Aux Front Fog Lights
 

I have a 1999 ML320 I just bought. It has the Aux Fog light swich for front and back, but it looks as though only the rear fog lights were actually installed.

Can after market fog lights be installed and hooked up to the same switch for the Aux Front Fog light position?

As was the case on my 99, the placement of the factory fogs did not meet the state code. Therefore the bulbs were removed and the function was programmed out (they would not work if the bulbs were installed). The dealer was adamant about doing it. I finally convinced their body shop that I was installing their brush bar and lights, and they hooked the computer up and activated the system.
There are two things to be activated, the swirch, and the indicator on the dash. If you want to install aux lights rather than putting in bulbs, there is a connector behind or around the washer tank with a cap on it, the MB harness plugs into it.
They did charge me $50, the later ML lamps are compliant, other states allowed the previous.

Thanks for the response. Could my local repair shop that specializes in Mercedes repairs activate this button? I am going to install after market fogs if I have too as they are so nice in crappy weather, like snow storms and fog.

MB uses their "body" computer, I dont know if your shop has it. I asked about it and the software comes from MB and they lease it.

Well, I found that in deed the bulbs were removed so I installed new bulbs, but the switch didn't work. I will next ask the shop about the computer.

Thanks again for the help.

I purchased my '99 ML 430 new and, as you described, it was equipped without fog bulbs and without associated programming. I live in Calif but regularly drive the Oregon Coast. I wanted fog lights and better hi beams. My Calif dealer said the fog light setup was illegal. I checked Oregon--fog lights are legal in Oregon.

To improve the hi beams I purchased PIAA XTRA hi beam bulbs rated at 55W with output equivalent to 100W. Installation was easy and the improvement was noticeable. PIAA also offered a brighter low beam, but I was satisfied with the installed bulbs.

For the fog lights I purchased PIAA 55W Ion Crystal fog bulbs which look white to on-coming traffic, but yellow to you, the driver. In my opinion they offer significantly enhanced bad weather visibility and definitely the same for the right shoulder of the road.

My good news--I accidentally learned that the girlfriend of the owner of my MB dealership had an ML 430 for which she wanted fog lights. I talked with her, with my Service Advisor, made her wishes and my own similar wishes known, and all became possible.

Had the above not occurred, I would have employed/paid an Oregon dealer or followed tips I had found on the internet to do my own fog light programming. The bulb installation is easy. But the vehicle must be programmed for the fog lights to work and for the dash to show that they are on. At the time (Nov '98) only a MBZ dealer was equipped to do the programming.

Good luck with your endeavor--I think you'll be pleased with any improvements.

The MB body shop did mine since they were also doing brush bars on new vehicles, they did have to get the computer from service. I paid the body shop guy on the side. If they go with the "not legal" story tell them you are going to install driving lights on your bumper bar or in the lower vents. You are probably not aware but there ia a connector in the loom behind the washer tank that has a connector that plugged into the harness that came with the MB bumper mounted bar.

Could you share the programming instructions that you found on the Internet, if so thanks.


Peter, this wire loom for the bumper how is that operated off the same switch in dash for the Fwd Aux lights?

The pigtail, is in paralell to the headlamp fog socket. You can put the driving lamps on your bumper bar and remove the bulbs in the headlamps. Its a oval connector with a cap. I would be concerned about running both due to the current.
I went looking for the web link, and found nothing, it requires the body computer which allows all kinds of things, like auto lock.

tx peter