I noticed the other day that the dash warning lights (idiot lights) are not all illuminating at the key on self check. The SRS light goes through the normal cycle, the ABS light does a quick flash and nothing else lights up. Everything in the car seems to function normally, turn signal indicators funtion normally dash illumination works, and the high beam indicator works.

In searching I found similar symptoms on a 300E. Advise pointed to a possible dash ground, or potentially more likely and alternator issue. Checking the voltage with car running after a 40 min trip gives a reading of about 13.85VDC which I believe should be fine.

Any advise? Any way to confirm an alternator issue? The removal of the alternator in a 400E is not nearly as simple as the 6 cylinder cars. I do have a alternator on the parts car I could have rebuilt.

To be thorough I also checked the 38 pin DTC's - this may be completely unrelated and warrant a separate thread?
Had not checked the DTC codes since purchasing and recently swapping the interior, also the previous owner had rebuilt the wiring harness some of these may be from old problems, initial codes and cleared them as follows;
Pin 4 - nothing
pin 6 - 3, 8, 13 (codes cleared no issue)
pin 7 - 5, 6 (codes cleared no issue)
Pin 8 - 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 17 (codes 5,6,9 cleared the others disappeared at that point, werent there and did not need clearing???)
pin 16 - nothing
pin 17 - nothing
pin 30 - 3, 5, 6, 8 (codes would not clear???)

Drove home 40 min on highway checked for codes and got the following (only listing where there were codes);
pin 7 - 6 (cleared normally) from K6JRF's site this is starter lock out/backup lamp switch? I'll check the backup lights but I believe this is all acting normally.
pin 30 - only 3 (this time the one code cleared normally???) drivers airbag squib??

Also after clearing codes the ABS light was lit - it went back to its previous behavior of a quick flash at start up after cycling the key.

So advise on dash lights?
Advise on DTC's?

Thanks
Paul

bump - No one with any advise?

The warning lights issue happen on my S320. Instead of off at turn key, they were on after engine is started. The fix was repair the short on the lower wire harness.

Thanks I'll add that to the list. Likely candidates and the probable order I will work through them;

Inst cluster ground
lower engine wiring harness (alternator harness)
Ignition switch issue
Alternator


I have an alternator I can bring to a rebuild place, and I am pulling the ignitionn switch assembly from the parts car - I'll also see how to get at the lower harness on the parts car.

Also just had an issue on the last two drives where the temp gauge behaved strangely - after about 5 min they raise higher than usual in one case touching top bar in the other a bit below, then it almost instantly drops back to the normal range. Time to search more or possibly post another thread.

Paul

Found the identical symptoms on this thread
W124 ABS dash-light start-up sequence

But the 400E is significantly different in layout. There does not seem to be a ABS relay, There is an ABS module in the module box where the 38 pin diag connector is. Any experience on doing a diagnostic to see if the cause is there?

Oh -- changed all the fuses to better newer brass/copper versions, no change.

paul