Has anyone ever disassembled a 300D dome light (front) with the dimming feature? My 3 position switch is loose and doesn't seem to make contact with anything inside. I have taken it out of the car and I'd like to fix it if I can......but getting to the switch itself is a bit of a problem.

Thanks in advance,
Keith

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1983 300SD "Helga"

Maybe yours is different, but on my '82 the three position switch is not a dimmer. The three positions are:
1. Off
2. On
3. On only if front door is open.
(Not in any particular order)
I checked the MB service manual. No mention of the switch itself.

As the previous poster said, the switch is a double-pole with off switch, not a dimmer. If you can't feel the detents, the switch is broken. My solution, faced with a similarly broken switch, was to modify the light to accomodate a simple SPDT rocker, with the delay circuitry in the light a casualty of my efforts. I didn't see any way to modify the light to accomodate the switch without destroying the circuit.

Phil

'84 Euro 300D, modified dome light
'85 California 300D, delay circuit intact

i just went to u pull it today and got a new dome light for 1.25

i know diesel owners are handy and like to save pennies.... but for 1.25 it isnt worth tinkering with!

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http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...Untitled-1.jpg

I would recomend that you not unplug the light to change the bulb. I cracked the board trying to get it off and on. I broke my light. Just unhook the battery. Its very easy to break the light if you try to disconnect it.

Perhaps you could "hard wire" the light to come on when a front door is open. It seems that the majority of cars only have that option anyway.

Thanks folks....I guess I used the wrong word to describe my dome light....I meant to say that it had the delayed on/off feature. I guess I got confused with those on modern cars that have dome lights that are on for a few seconds and then start dimming and fade away........

Anyway, I'd like to fix the original if it's something easy like bending contacts, etc. Getting it apart is a challenge though....the plug prongs go through the casing and into the circuit board. There doesn't seem to be enough room to pull the circuit board back far enough to allow the prongs to clear the case.

I'll be looking for another one after I 'booger' this one up.

Keith

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1983 300SD "Helga"

I couldn't see any way of replacing the switch without destroying the integrity of the delay circuit. Since I have two 300D's, one without the delay-off circuit and one with it, I think I prefer the former. If one wants the dome light to remain on briefly, one simply can leave door ajar until one is ready to depart.

Phil