Anyone else ever encounter something like this? Perfectly operating car until I attempt to change the two light bulbs in the courtesy lights, at the top of the windshield. After putting in the two bulbs, the instrument cluster is acting absolutely crazy. Start the car and Alternator light, SRS and Check engine light come on. Open the door entire instrument cluster goes dead, shut the door it comes back to life. Use the turn signal, either way and all bottom warning lights in the instrument cluster flash, with entire instrument cluster flashing on and off. I removed the entire courtesy light assemblies, still the same thing. Disconnected the battery to see if something would re-set still the same thing. All other accessories on the car still work perfectly. Any ideas? My paper showing which fuse is which on the inside of the fuse box cover is missing, otherwise I would have tried popping out the interior lighting fuse. if anybody knows which fuse I would appreciate it.

'94 SL500 26,000
'91 560SEL 89,000

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jcciem
'94 SL5000 60,000
'91 350SDL 545,000
'91 350SD 197,000
'00 E55 AMG 77,000

it doesn't sound like fuses, it sounds like something may have shorted when you were working there and damaged the cluster groung circuit. i have seen clusters act that way in the past, mainly when the turnsignals were operated, the ony way to fix was to replace the cluster or send it to some one who is able to repair it.

check this site for replacement cluster

http://www.mbcluster.com/

Beckmann technologies

here is a company in the U.S. that i can vouch for, they have repaired units for us.

the owner's manual should have a fuse diagram as well. I would also check voltage regulator, when mine went out it caused all kinds of really weird electrical stuff, like warning lights and gauges being affected by hitting brake, etc.

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2005 Mercedes C230k sport sedan, 6 speed
1987 Porsche 924S - 968-engined track car

There may be nothing at all wrong with the cluster. An electrical load switched-in by the door may be damaged and is drawing excessive current and causing the voltage supply to the cluster to be too low. Fuses 1, 5, 9, 12 and 16 are all associated with the cluster. I'd check voltage on these with the door both open and closed.

I corresponded with someone two years ago with the very same symptoms as jcciem. The first thing this chap did was spend a wad on a replacement cluster. Problem remained. Next he replaced a handful of other components and the problem was cured. But what specifically did the trick was not known, because he installed all of the new components at once! I remember one item was a relay module, and at the time my guess was that was the fix.

Finally, a cluster which flashes when turn signals are used but works properly otherwise probably needs a new capacitor in its voltage regulating circuit. This is a simple and inexpensive repair which anyone can do. Anyone wanting more information is welcome to email me.