w123 300dt - Headlight sockets unplugged, but switch turned ON - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Sev · #1 09-15-2009, 02:42 AM

guys, what's the worst that can happen, beyond blowing the fuse that controls the headlight, if i left the headlights unplugged, but had the headlight switch turned on to the full position (low beams plus corner lights), but not pulled out for fog lights, or high beams turned on--just low beams, for like, an hour of driving?

can i fry the wiring harness?

compu_85 · #2 09-15-2009, 07:19 AM

Nothing would happen so long as the connector didn't flop around and short out / ground to the body.

And what do you mean "pulled out for high beams"? Pulling out the headlight switch to its first click turns on the front fog lights, high beams are turned on with the turn signal / high beam switch

-Jason

Sev · #3 09-15-2009, 02:12 PM

Weird. I drove for an hour like this, and the result was blowing a fuse which controls instrument cluster, dash and switch lighting, and window regulators. I replaced all my fuses, and now they work again. You don't think it was still pulling power, even though disconnected?

rrgrassi · #4 09-15-2009, 02:17 PM

A short somewhere in the circuit will pull lots of amps.

compu_85 · #5 09-15-2009, 03:10 PM

Your wall sockets at home don't draw power when there's nothing plugged into them, do they

If that blew a fuse either the connector touched something or there is a wiring problem somewhere.

-Jason

Sev · #6 09-15-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by compu_85

Your wall sockets at home don't draw power when there's nothing plugged into them, do they

If that blew a fuse either the connector touched something or there is a wiring problem somewhere.

-Jason

oh, ok. that makes sense. it must of been something else that triggered that particular fuse to go bad at the same time i drove with the light switched on but not plugged in. it was just a coincidence. thanks for your help guys.

gerkebi · #7 09-15-2009, 09:37 PM

OK, I gotta ask...why the hell were you driving around with your headlights unplugged and the switch on?

Sev · #8 09-16-2009, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerkebi

OK, I gotta ask...why the hell were you driving around with your headlights unplugged and the switch on?

haha, ok. i had just installed my euro lights, but forgot to buy bulbs for them. the corner light bulbs were reusable, so rather than have no lights when it was getting dark, i opted instead to have just my corner lights on, so i turned the knob to what i thought was one click to the right, so the corner lights would turn on. turns out i turned it two clicks. then the next day when i turned the car on, all but the speedometer in the cluster was not working, no dash lights, no window regulators, no switches except hazard, and a few other electrical things didn't work. i replaced all the fuses including the one that was the blown culprit, and of course that fixed the problem. i know the fuse caused it, but i wonder if somehow having the headlight switch turned on was drawing power and blew the fuse. guess not though