The notches to the left are for turning on the left, or right, parking lights. This is especially useful in Europe on their narrow cobblestone streets so cars coming can easily see there's a car parked there. I hardly ever use them, but it is nice in a residential area at night where there are no street lights, and a curvey road people are driving on. Helps to prevent them from rear-ending your car since they can see it from a distance with the parking lights on.

Jeff 1991 300d, 117k

on my '02 ml320, it had the rear fog lamp. . .damn people would always tell me that I had a right tail light bulb out. . morons. . .

__________________
". . .back before accountants designed cars"

-Current Stable-
'78 MB 450SL-C 107.024.12.020783 #3840 <Kayleen>
'85 FORD F250 6.9L Diesel <Allison>
'98 Lexus ES300 <Rachel>
Long Gone...
'74 Chevy G10...........................'99 GMC Yukon 4X4
'83 Chevy Suburban 6.2 diesel .....'99 SAAB 9-5
'90 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS............. '01 Chevy Tahoe
'98 Nissan Altima .......................'02 MB ML320
'88 Chevy Suburban V2500 4X4 6.2 diesel

It actually does as described above on my 1995 S350, US Specs. First click is the front fog lights, no light on knob. Second click is front and rear fog lights, light in the center of the knob comes on.

-Jim

__________________
1995 S350D, Green with black leather interior.
Bought January 2008 w/ 233,xxx miles.
I did 22,000 miles during the first year of ownership.

I finally figured out mine, so here goes: (this is for a 1971 220D)

Off is straight up. One click to left is right parking lights, no side markers. Two clicks left is left side parking lights, no side markers. These only work with ignition off. They are used in Germany, when at night, it is often legal to park part of the way on a sidewalk, where normally you would not park. When you do this, you're to put on the outside park lights and leave your car, all night if desired. I remember seeing streets of cars lit up like this. Battery drain is tiny.

Back to off. First click right is parking lights, all 4 corners, no side markers. Second click right adds driving lights, with all side markers on.

In either of the two right click positions, the switch may be pulled out one click for front fog lamps. Two clicks pulled out and you also get the rear fog lamp(s), AND the little light in the switch lights.

On my US version car, the bulb was missing from the switch and the terminal connections behind the dash that light this bulb on the switch were not connected at the factory - it works since I wired them. I still have not wired in a rear fog light, but I have Euro lights on the front, and got the fog lamps to work. The rear fog light can be very bright for following drivers when the fog lets up, hence the little reminder light on the switch that it is on.

I hope this made sense.

Ron

__________________
1971 220D, daily driver, new paint, 142K
1973 220D, low compression
1975 300D, back on the road! 166K
1971 220D, salvage, rear hit, engine excellent
1972 250, bad cam, but runs!
1971 230, engine stuck
1971 220D, low compression, rusty
1976 240D, salvage, engine excellent
1966 230SL, water in oil after rebuild

That rear fog lamp is great when someone is following you with the high-beams on.

I was thinking the same thing but for all the tailgaters we have around here...
it would work better for this if the rear fog was the the first notch out...

__________________
Joe

1998 E300D turbo 240K + Miles
2000 Dodge Dakota 122K + Miles
1992 Mazda Miata Autocross Machine 143K + Miles
http://www.renegademiata.net

Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains. - Winston Churchill

I think when you park on the edge of a road the makers intended you light up the roadside parking lights. By dividing it into two circuits it would take twice as long to run down the battery.
There was a deserted car parked on the edge of the local highway during a heavy snowfall last week. I nearly hit it visbility was so bad. If he had left his parking lights on my chances of avoiding him would have been better.

so only the drivers side rear fog is suppose to light up, and i always thought that the PO replaced the rear passanger assem, with a US DOT one.

__________________
1983 Euro 240D 277K
2016 Mazda 6
Coming Soon, 2013 Mercedes E350 Bluetec
Formers:
2012- Mazda 3
2007 Outlander- complete pile
1995 E300 Diesel 208K
2007 VW Passat 2.0T 63K SOLD
2003 Jaguar X-type 3.0 Sport Sold 04/11 w/88K
2009 Lexus RX350 9061 miles. Sold 04/09
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS:Totaled Sept.,09 @ 24,000
2003 Infiniti I35 58K Sold
1984 300 turbo diesel 222K