Not having the luxury of an owner's manual written in English, I must appeal to the experts here from time to time in order to find out what some of the various switches and knobs are on my 84 300D Euro. On the center console, just below the climate adjusting wheel and to the left, is a 4 or 5 position knurled switch. The nomenclature depicts what looks like the side view of a headlight, and there are lines that indicate this light can be pivoted up or down. Changing the positions on the switch seems to have no effect on my headlights, parking lights, or for that matter, ANYTHING on/in my car. Any clues?

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Matt
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'84 300D Euro

Has your neighbor been complaining that HIS headlights are being "magically" adjusted? Sorry, just couldn't resist. I'm recalling a joke by the comedian Steven Wright --

"I've got this switch in my house that doesn't do anything when I flick it on and off. The other day I got a call from a guy in Germany who said, 'Cut it out!'"

Brian

Yeah, that's a good one.

Back to my original query:

I was searching the archives when I stumbled upon a similar question. Most of the replies informed the posting member that the switch he was asking about was a horn pitch selector. Is that what mine is???

I believe on Euro Models, that switch is to adjust the head light level. If you have no change in the level of your beams, the system is either disabled on purpose or no longer operational.

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Mike Tangas
73 280 SEL 4.5

Standard-issue euro stuff, I think. It actually raises or lowers the beams, in the event you're heavily loaded or towning. The VW Golf wagon we toured europe in had the same thing - nice when creeping back to the campsite really late at night as you could get the beams down to where there was only twenty or so feet of illumination in front.

As to no perceived change: are they hooked up? Broken?

Thanks to all replies. If this switch is indeed the headlight beam level control, then no, it must not be hooked up. It has no effect. If by some chance I find myself in need of such a feature, I will look into hooking it back up/repairing it. Until then, it will have to remain in its non-functional, mysterious, but semi-attractive state.

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Matt
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'84 300D Euro

the headlamp adjustment feature is vacuum-controlled. If you have Euro-lamps, and you open up the back of the unit, you will see a small diaphragm (like a small brake booster) that adjusts the aim of the headlamps. If you follow the connections, you will find a vacuum connector on the back of the headlamp unit that this diaphragm is connected to.

i do not have the headlamp adjustment feature on my dashboard, so my headlamp vacuum connector is not connected anywhere.

i can imagine though that if the ambient air pressure drops sufficiently, my headlamps' aim will be adjusted (!)