I read a few threads from folks who took their MLs in for sevice and while they were there they asked the dealer to acivate the fog lamp switch. It seemed to me that this was a fairly simple procedure and often done free of charge.

However, I took my '99 ML430 in for the Steering Pump Clamp Recall, I asked my dealer service to activate the fog lamp switch. At first, the desk guy had no idea what I was talking about, but after checking with the shop forman, he said it was a fairly "involved" procedure that takes about 2 hours and would cost $160.

Is this possible? Should I check with another dealership?

If I were you, I would upgrade to the 2002 headlights, (those don't have fog lights in them) looks WAY better... Who needs foglights, when you have the 2002 headlights! I have fog light switch in my car, it turns on a single rear light, and front two lights, but I swapped to the 2k2 xenons, so I don't need foglights anymore! I even got the 2k2 taillights as well.. I made adapters to get them to work =)

Hi Auggiedoggie,

Well, I am very new- both here at this board and a new (first time) Mercedes owner.

I was quoted $100 to install both bulbs (including the cost of the bulbs) and activating the lights. I have installed the bulbs myself and will be at the MB dealer and will ask how much too just activate.

From a past post by Gilly, the computer activation alone is a 5 minute job that we can’t do ourselves.

Unfortunately, you do have another worry. Per this link…
2001 ML 320 Fog Lights??

You are in one of the stated that these lights are not legal due to the high location. It does seem to me that the fog-lights will look very integrated into the headlight system, so I guess it’s your call on taking the potential run in with the law risk. I can relate to why you want to activate. It seems do easy, the headlights have room for the fog lights, the wires and even the switch on the dash are there already. Seems foolish to let them go unused.

Getting back to your original question, the $160 does seem high. I purchased two H3 55W Sylvania bulbs at a local hardware store for $2.95 each (major brand, Sylvania) and installed them in less then an hour. I did remove the lamp housing to install the bulbs, the passenger side you may be able to get the bulb in with not removing the housing, but the driver side looks hard and it does not take long to do the second one, right after doing one, the other took about 10 minutes since I had just done one, knew exactly how to remove and reinstall.

If you wish, I’ll follow up with how much the dealer dings me for activation.

On my 99 ML 320 I installed the bulbs myself and asked the dealer to program the All Activity Module so they would work. They did and charged me $15. for the less than 5 minute job.

Maybe if you tell the service person what you want done they might figure you know how simple it is and not charge you so much money.

I bought my ML-320 new. When I installed the fog light bulbs I was surprised to find the switch was already activated. It must have been activated at the factory in error. Has anyone else had this good luck?

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Tom H.

Just and after thought……..

I have found on the web some H3 bulbs by PIAA that claim to be close to HID in brightness and appearance (temperature). Has anyone tried these and what were the results?

My manual says to only use 55 watt H3 bulbs. At the local hardware store, Fleet farm, I did see 100 watt H3 bulbs that would for sure fit. Would using these cause any problems like blown fuse or cause the plastic lens to yellow from the higher heat?

The higher wattage bulbs can cause problems with the fuse panel itself or the AAM. Usually it won't be a problem, but we had to replace a few AAM's due to owners running both the foglights in the headlights (the integrated ones) and also fogs on the accessory grille/brush guard.

$160 is outrageous to simply do the activation. If you have any DIY experience at all you can install the bulbs yourself, not a bad job.

Yes, I've seen some trucks where the foglight switch was already activated, not very many though, and no good explaination why they were already on.

Gilly

My dealer did it free of charge for me. Others have said anywhere from $25-$50, so I think $160 is outrageous!

Perhaps they are so sick of doing the task that they quote that figure to discourage future requests!

Find another dealership to do it. And take the money and get some $180 Hella lamps from www.************************ . They tuck into the air dam slots on your lower front cladding, and the install kit and parts fit like a glove. The included harness matches the OEM connection perfectly!

And yeah, anything over 55W will blow that 15 amp aux lamp fuse. Don't attempt to install lamps in the headlight housings AND run external lamps as well on the same circuit either!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Your dealer is a thief, it is a 15 minute operation. driving in the car included. They hook up the laptop and it is a few strokes. Install the bulbs and find a dealer who will activate the switch. There is a issue in some states, the next time you are out of your state stop at a dealer who will turn them on. (both functions-the lamp in the switch will come on and so will the indicator in the instrument panel

Note that the dash indicator and the lamp are separate parameters, so you have to ask to have them both switched on. I'm not sure about the 430...the service tech said mine did not have the fog lamp indicator feature.

For those that do, it's been said that the green light is kinda distracting, so they opt to leave it off. So check into that...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Peter
The tech may be thinking yo have a 98, or that a 99 is the same as a 98. The 98, due to some technical screw-up, can't have the dash light enabled, but the 99 can. But I agree, it is too bright at night, seems brighter than the high beam indicator for example.

Gilly

I put the PIAA 55 watt bluish foglight bulbs in my '98 ML320. Time will tell as the days get shorter and lights are used more, but so far I like them well. I really like the Sylvania Silverstars I put into my GTI, but they're not available in the correct size to fit ML headlights. They don't really simulate xenons, but cast a much whiter light than regular bulbs. The PIAA "extreme white" bulbs are just slightly bluer than the Silverstars.

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Lenny

There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games. --Ernest Hemingway

'10 GL550/'04 BMW 545/'99 BMW 323/'98 ML320/'87 VW GTI (race)