W124 owners - how many times have you LOST your corner lights? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

babymog · #16 05-22-2016, 08:54 PM

Um, ... never. They have clips.

BenzTurbo · #17 05-23-2016, 04:23 AM

Never had one fly off but did have one stolen at pick n pull! Someone said a big truck driver took it and pointed at a Freightliner driving off! I just about died laughing because i read the same thing happening on here lol! he must have had some strong fingers because they clip in pretty well from what i have noticed.

Chris W. · #18 05-23-2016, 09:00 PM

A little dab of Goop (we used to call it Duco Cement) on each side will help hold it in. If that spring tab doesn't seat and lock that light will pop out. I got home one day from a drive in the country and saw no corner light. I retraced my route very slowly and found it, very lucky I saw it because it was about 8' off the road in the grass.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D 466K

renaissanceman · #19 05-23-2016, 09:05 PM

You guys cursed me...10 miles into a trip to the bay area for work, BANG! It dislodged from the car on the freeway. Same right side that always gives me trouble. Luckily my zip tie saved it and I was able to reinstall on the side of the interstate, with a dab of duct tape to keep it there until I got home.

Guess I need to find some way to retain it more securely...

shadowredlev · #20 05-24-2016, 07:18 AM

when i had purchased some aftermarket dark amber corners for my car i noticed the clip never actually clipped into the cars housing, then a couples miles later flew off the car on the freeway, that's when i noticed the place where the clip is isn't correct and wouldnt fit normally

i ended up just darkening my corners with clear red paint...

quick question though is your car a euro spec car? or a us spec car?

i think the euro cars corners sit in differently than the us cars, at least that's what the company who sent the lights to me told me...

zu! · #21 05-24-2016, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowredlev

when i had purchased some aftermarket dark amber corners for my car i noticed the clip never actually clipped into the cars housing, then a couples miles later flew off the car on the freeway, that's when i noticed the place where the clip is isn't correct and wouldnt fit normally

i ended up just darkening my corners with clear red paint...

quick question though is your car a euro spec car? or a us spec car?

i think the euro cars corners sit in differently than the us cars, at least that's what the company who sent the lights to me told me...

Is there a difference? My car is US spec. However, the headlights have been changed to the Euro lights that give better light pattern and lighthing intensity. I could check later tonight, but they looked for all intents and purposes exactly the same in terms of mounting the headlights too.

The signal lights also had the two tabs that fit into their corresponding slots in the headlight. And yes, they sure as heck "clicked" into place. And I tried dislodging it too with my fingers, no go. Yet on the highway at high speed, somehow the bugger can get "blown" off. I just don't get it.

dieselbenz1 · #22 05-24-2016, 10:24 AM

I've never had a problem with the lamps blowing off knock on wood. I have the belly pans on and have verified in the past that the thermal flaps in the lower engine bay open as the should. But I have also always wondered how all that air travels through.

renaissanceman · #23 05-24-2016, 12:12 PM

I also have all the underbody panels installed and euro headlights and markers in a US car.

oldiesel · #24 05-24-2016, 02:32 PM

The pressure idea makes sense to be i lost one off my 87td when hit by the wind froma semi going in the opposit direction,heard the thing hiit the car but had no idea what it was until the next day,when i saw it was gone i went back and looked for it but no luck.
probably would have been broken anyway. Don

zu! · #25 06-07-2016, 03:50 PM

Ok mystery solved. I'm not sure why my lamp sockets look slightly different left from right, but here they are.

After much shoving and cursing and then, to test, I would push against the bulb holder and the damn lights would simply pop out...every single time. No matter how hard I pushed them in

In frustration I took a plier to the little tab and bent it out. Then when pushing the fixture in, I would press the tabs together from the inside (no easy feat on the ABS side of things). And then....CLICK!

I don't believe the damn things are coming out easy again. I pushed hard against the sockets and they didn't budge. I'm betting they stay in.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

renaissanceman · #26 06-07-2016, 04:21 PM

That exact procedure is on my list again -- I bent them out a bit last time, but not enough, apparently. This time I'm getting more aggressive and will be applying some clear silicone to the tabs as well.

zu! · #27 06-07-2016, 04:45 PM

renaissanceman, the trick is to TEST it. Push against it from inside after you think you got it seated good. I did that for almost an hour...and each time, the damn things popped out. I finally reached a happy medium when I pushed and pushed and the buggers stayed in.

Mind you, due to the tight nature of the ABS side (drivers side) I could only push so hard with two fingers. But even then, with the two fingers, the damn lamp popped loose. So, for THIS side, I added extra insurance. A wire wrapped around the clip, and then to something that's NOT going to pull out by wind inside the engine comparment.

renaissanceman · #28 06-07-2016, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zu!

renaissanceman, the trick is to TEST it. Push against it from inside after you think you got it seated good. I did that for almost an hour...and each time, the damn things popped out. I finally reached a happy medium when I pushed and pushed and the buggers stayed in.

Mind you, due to the tight nature of the ABS side (drivers side) I could only push so hard with two fingers. But even then, with the two fingers, the damn lamp popped loose. So, for THIS side, I added extra insurance. A wire wrapped around the clip, and then to something that's NOT going to pull out by wind inside the engine comparment.

We may have stumbled upon the most poorly designed part of the W124.

optimusprime · #29 06-08-2016, 04:47 AM

All i can say is that the part that clips inside the body as a lot of pressure on it .I damaged one of mine, just gitting it out of the car to install a new head light. The way to go, is to strengthen them up with areldite before you fit another marker lense .

Zulfiqar · #30 06-08-2016, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zu!

renaissanceman, the trick is to TEST it. Push against it from inside after you think you got it seated good. I did that for almost an hour...and each time, the damn things popped out. I finally reached a happy medium when I pushed and pushed and the buggers stayed in.

Mind you, due to the tight nature of the ABS side (drivers side) I could only push so hard with two fingers. But even then, with the two fingers, the damn lamp popped loose. So, for THIS side, I added extra insurance. A wire wrapped around the clip, and then to something that's NOT going to pull out by wind inside the engine comparment.

I never had mine pop out - The few times I have removed them I make sure the holding clips are in good shape.

Recalling this - some old Hondas actually used a spring to hold the corner lamp assembly in place. It was a very neat solution as the spring had a kink it in to lock against the body metal and a loop for a finger to pull it. I think one can improvise here with a spring too.