What is the purpose of... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

E300TD99 · #1 03-14-2009, 04:56 PM

On the 210 chassis and most likely many more styles for that matter, when you turn the lights so just one on the right or left come on what are they for????

Thanks,
Mike

leathermang · #2 03-14-2009, 05:06 PM

I think in some places they are required by law for parking on the right side of the street...
but seems like a good way to drain the battery to me...
someone who really knows the answer will speak up soon though..

Simpler=Better · #3 03-14-2009, 05:20 PM

I believe they are to mark where your car is while you are parked on the side of the road, without having to run the full set of lights

bgkast · #4 03-14-2009, 05:24 PM

If your battery drains from having one 15w bulb on overnight then you have some charging problems

Simpler=Better · #5 03-14-2009, 06:33 PM

I don't about that bgkast, how many cars die from the interior light being left on? Not necessarily dead but low enough to not start...

petes450se · #6 03-14-2009, 06:37 PM

Yep its for parking on the side of a road, its in the owners manual. Enjoy!

kerry · #7 03-14-2009, 06:48 PM

Europeans use them to light up the outside edge of the car when parked on the street. Never seen a Yank do it. Maybe there are laws in Europe requiring that option?

E300TD99 · #8 03-14-2009, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Europeans use them to light up the outside edge of the car when parked on the street. Never seen a Yank do it. Maybe there are laws in Europe requiring that option?

I agree with the usage. What made me question it was I just recently saw a 210 parked on the side of the city street with the lights on. The only problem was the light that were on were the ones closest to the curb. Which made me rethink what they were for.

Thanks all, I appreciate the knowledge and good conversation about the vehicles we all enjoy.

fruitcakesa · #9 03-14-2009, 11:00 PM

He probably didn't read the manual

strelnik · #10 03-14-2009, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Europeans use them to light up the outside edge of the car when parked on the street. Never seen a Yank do it. Maybe there are laws in Europe requiring that option?

This has been a Euro law since the 1930s because most places didn't have electric street lights for a while after the gas lights were removed due to fires and accidents and leaks.

These bulbs are so tiny that they use up nothing unless you leave them on for a month or two. besides until the 260D came along most Euro cars were so low in compression you could use 10 feet of incline to start a car.

Traction Avants in 1934 were 6:1 compression ratio. MBs weren't much different except for the diesel.

chazola · #11 03-15-2009, 07:43 AM

Not sure about mainland Europe, but here in the UK it's good practice to leave them on when parked in rural areas and/or badly lit roads, especially in crappy weather (and it's mentioned in the 'highway code') Here in London I still often use mine when parked on a main road at night so (hopefully) it'll be more warning to someone speeding by not to crash into the back of my car...

JimFreeh · #12 03-15-2009, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E300TD99

I agree with the usage. What made me question it was I just recently saw a 210 parked on the side of the city street with the lights on. The only problem was the light that were on were the ones closest to the curb. Which made me rethink what they were for.

Thanks all, I appreciate the knowledge and good conversation about the vehicles we all enjoy.

Since there is no mechanical stop to the switch (a la the American style), it's relatively easy to turn the switch one click too far. Obviously, the owner was a neubee.

Older Benzes, like the 190SL I owned 35 years ago had a single position to the left of "off", plus a "mystery" toggle switch on the dash to select left or right.

I remember using them one evening when my wife and I stopped by the library. We come out and some do gooder on a bicycle is leaning in over the 190SL's driver's door flipping and turning switches at random trying to "save" me from a dead battery.

Jim

nhdoc · #13 03-15-2009, 08:27 AM

Yes, most of the earlier models deleted the parking lights when they exported them to the USA because we Americans had no need for them and would accidentally leave them on and complain about dead batteries caused by them. They will kill your battery if left on for more than overnight.

It's not just the lack of lighting but the narrower streets in Old Europe that makes them more practical to use there. We are blessed here with "luxuriously wide streets" most of which were built since the advent of the automobile

Mark DiSilvestro · #14 03-15-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Europeans use them to light up the outside edge of the car when parked on the street. Never seen a Yank do it. Maybe there are laws in Europe requiring that option?

I used mine one night, during last year's Outer Banks GTG, when our group pulled off the highway into an unlit access-road, to wait for a straggler that had been briefly detained for some 'revenue-enhancement', by local law enforcement.

Happy Motoring, Mark

chazola · #15 03-15-2009, 08:55 AM

Does the parking light switch on US cars leave the front indicator (blinker) light on? Here in old Europe the front side light (city light) stays on when you activate it...