W210- Dash Display Issues
 

I'm having a problem with an INTERMITTENT Defective Bulb indication on the dash display in my 1999 E300 turbodiesel (W210). The car has 66k miles on it since I bought it new in January 1999.

I can drive for a long way with the headlights on with no problem.
However, on a random basis the Defective Bulb notification comes up in the instrument cluster display. Once it indicates Defective Bulb, it stays that way as long as I continue operating the vehicle. If I stop the engine for a brief stop and shut everything down, the problem resets to normal operation when I start the car and turn on the headlights again. This has been going on for a few months. I have checked many times and there are no defective bulbs on the car. The dealer tech checked too with no trouble found.

On Monday this week, the display signaled "Defective Display" and stayed that way. Then I stopped for coffee and shut everything down. After coming out to the car about 5 minutes after shutdown, everything on the display worked fine and I haven't had another "Defective Display" notification come up again after several hundred miles of driving.

Any recommendations on what to do to solve this problem ?

Thanks,

Ken

I have a friend with a 99 E430, his display said DISPLAY DEFECTIVE a number of times, totally random, just as you indicate.
Well he took it in to the dealer, and they just replaced the instrument cluster under warranty because there is a known error of some sort with them.
Good luck...

David,

Thank you. I do have the extended warranty to 100k miles. Hope the display is covered.

Thanks,

Ken

Ken,

During the first year or so after I got my 1998 E320 new, I would get defective bulb warnings but couldn't find any bulbs out. Eventually we tracked it down to the tail light housing. Mercedes really came up with a cheap way of designing these assemblies. The individual bulbs aren't wired, so the bulb gets its juice from the housing. I think the bulb holder contacts wouldn't always make a good connection with the tail light housing, causing the defective light message. The dealer replaced both tail light housings under warranty with a supposedly better engineered version. I haven't had any problems since, but I think as the car ages this cheap design will again cause problems.

Bob I.

1998 E320
1995 E420

I'll do you one better. My 97 E320 also shows defective bulb intermittently, but I have on occasion have my left and sometimes right hazzard lights go out. However, when I re-enter the car later on, the bulb will be working. This is probablly due to some dirty contacts but a real pain in the ass. :rolleyes:

David,
Did your friend say if the dealership told him why the cluster had to be replaced or what the problem was? I'm not trilled about having original parts replace by the dealership because it has been my experience that it's never the same afterwards. :(

defective bulbs and the magic electrical jizzum...
 

I've had a similar issue with rear tail-light bulbs and the defective bulb on my display. Last week I went through all the bulbs in the rear and lubed them up with di-electric grease ($2.00/ tube @ NAPA or wally-world).

All the lights are back to normal and no more defective bulb errors.


Still have a defective display error with the little boxes though. Anyone else here have any more input on this without a full replacement? What I would really like is someone who just cracked up a 98-99 e300td with 60k miles and wants to part out a dashboard!! :idea2:

PMU

Phil,
What specific boxes are showing defective in your dash display?

Also noticed in your signature that your E300 is leaking fuel @ 133k miles.
That is about the same mileage mine had when I had to replace the fuel shutoff valve (where all of the plastic fuel lines originate). This is located on the driver's side near the front of the engine. Of course, you may have already corrected this problem.

Ken

The little boxes are actually "pages". They mean that there is more than one message. You push the reset button (possibly on the earlier cars it's the clock or trip meter button) and it will show the other messages one at a time.
On the bulb defective display, an incorrect wattage or "cheap" bulb may throw this warning. You have to be very methodical in checking the bulbs, example the 2 inner clear oval running lights are common, the amber side ones on the front bumper, both license lights, etc. Yes the "bulb plates" for the taillights are a common failure too.
On the display defective, yeah it's usually a bad cluster, I agree there. On the 96-97, outside chance it's the ignition switch.
Gilly

defective bulb
 

These is a common problem with the rear tail light cluster on the W210. The issue is where the plastic that holds the circuit board fails and as a result shorting the bulb. Moving the bulb around a bit will fix the problem temporarily but eventually you'll have to replace the cluster. I just did so with mine after dealing with moving the bulb around for 2 years or so.

The cluster is not that expensive.

Yup, both my E320 and dad's E430 have had this same issue for a couple of years. Looks like we will have to buy new clusters.

Same tail light out problem with my '96 W210 for many years (used to switch the bulbs from side to side to fix the problem until it comes back a few months after). No evidence of heat damage on mine. I eventually cleaned the contact areas with a fine sand paper, problem gone for a while now.

Similar problem on my 98 C230. Indicator showed a bad bulb and I did see a tail light was out. However, the bulb was good. It turned out the little metal "finger" contact in the bottom of the socket was not making good contact. Also the little solder bump on the bottom of the lamp was worn a bit. I cleaned the contact and bent it up a bit and solved the problem for now.

Mike

Isn't this going to cause dust to be accumulated on the bulb?:confused:

Check the contacts at the rear lamp housing
 

The defective lamp problem is common on W210. As some have said...It's possibily the contact at the rear lamp housing. The contact with the bulb housing will fail due to arcing.

solution: Remove the bulb holder, and then GENTLY pry the metallic spring contact to increase the contact. If possible pry it out of the nearest detent and then use crazy glue to glue it back to the housing. Cheap solution no need to buy a new housing. Mine has held up 3 years and counting.

I replaced the shutoff valve last year. It looks to be ok right now, but threw a code when it malfunctioned. The new leak is from the 2nd and 3rd delivery valve on the IP. Still waiting on parts and tools from fastlane. Hopefully tomorrow.

PMU