Indicator and various lights out on SL Question?
 

Hello
I have recently had various lights fail on my 560 SL and am wondering if anybody knows what the problem could be. I have read about relays and tried switching them (they are both the same) but the problem does not disappear. I believe it may be an isolated ground wire - the clusters of grounds all look good and now I dont really know where to start looking. Specifically the group of lights which are out are: right tail light; front indicators; and instrument cluster lights. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

there is a overload protection relay on the SL 129 if this is your car it is located under a cover on the oposit side to the fuse box this can give all kinds of problems if it is falty it has two fuses on top of it

elv the 560 sl is a 107 body and not a 129.so david could it be bossible that the light bulbs are burned out ,or did they sudenly at once all fail?the signal and tail light bulds try and replace.Now for the instrument cluster.do the other light in the dash work,like radio heater push buttom unit?if they dont work either than the reostat in the combi cluster is defective,otherwise try replacing the instroment cluster bulds...well i hoped u checked the fuses.Good luck Harald

Thanks Harald and Elv for your posts. Harald, to answer your questions, yes, I checked all the fuses and bulbs, and yes, all the interior lights went out (not just the inst. cluster!

What I recently did out of frustration and to avoid a ticket, was to run a temporary wire from one tail light to the other thinking I needed both tail lights at the very least. This action caused all the lights to work now.....

That said Harald, does this still point to the reostat in the combi cluster in your opinion...and where would I find that ? Thanks much in advance !

David,the reostrat is in the instrument cluster.(like where speedo,rpm guages are).Looking at the instument cluster in the lower left you have a knob wich is the reostat.To replace it you have to remove the instrument cluster,abd the seering wheel.When you remove the steering wheel you also have to remove the Air Bag..Be very careful on doing this.If you have never done it before best thing is to remove the negative cable to the battery..Now the instrument cluster is just pushed in with a rubber band around the clust.Some times it is tricky getting it out.Best thing to use in a hook .Push it in and twist it so it catches something and pull gently.do this in several spots,untill u have it out.Now disconect all the cables and remove clucter.Now turn the cluster upside down so u see the back of it.now the reostat will be on the right side.It is a white ceramic housinmg held in with one or screw.remove it and than remove the reostat.Either just replace it with a new one,or i have just cleaned them sometimes with some brake cleaner while turning the reostad.Unless the springs are fallen apart than dont waist your time to fix it,Just replace it then...instalation are in reverse order.you may need to push in your radio code than ,cause of removal of the battery power.....WHAT ever you do ,do not remove the AIR BAG with the ignition on...and if you do not want to remove the battery cable,let me know and i will guide you throu it that way too

Thanks for the detail Harald.
I know about removing the cluster and airbag but thanks anyway.

Unfortunately, I dont think it is the reostat cause does that not just control the cluster lights ?

On my previous post "What I recently did out of frustration and to avoid a ticket, was to run a temporary wire from one tail light to the other thinking I needed both tail lights at the very least. This action caused all the lights to work now....."

I think it could be some sort of a relay.... what do you think ??

Also, the indicator lights (flashers / blinkers) also just stopped working !! Do you know whare the flasher relay is ??

Thanks much in advance, your detail was well appreciated. Regards
David