Hello, I want to remove and replace or paint the horrible yellow fog light refextor. At first I thought it was a bulb but when I went to change it I found it was a yellow metal refelector surround with a white bulb. I tried to get at it but it is larger than the hole so I stopped. I came hre to see if anyone can help. Thank you.

I read on one of the MB forums/mail-lists about using chrome tape (Autozone, Pep Boys) and burnishing/trimming it carefully on reflector surface to cover the yellow. The guy who wrote it spent a lot of time to do it. I can't remember where I saw the article.

What model are you speking about? For my 1991 300D I removed the yellow "mason jar" cover and now my lights are white and make great driving lights. They are brighter than the stock headlights , but not obnoxious to oncoming traffic.

REPLACING YELLOW FOG LENS
 

Hi, thanks, I read that somewhere also but he was talking about the Euro headlights, I have the old style set back headlights. Hopefully someone will reply who has done it. The problem is getting into the lens. Theres no room to turn around to do anything. I was hoping someone found a solution that I haven't come up with but thank you anyway. Have a good day!!

Dorsey:
What year/model? On some of them you can go in through the front by removing the glass or plastic lens cover.

REPLACING YELLOW FOG LENS
 

Hi CJ, I posted my reply to another member before I saw yours. My car is a 1985 190E wit the old style headlights. The fog lights are next to the grill. The stupid looking yellow fog lights are a different color than the turn signal lights on the corner. I just happened to get a good look at them the other night when my wife was driving, they really pissed me off for some reason. The way the light is set up is called a "headlight door I think". The fog light and the grill surrounding the headlight are all one piece. I don't see how it can be acessed from the front without breaking it and the back opening is to small to get the lens out.

Removing Yellow Fog Lens
 

The yellow fog lens is like a little jar that clips over the halogen light bulb. It can be removed. You have to take the entire headlight assembly off the car. I think the turn signal assembly has to come off first. Once you have the headlight assembly on a bench, carefully lift the plastic tabs that hold on the clear plastic lens frame and it will lift off giving access to the bulb. While you have the light apart it's good to clean the reflector and inside of the lens.

The job is not difficult, just don't use too much force on anything because the plastic breaks easily, especially on an older car.

John,
you are right on the money. I did the job to my 1990 190E and it is toms better with out the yellow shields over the white bulbs. TIP: Go to the local auto parts shop or mail order catalog and order yourself a pair of "blue" H4 bulbs for the fogs lights. Find ones that are advertized as "HID" look alikes and put those babys in there. I paid $35 for a the best "blue ION" bulbs I could find and let me tell you they are not only bright, but they do look simlar to the new MB HID lamps. I got the headlamp bulbs in blue also and they look even more like the new mercedes headlamps.
Christopher

PS You are right on about the plastic clips breaking so very asily on the older cars, heat and age and a little too much muscle and you will be shelling out $60-80 for a new headlamp door. Break two or more clips and they won't stay on correctly.

REPLACING YELLOW FOG LENS
 

Mr. John Plut, I took your advise and followed your instructions regarding taking apart my lights and removing the yellow fog light lens. It was so easy to do with your instructions. I printed them and had them with me while I did the job. I took out the lens very gently, and painted the a highly reflective chrome. It really turned out beautifully!! Even with the original bulbs it is tons brighter! I also put in some clear corners and black flat grill paint. My car has been completely transformed with these three small changes!! I do plan on putting in some H-4 bulbs but I am not sure which ones. I have superwhite headlight bulbs, I don't want to clash with them. Not sure if I should use Ion blue as Mr. Crhenkel suggested or what. I don't want it to look gaudy!! Any advise from you or anyone in this regard would be greatly appreciated, thank you!!

Dorsey,
My two cents worth is this... the HID look alike bulbs I put in my 190E work tons better and I like them very much. You can see the blue tint through the glass lenses inthe bay time as the daylight shines in the lenses and the back of the bulbs are chrome which reflects the light through the blue coated bulb making the lenses show some blue on the outside. However, the lenses over the fog lights are plastic and if yours are like everyone elses, they are discolored gray and not transparent like the headlamps. I put the same blue type bulbs inthe fog lamps and they make a great difference, however, the plastic opaque lenses and the discolorationand the quality of the plastic do not allow the blue to be seen much at all. This is fine, but it prevents the blue to be seen as gauwdy. Also the blue that is seen int he head lamps is subtle...it is not at all like the lowrider pick up truck scene where they have green and purple illegal bulbs. Thay just look slightly like the HID onthe new expensive cars.

REPLACING YELLOW FOG LENS
 

Hi, and thanks for the input. What are the HID Blue look-a-likes that you are speaking of called/named or what is the bulb number? What I am looking for is a bulb that will do the job of the fog light bulb only better.

I'll look up the guy I ordered them from, got them off the internet from a guy who sells them alot, OptiBlue, I think was the bulb name. In any case I'll get his contact info for you.
:)

REPLACING YELLOW FOG LENS
 

Thanks a lot, I appreciate that!

Dorsey
The guy I bought my HID look alike bulbs from was at email address: pokemonvul@aol.com He was a great guy actually. I won an auction of his he had the blue bulbs advertised for my 190E. After that I also got him to sell me several other bulbs for my other vehicles at the low auction price I originally got.
Email him and let him know what you are thinking and he will tell you what he has for your car. One burnt out and he replace both w/ a newer better style for me for free.
Christopher

Physics
 

Dorsey:

If you are looking for the cool HID look, the aftermarket blue bulbs are what you want. If you want a bulb that "does the job of the fog light, only better", you need to stick with yellow dichroic, or white through a yellow reflector.

The fog light bulbs are yellow because this wavelength is scattered and relected back less than other wavelengths, and penetrates deeper into the fog and rain. (yellow fog and headlight bulbs are called 'all weather' in Europe.) The blue bulbs cut out the yellow wavelengths, and DECREASE the amount of light on the road. They don't penetrate as far, and they scatter more easily. ( http://www.overboost.com/story.asp?id=102 ). That is why we have a blue sky - the incoming light penetrates, but the blue wavelengths scatter more than the other wavelengths. You can have the cool blue looks, or the yellow functionality, but not both. :(