2013 GLK 350 headlight bulb replacement.

[davidmash]

Bought two H7 bulbs for the GLK (one is burned out) and I am having a heck of a time trying to replace them.

This does not have the spring thing. I found one video that said that you just need to pull the light bulb assembly out. No dice. I tried pulling, twisting. Tried a pair of needle nose pliers. Flat head screw driver as a wedge. Nothing seems to want to come out without breaking.

I tried both sides and the issue is the same.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[Hirnbeiss]

Does yours look like this one?
https://mbworld.org/forums/glk-class-x204/623527-2013-glk-350-low-beam-headlamp-replacement.html

[davidmash]

Yes. That's what I have.

I'll try tilting the bottom. I thought I tried what the link suggested but I will try again. If not .. Parkplace Mercedes here I come.

Thanks for the info.

[davidmash]

Went to the dealer. They even said the lights are a PIA to replace compared to most other models. I brought my own bulbs and they put them in at no cost.

Problem solved.

Thanks

[engatwork]

I can attest that they are a pia to replace for some reason but once it snaps in you wonder why it was so complicated.

[davidmash]

It's stuff like this that give engineers a bad rep.

[Hirnbeiss]

This one probably had no input for an MB engineer. MB went to Hella and said “Give me a Scheinwerfer that fits.” Hella said “Halogen”?, MB said “Ja”, Hella said “$98.70?”, MB said “$95!”, Hella, said “OK, but for that price you get this PIA clip.”, MB: “Abgemacht!” And that was that.

[pawoSD]

Best solution is to remove those H7 halogens and put in some quality LED replacements, huuge difference in lighting and they'll last much longer!

[davidmash]

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Best solution is to remove those H7 halogens and put in some quality LED replacements, huuge difference in lighting and they'll last much longer!

From what I have read this is not really a good idea. The reflectors are designed for the way an incandescent disperses light. LED's do it in a very different way and the light pattern will be off and result in glare and blinding for on coming cars. There is also a heat issue.

I stuck with conventional lights. Not willing to screw up the cars electrical system.

[Guardians]

Originally Posted by davidmash

From what I have read this is not really a good idea. The reflectors are designed for the way an incandescent disperses light. LED's do it in a very different way and the light pattern will be off and result in glare and blinding for on coming cars.

This is correct. Subpar results are always to be had when sticking a LED in a hole where a halogen bulb belongs.

[pawoSD]

Originally Posted by Guardians

This is correct. Subpar results are always to be had when sticking a LED in a hole where a halogen bulb belongs.

Unless that LED unit happens to place the LED chip exactly where the halogen filament used to be, then its just the same light pattern with 4x the light output and better color.

[Guardians]

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Unless that LED unit happens to place the LED chip exactly where the halogen filament used to be, then its just the same light pattern with 4x the light output and better color.

Unfortunately, there is no LED bulb that actually places the chips exactly where the filament used to be.

Most people are stuck thinking in 2D:



Unfortunately, most things in real life are 3D:

[pawoSD]

Originally Posted by davidmash

From what I have read this is not really a good idea. The reflectors are designed for the way an incandescent disperses light. LED's do it in a very different way and the light pattern will be off and result in glare and blinding for on coming cars. There is also a heat issue.

I stuck with conventional lights. Not willing to screw up the cars electrical system.

I am using these along with the CAN bus adapters they sell: https://www.boslla.com/

Light pattern is great because the LED module is specifically designed to place the two LEDs exactly where the filament in a halogen would be located (and is on a copper substrate of equal thickness) No one flashes me, when I installed them I went through aiming them and ended up dropping the beams about "5 full turns" of the adjustment in the downward direction. Not because the LED's cause high light pattern, but because the stock pattern when multplied by 4x the lumens ends up with a bit too much high level light unless you drop them a bit.

Works great. I guess I'll enjoy my LED's and you can all drive around with your prehistoric lighting.

Zero errors on the computer either using the can bus adapters (and there wasn't without them either but the lights would flicker slightly). Flicker is gone with the adapters. I've been running them for almost 5 months problem free.

[raymond~]

definitely not a good suggestion absent any testing with a SPECIFIC LED brand and design
and pairing it with the reflector bowl of that model car. notwithstanding that such an LED
modification is technically illegal in nearly all of the US on public roads, there is no standard
on LED design so the focal point of the LED emitter will almost always produce unwanted
glare.

if you take two magnifying glass models and try to start a fire, the odds are that each
will be held at different distances from the target media. why? focal point

in order to produce a quality light beam, spread and controlled focus (minimum glare)
the light must be calibrated.

[lsmalley]

Originally Posted by raymond~

definitely not a good suggestion absent any testing with a SPECIFIC LED brand and design
and pairing it with the reflector bowl of that model car. notwithstanding that such an LED
modification is technically illegal in nearly all of the US on public roads, there is no standard
on LED design so the focal point of the LED emitter will almost always produce unwanted
glare.

if you take two magnifying glass models and try to start a fire, the odds are that each
will be held at different distances from the target media. why? focal point

in order to produce a quality light beam, spread and controlled focus (minimum glare)
the light must be calibrated.

I agree. I was one of those that put HID lights in my stock 201 and was embarrassed every time someone flashed me. I ended up correcting the problem, albeit it took several years to test and correct it, but much happier with the output and I haven't been flashed since. I'm always amazed that there are cars post-2010 that still use halogen bulbs. I wonder if the new California law will do away with them for cars being made after 2020.