So their fix was not a fix . ^%#$%!@#
I figured they don't want to change anything or it's admitting there's a fault. Do the simple modification and you'll sleep at night.
@@ScottElliott152 I modified ,thanks!
This still not working on my car. found the burnt wire
Really great video. I was wondering why the connector and bulb assembly melted in the first place. My opinion of Mercedes is not good. 3rd issue with this "luxury" car. POS imho.
Too much current for the existing earth wires creating heat.
Yes they've tried to save cents here and there buy using the minimum size wire they could get away with. I wrote to MB Australia and they weren't interested.
It appears they never considered you can have all rear lights on ... at night with lights on in reverse gear, foot on the brake and indicator going with all those bulbs earthed through that single brown wire I calculated about 8A and I reckon the wire is 7.5A at best. With a bit of corrosion on the zinc coated connectors creating more resistance it's not hard to see that brown wire carrying even more amps.
Good fix, thank you so much!
I would not solder it. I would screw it