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help changing fog light bulb

31K views 25 replies 11 participants last post by  MBGraham 
#1 ·
I've been under my car pulling on the thing that I believe has the old bulb in it. For some reason, it isn't coming out. Instead of taking out my frustration on the car, I went on here to ask for any tips/advice on how to take it out. Any help is appreciated. thanks!
 
#2 · (Edited)
i hope you have used the SEARCH feature as well as viewed the STICKY.

the bulb is held in with your typical wire spring stirrups. I can swap bulbs by
touch through the trap door. since you're not familiar with this, you may then
want to consider pulling the fog light assembly which is held by single bolt.
visualize the layout and you'll never have problems swapping out the bulb again.

http://i10.tinypic.com/2z4fjo5.jpg
 
#7 ·
My right side fog lamp on my 1998 E320 died last night. The left one is fine. I went to the auto parts store and swapped out the dead one for a new one, following the above directions. I also applied some dielectric grease per the clerk's suggestion since he said my lamp blew because of water intrusion into the housing.

Now both the right and left lamps fail to light up...could I have shorted a fuse when I was installing the lamp? Could it be the dielectric grease causing a fault?

Any advice is appreciated!
 
#8 · (Edited)
Hi, Pod. Please click user cp and edit details to add your vehicle and location to your profile, it's often useful information when you're seeking assistance.

If you overapplied the grease, it certainly could have. It's conductive, so it may have shorted the circuit. The little "ears" on the connector are the ground, and there isn't much distance between them and the (+) of the bulb itself.

BTW, if YOU didn't see evidence of water intrusion, I wouldn't worry about it. Unless you're regularly driving through deep water, it's never going to get into that connection area, though the lens will fog up because it's not airtight as the gasket dries out.

The most common issue related to the W210 foglights is the substandard wiring MB used, which helps things overheat and the connector then melts into the bulb. Once that starts to happen, the clips weaken and bulb life shortens, it's a vicious cycle. The only solution then is to replace the clips; no amount of dielectric grease will help that. There are workarounds and replacement harness repair kits available.

But for the immediate issue, I'd disconnect both bulbs and then turn on the circuit and check for voltage at the connectors. I'm guessing you'll get none, then you have to see what blew.

Good luck.
 
#10 ·
Not just from changing the lamp. But it really wouldn't take much grease given the proximity of the connections, so the grease could have provided the conduit, and I suppose if the connector is melted enough that could short it as well.

These were what mine looked like when I removed them:




But once you disconnect them, turn them on at the light switch and use a VOM at the connectors to check for voltage. The center (female) plug on the connector is (+).
 
#11 ·
Check_Codes:

Didn't need a VOM, I checked the fuse and it was blown. I guess maybe it blew after the lamp died? Thank you so much for the information. Benzworld to the rescue!

For everyone's reference, on a 1998 E320, the fuse for the fog lights is in slot number 9 and is a 15A (blue) fuse. The panel is the trapezodial panel on the driver's side dash which is revealed by opening the door.

Oh, and yes, once you see the mechanism for the fog light release, it's easy.

A small thing, sure, but I love the way the fog lights look. It just didn't seem right with them off.
 
#17 ·
ya know, it's been more than a couple of years that it's not clear to me now. in the
STICKY, you can download your own set of parts diagrams into your own PC. may
save you some time down the road.

below is page from that file which (still) isn't clear enough for me to conclude. it
could be a two fastener thing so now i'm second guessing what i posted last year
about it being single bolt. note that there are two bracket angles which almost
implies two bolts. or, are those two forward tabs something that hooks to the
subframe and then secured by single bolt? dunno now. ignore 98 which should be
the single bolt holding the light housing to the bracket.

another thing to do which is pretty easy is to drop the plastic engine undershield
which is the size of a cookie sheet fastened with something like 10, 8mm screws.
that might give you better visual angle to peer into the fog lamp area.
 

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#18 ·
Halogen bulb needed for fog lamp. Can anyone help to give that spec. lamp I.D. ? I need to replace the drive side fog lamp, instead I fixed the bulb because the connection between the negative leg of the filament and the frame on the bulb was loosed. However, I do not know how long the repair will last. I like to stock one for next repair.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Fantastic! Thank You.

Just about to change that bulb and the video is so much easier to understand just how to get at and remove that bulb.

Oops - Not so fast! Opened up and there is no wire going to bulb and the ground wire clip was disconnected. One of the wires that leads into housing at bottom is broken off. Looks like dealer at some time must have tried to change bulb, found there was a problem and just left it like that. Don't see any connector for the bulb. Now it looks like I need to remove the whole shebang.
 
#25 ·
Here are some pics of what I have.

Don't see any plastic connector for bulb as shown in some earlier pics. Maybe it was found to be damaged and not replaced?

Does the spade socket at top right look like the ground? Looks reddish?

Funny, we have owned this car since almost new and I don't recall anything except that that fog light has been out for years.

Thinking of disabling the other side for the safety check so they don't see just one light on! Maybe I can pull one fuse?


 
#26 · (Edited)
Ended up doing an in-place repair.

The casing plug was fused together and completely unusable as-is. I drilled out the pins so as to leave two holes. Then made up a couple of pigtails to run through those holes with crimped on spade connectors to connect to bulb and ground. Thought about installing a disconnect plug on outside of enclosure, but in end just spliced the pigtails to the car wiring. Closed her all up and we now have fog lights!

Turned out a bigger job than a simple bulb replacement! Actually bulb was fine.


 
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