On my 240 the fuel reserve light never goes off. The fuel guage works fine, and in an attempt to fix the light I have installed a new fuel sender. The light stays on! I can disconnect one of the leads to the fuel sender and the light will go off, but if it is connected up correctly, the light just won't go off. Any ideas? Anyone else with this problem?

Have you checked the grounding of your cluster?

__________________

Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

I have not. I really haven had no need to this point of removing the cluster, but as I have read it is not really that big of a deal. Do you happen to know where the ground wire is located on the back of the panel, and where it should be connected (like I said, never pulled one of these clusters out yet )? That would be a great help.

I doubt that this would have to do with grounding of the cluster, and IMO, it would be easier just to pull the sender out of the tank and figure out what's wrong with it than to try to defeat the indicator light.

On second thought, it might be whatever relay whose job it is to light that light up when you first turn the key (to check that it works) might have stuck open- or did they start doing that on the '83s.

__________________
80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

My first thought was the sender...I actually took it out and cleaned all the goop off of it. I put it back in and light stayed on. So, I found a place that didn't charge an arm and a leg for a new sender...popped it in and yes sadly the light stays on. I know there is a relay somewhere for this, because if I disconnect one side from the sender the light will go out, but when I start up the car, the light does come on for a few seconds then out much like it should (though I know it won't work this way).

If the lights is on dimly then it could be the seat belt warning relay. It tests the reserve light when the car is initially turned on. The circuit could have failed causing the light ot be on all the time.

Dave

__________________
1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

That is a real possibility. I have also noticed that the door buzzer seems to be wanting to work with the air conditioner compressor (compressor on..buzzer..comressor off no buzzer). Which may all connect up into one big mess. Now if I only knew why my rear deforster only works on one of the strips I would be all good!

Make sure all the lines for the rear window defroster are all connected. something might have scratched through them. they are just painted on the glass. there use to be a fix it kit to repair these, it was a special metalic paint.

Behind the "C" piller, the panel the seat belt goes through is a metal tab that connects to the glass, and is held to the body with a phillips screw. I think the drivers side is the positive and the pass. side is the negative. these are fragile, and if the window has ever been out they can be cracked where they attach to the glass. I think they are soldered on, been a while I have had a window out.

The other thing is the switch and fuse, but you have power if one is working, sounds like it is scratched.

Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

I have the same reserve light issue in my '82 300SD, but have not had a chance to troubleshoot it yet. I am watching with interest.

__________________
1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine