The instruments panel lights either are all on or all off. Lately mostly off.

I pulled the instrument panel out of the dashboard and while looking at the front of the panel, there is a small square box in the bottom left-hand side (it has one screw in it). When I squeeze this box or flick it, all of the instrument panel lights come on for a brief time. Then after some time, all the lights go out.

Anyone know what that is? If you had the instrument panel in, it in the direction of behind the left button that resets your mileage trip ( but I don't thing this box has anything to do with it).

In any event I would like to have my instrument panel lights! It's dangerous driving in the dark.

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1990 Mercedes 300 SEL (320,000 miles)
1994 Mercedes E420 (140,000 miles)

Any ideas? Any ideas what would make the instrument panels light flickers on and off? And now they are all mostly off.

Also, another clue, the lights for the heater controls and the window switches all go out in tandem as well.

i don't know if it is a coincidence, when i pulled the instrument panel out, i squeezed the item on the back left of it and the lights came back on for a short time.

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1990 Mercedes 300 SEL (320,000 miles)
1994 Mercedes E420 (140,000 miles)

I think what I am pressing in the "light control relay".

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1990 Mercedes 300 SEL (320,000 miles)
1994 Mercedes E420 (140,000 miles)

I don't think there's a lighting relay behind the cluster, it's under the hood together with the other fuses and relays. Sounds like what you're describing is the rheostat (potentiometer) that brightens and dims the interior gauge lights. If it's still the original pot and it's never had any TV tuner or similar electronic spray to clean it up, it's getting dirty and then it doesn't make good contact anymore. Result: dash and console lights flicker or are dim or disappear on you all at the same time. Not a difficult DIY, especially if you've already had the cluster out of the dash, and it's not big $ either.

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1988 California version 260E (W124)
Anthracite Grey/Palomino
Owned since new and still going strong and smooth
MBCA member

Past Mercedes-Benz:
1986 190E Baby Benz
1967 230 Inherited from mom when she downsized
1959 220S Introduced me to the joys of keepin' 'em goin'

There are only 10 kinds of people in the world--those who understand binary and those who don't

A little EPC (Electrical Parts Cleaner) and then a dab or two of WD40
on the Spring and Lever.

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

That's the dimmer for the lights. Remove the screw holding it on, and pluck it out. Try spraying it with contact cleaner. The EPC stuff is okay, I personally prefer DeOxit by Caig.

If that doesn't fix the issue, you need a new dimmer. I have one I pulled from a junkyard if you need......

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-tp


1990 300SE "Corinne"- 145k daily driver - street modified differential - PARTING OUT OR SELLING SOON - PORTLAND OR. AREA - PM ME FOR DETAILS
1988 560SEL "Gunther"- 190K passes anything except a gas station
1997 S420 - 265k just bought it with a rebuilt trans. Lovely condition