This is my first time posting on this forum.

I own a 2000 ml it came with a fog light switch inside the cabin already. what i want to do is to install fog light on the ml and use the switch inside the cabin to acviated it. I don't want to install a grill gard. I been reading material on the net and talking to the dealer and I got even more confused.

1st, I head that the dealer had to activated the switch. My dealer want to charge me $50 and I head some will charge $85. Can I do the activation myself? and how do I know that it is not already activated? because the switch lights up when I turn it on and the light on my dash lights up indicating I have the fog light on.

2nd, I head that the connection for the fog light is located behing the grill on the driver side and that I would have to splice the connector. my question is what is it connector connected to now and if I splice that connector would turning the fog light on and off with the switch effect to what ever it is connected to now. or is ther another connection that must be made for the on and off and if so where is it right now.

3rd, I heard from the dealer there is a fog light that I could install in the head light and use the switch to activated, but it is not leagal in california, and it is for canada, could any one shead light on that.

lastly, what type of fog light should I get. I some times drive in real foggy conditions to go sking, extra lighting at night would be good too, and what would be good in snow blizzards.

any help will be appreciated.

ben
Black ML-320, 2000 (1st benz)

To operate the fog lights thru thre factory switch, the AAM(computer) must be set to allow fog lamps to work. Only the dealer can do this except for a few independants with scan tools that mimic the factory tools. Yes there is a place in the headlamp assembly for a fog lamp as well, they use a standard h3 bulb. In most high fog areas a yellow light can be helpful! Good Luck

Just installed fog lights this week-end
 

I just installed fog-lights in my '98 ML320 this week-end (similar to the picture posted by 'ML430' and working off the factory switch). It wasn't too bad of a job...if you want details, I'd be happy to tell you what I know.

I've heard rumors that some dealers will install and activate the AAM if you tell them that you need the fog lights for OFF-ROAD-USE-ONLY! :)

Kuan

hay,

Thanks everybody. Could have used the fog lights this weekend. Had a blizzard this week going skiing (well, a blizzard in cali anyway.)

ML 430: nice picture ML430 and very nice car. Which dealer by change one in the bay area.

mark: if you don't mind I would like more detail in installing fog lamps on the ML. especially where is the light power plugs located? and can I buy a y- connector so I don't have to splice the wires to the ML (I don't mind splicing the wires to the fog light)? Also did you have your dealer activated it? how did that go.


ben

To answer your questions..
 

(Remember my ML is a '98...just in case there are some differences.)The plug for the foglights is back behind the drivers side headlight (between it and and the windshield washer reservoir). It was tucked way back in the corner and hard to find, but when I pulled it out, it was clearly labeled 'Fog & Aux lights', with a sticker. The wires were short (which made it hard to work) and there were only 2 of them with a dead-end plug. Since I was wiring 4 wires from the after market fog lights into the 2 factory wires, I cut the factory plug off and found an adaptor for 2 into 1. The mounting of my lights and directing the wire to this point was easy. Attaching my 4 wires to their 2 was the hard part as there isn't much room in there for the 2 hands needed to do the work (I tried to remove the reservoir, but decided to exercise patience instead). Of course the lights will not work if you don't have the factory switch activated by the dealer (I don't remember the exact cost as I had this done sometime ago, around $50.00). I'm sure there are other approaches to this, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Have fun...oh, and don't forget to aim your lights accordingly.