CLear Headlight Install Notes with pics

[Light-Zone]

I just finished my installation. Because of the fact that there were a few modifications and changes necessary, I wanted to share my experience with others.

To start off, I have a 2001 SLK 230. The original healights have 2 H7 lights in the main housing, along with the turn signal in the smaller outside housing. I installed the Ultra White H4 bulb I bought along with the kit for an additional $10, but will be heading out for a replacement as soon as I finisg this post, because I did not realize they would be so blue.

I completed the re-wiring of the supplied harness as per the helpful post, but, the entire wiring harness supplied with the new headlight was not needed. In fact, I did not have the final connector available in my car. So I used the existing harness, plugged it directly to the new headlight, and had both regular and high beams right away.

Next I need to take the original turn signal socket and use it in the new headlights because the connector pins in the new unit did not line up correctly. Luckily this fit no problem and turn signals function properly.

I also installed the clear marker lights in the bumper. Had I known the re-wiring of the supplied harness was not necessary, the entire installation would have taken less than an hour, thanks to the helpful posts in this forum.

Over all, I am ver happy with the look. One question though. What is the second H7 bulb used for in my original headlight? Was trhat the high beam? I suppose the H4 bulb has the high and regular beam in one bulb. The socket in the new headlight is wired, but what bulb would fit and would there be any benefit in installing one?

Thanks and I hope these notes are helpful to someone.

[Skooter]

Light-Zone,
A word of caution: You need the supplied relay and harness to prevent damage to your new lights.
To explain: The stock configuration of the SLK turns on both the high beam bulb and the low beam bulb at the same time when you have your high beams on. The new headlight has only one bulb with two filliments in it. The new bulb can not operate with both the high and low filiments turned on for more then a couple seconds (ie. flash to pass). The bulb will overheat with both filiments energized. The relay and harness provided turns off the low beam filiment when the high beam is activated.

So, you are correct that the lights work without the supplied harness and relay, but they will not work for long. You run the risk of going through headlight bulbs frequently and possibly melting the plastic reflector in your new lights.

I know all this because I ordered the lights and installed them and I was curious why they used a relay. After some checking with a test light and volt meter, I found out that Mercedes activates both bulbs when the high beams are active.

Hope that helps!
-Earl

PS: to answer your question, yes the second bulb in your stock lights is the high beam. Also, the small un-used light socket in the new headlights is for parking/city lights as they have on cars in Europe.

[Light-Zone]

THANK YOU Earl!

I instictively knew that relay was necessary, and that's why I posted. My problem is this. I do not have a place to plug in the new wiring harness connector show below.

Any help?

[page62]

There were 2 parts to the connector system. I did not need the part you show in the photo, just the pigtail with the relay in it.

[Light-Zone]

Well, I just removed the part I pictured above, and made the connections. Drivers side high beam light works with the switch pushed away, locked out, BUT, the high beam does not operate when flashing. Passenger side has no brights function at all. I did a diagostic. Changed bulbs, etc, and it came down to the wiring harness. I re-checked my wiring diagram, and had that right. I am guessing that the relay is not working properly. I have the regular lights, so my only recourse right now is to get a new relay from our supplier.

Any other suggestions? As I said above, I've changed bulbs and even plugged the headlights into the opposite side of the car in case the wiring leading up to the light was not working properly.

[page62]

You're right. When using the wiring fix as shown, there is no high beam flash. (But it's better for me if I don't have this feature...but that's another story.) What you can do is pull the white wire that goes from the relay to the headlamp out of the relay connector. Cut off the spade lug, and tap it into the incoming white wire (which should still go into the relay). Use one of those plastic tap connectors...don't know they're exact name, but each wire goes in one side and then a little blade drops down to do the tapping, and then a little plastic cover snaps over the blade.

This may seem a little complex, which is why I haven't messed with this mod yet myself. But I'll get to it one day.

I don't know what's causing your other problem. It's time to break out the voltmeter (or 12V test lamp) to see what's happening.

[Skooter]

Hello everyone,
Two things:
I have the flash to pass option working in my car, and I used the complete harness from the supplier. My car is a '99 with stock non-HID lights. Maybe the extra harness bit is only used on the older cars.

Second thing:
I too had the issue where my high beam didn't work right on one of the lights, the low beam was normal and when switched to high beam the bulb would light but very dimmly. It turned out that that headlight was wired incorrectly from the factory. They had reversed the ground (brown) and the high beam lead. So, the low beam worked, but when switching to high beams it would put the two filiments in series and produce a very dim glow. I ended up reversing the wires on the harness to correct this. The faulty wiring was in the connector they used to pass the wires through the back plastic wall of the headlight.

Perhaps they made this error more then once. To check, look at the wire colors going into the one side of the connector on the headlight, then look inside the headlight assembly and verify the colors are in the same order.

Hope that helps.
Earl

[Light-Zone]

Thanks Page62 and Earl.

I knew there was a reason I waited until I had a few days off from work before starting this little project. I'll give the suggestions a try tomorrow and will report my findings. One thing for sure, I DO like the lookof these lights.


BTW, the yellow "bulb indicator" on the right side of the instrument panel is now lit when the lights are on....or was it always that way and I just never noticed??

[Skooter]

I do not have a bulb out indicator with my lights on, so you may want to check the wiring issues I mentioned.
And yes, my bulbout indicator is funtioning, because it comes on whenever I am in reverse (my left reverse light is out).

Good luck!
Earl

[peckels01]

When my high beams are turned on the bulb out indicator on the dash comes on, anyone else have this problem on high beam only?