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#1
09-09-2007, 11:13 PM
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Lights Out
My dash lights never worked. Driving at night is a real PITA. I removed the cluster and all the bulbs are good. I also checked the fuses which are also good. Im sure there is some painfully obvious solution...but Im just missing it.
Also...my running light is out...again I checked the bulb...the other lights work (turn signal and brake light) and its just the passenger side. Any ideas??? Thanks
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Anthony '76 W115 240D '67 IH Scout 800 '61 IH Scout 80 
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#2
09-09-2007, 11:35 PM
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Rheostat? AKA the dimmer for the dash lights.
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Present 1971 280SE W108 1967 250SE W111 Rhode Island _____________ Auf Wiedersehen 1972 280SE 4.5 (AKA Das Moneypitten) 1972 250C (Mit den zwei carburetors from hell) "Time fly’s like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana" Groucho Marx
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#4
09-10-2007, 01:22 AM
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The problem is still likely the rheostat, so you will have to jumper across it or take it out and find where the open circuit is and repair. Since in perfect condition, the full on position of the rheostat only yields marginal brightness, many here have just jumpered it.
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1961 190Db retired 1968 220D/8 325,000 1983 300D 164,150
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#5
09-10-2007, 06:27 AM
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Is your fuel guage working? The rheostat usualy affect everything in the clusther. What happens quite often is the terminals of the rheostat get dirty.
Dry adjusting the dimmer back and forth real fast for a few seconds and see if it comes back to life...
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72 250 M130 W114
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#6
09-10-2007, 08:18 AM
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I just fixed the same problem in my 250C. I had to disassemble the rheostat and clean the terminals with emery cloth. The entire assembly was corroded.
I had a secondary problem, in that the headlight switch was not sending +12 volts to the instrument clister. I had to jumper from the parking light terminal to the panel light terminal as a stop-gap fix until I could order a new switch.
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#8
09-10-2007, 04:41 PM
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Here's the fix that has worked on every old MB I have ever owned which had no instrument lights when I got them:
Just turn the dimmer knob back and forth repeatedly, hundreds of times if you have to. You will feel silly until the lights start working...first only in certain spots on the dimmer, then, if you are lucky it will work across the entire range. The dimmers are notorious for oxidizing, this sweeping action clears them eventually. On one car I counted 300 turns until I saw a glimmer of light, but, alas it came back...what have you got to lose??? It costs nothing to try and you don't have to sit there and do it until your arm falls off, just do it 25-50 turns at a time.
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Marty D. 2013 C300 4Matic 1984 BMW 733i 2013 Lincoln MKz 
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#9
09-10-2007, 08:38 PM
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One of the things I always do on these old MB's is get under the hood and gently clean up every electrical connection I can with fine Emory paper. I clean all electrical points of contact including the fuse box contacts, everything back to clean, shiny surfaces. You'd be surprised what suddenly starts working once all the resistance caused by all those years of dirt, grime and corrosion are gone, you have good grounds, and healthy voltage starts flowing freely around the chassis again. Worked miracles on my 1973 280SE 4.5. I came out one morning to a strange sound in the cabin. The clock had started working! Kept time like NASA after that. Dash lights where superb.
I also recall shooting the Rheostat in my 250C and 4.5 with some electrical contact cleaner from Radio Shack and working it clockwise and counter-clockwise and that did it.
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Present 1971 280SE W108 1967 250SE W111 Rhode Island _____________ Auf Wiedersehen 1972 280SE 4.5 (AKA Das Moneypitten) 1972 250C (Mit den zwei carburetors from hell) "Time fly’s like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana" Groucho Marx
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#11
10-01-2007, 10:11 PM
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No luck on adjusting the dimmer back/forth....after about 30 minutes. Someone mentioned earlier about jumpering...can someone post a step-by-step process on this?
Any ideas why my rear passenger running light is out, but the turn signal and brake lights work? Yes the bulb is good. Is it just a coincidence that the front passenger front driving light (amber light that comes on w/headlight) is also out....again that bulb is also good. I could use any suggestions/tips short of rewiring the whole thing. I wont let my wife drive the car at night for fear of getting a ticket.
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Anthony '76 W115 240D '67 IH Scout 800 '61 IH Scout 80
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#12
10-01-2007, 11:45 PM
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Have you cleaned the fuse box with emory cloth? My passenger headlight stopped working. everything was ok including the highbeam. I rotated the fuse back and forth a dozen times and it came back to life.
Also you don't mention a model or chassis number. I know on the 114/115 there is a connector in the back that you could test for voltage... EDIT: Sorry didn't see the signature... look for the connector in the trunk and see if you get voltage. You'll have to look at your schematics to see what pin number is the correct one
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72 250 M130 W114 Last edited by ggenovez; 10-01-2007 at 11:46 PM. Reason: Didn't see signature for model no.
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