Found this note in the owner's manual for 2011 S-Class;

14 Only vehicles with Bi-Xenon headlamps without Intelligent Light System* are equipped with front fog lamps.

Do you have the datacard for your S550 that might help figure out whether you actually have foglamps?

 

There is a setting in the instrument cluster to turn the daytime running lights on. With headlights set to auto, the daytime running lights will be on during the day, and fog lights will be on at night.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

Hi there:

I wish that was the case, but since I bought my car, the headlight has always been on the Auto setting, except when I tested out my high beams.

I originally though the daytime running LEDS were located in the headlights along the bottom. There is a fairly wide strip of LEDs mounted inside each headlight. When I drive the car with the DRLs on, that strip of LEDs does not light, but instead, the lower front fog LEDs do. I even switched the DRLs on and off to check and I only get the fog lights to turn on and off. Although edmid32 claims my fogs should be switching from day to night in the Auto setting, I can tell you with certainty, my fog lights appear very faint and only turn bright when I push in the headlight knob after activating the rear fog light.

Another member before the last reply asked for my data card to check and see whether my car has the intelligent headlights which would preclude my car having working fogs. I have no idea where my data card is located, but if you direct me to that location I can check it out and post the details.

I believe my car has the intelligent headlights based on the LED strip along the bottom of the headlight, but please confirm that info for me either way.

This is obviously not a major issue, I am just a stickler for everything to function properly on my cars, even if its the glovebox light.

Have a great weekend. I hope to finish detailing the other side and the trunk so I can snap a few photos.

Ted

 

I turned the headlight switch from A auto to the low beam headlight symbol. Pulled the switch knob out which ended up turning on the rear fog light. When I push the knob back in to turn off the rear fog, the front fog lights turn on for a brief second and then turn off.

What am I missing? is there another fog light switch that I'm not aware of? It is the standard exterior light switch without the night vision option.

Ted

Ted, the headlight switch for a car having front fog lights has two stops for the fog lights. When you pull it out to the first stop, the front fog lights should come on. When you pull it to the second stop, the rear fog light also comes on. BTW - the rear fog light illuminates on only one side of the car. In the US it is on the left (driver) side.

My '13 owner manual has the same annotation that your '11 has - "Only vehicles with Bi-Xenon headlamps without the Intelligent Light System are equipped with front fog lamps." My headlamp switch has only one stop for the fog light, and during the day one can see only the rear fog light. BTW - cars that have the Intelligent Lighting System (ILS) do no have fog lights as separate units because the beam of the low beam headlight lowers downward to illuminate the road closer to the car when the single-stop fog light is activated (when it lowers, it also angles to place more light on the sides of the roadway). Though it deals with the E-Class, there is a discussion of how the Bi-Xenon ILS works HERE. When the low beam dips, as I understand it, the lens does not move; the interior mechanism of the low beam repositions to cause the dip. Another indication of ILS is being able to set up the bright lights to come on automatically on a dark road, and to dim automatically for approaching traffic (I do not use that particular feature, but because I have the menu choices on the cluster to set it up, I know I have ILS). Thus, my car (below) does not have separate front fog lights.

For illustration, in the photos below, left to right:

First photo has the headlamp switch in "Auto;" because it is daylight, my low beams are off, and my daytime running lights (bottom row of LEDs in the bumper) are on as I set them in the COMAND Service Menu. In this mode they are bright. The LEDs at the bottom of the headlamp cluster are off (but they flash yellow when the turn signal is activated).

Second photo, headlamp switch is "On", and headlamp low beams are on; DRLs are dim, and the row of LEDs at the bottom of the headlight clusters are on. Despite the appearance in the photo, the DRLs are actually the same brightness, left to right. Ambient lighting makes them look different. If I pull the fog light switch out, the rear fog light illuminates, the low beams dip downward, and the DRLs go out; I cannot illustrate the low beams dipping unless it is dark. The low beams and the headlamp cluster LEDs remain on. If you have the Intelligent Lighting System, check it at night by pulling the fog light switch out. The low beam will illuminate the roadway closer to the car, and wider to the sides.

Last photo, same as the second photo, but with a turn signal activated. The headlamp switch is "On," headlamps are on, DRLs remain dim (again, equal brightness left and right) and the left turn signal is on (bottom row of LEDs on driver side blinks yellow).

 

I have the same vehicle set up!!

Ted, the headlight switch for a car having front fog lights has two stops for the fog lights. When you pull it out to the first stop, the front fog lights should come on. When you pull it to the second stop, the rear fog light also comes on. BTW - the rear fog light illuminates on only one side of the car. In the US it is on the left (driver) side.

My '13 owner manual has the same annotation that your '11 has - "Only vehicles with Bi-Xenon headlamps without the Intelligent Light System are equipped with front fog lamps." My headlamp switch has only one stop for the fog light, and during the day one can see only the rear fog light. BTW - cars that have the Intelligent Lighting System (ILS) do no have fog lights as separate units because the beam of the low beam headlight lowers downward to illuminate the road closer to the car when the single-stop fog light is activated (when it lowers, it also angles to place more light on the sides of the roadway). Though it deals with the E-Class, there is a discussion of how the Bi-Xenon ILS works HERE. When the low beam dips, the lens does not move; the interior mechanism of the low beam repositions to cause the dip. Another indication of ILS is being able to set up the bright lights to come on automatically on a dark road, and to dim automatically for approaching traffic (I do not use that particular feature, but because I have the menu choices on the cluster to set it up, I know I have ILS). Thus, my car (below) does not have separate front fog lights.

For illustration, in the photos below, left to right:

First photo has the headlamp switch in "Auto;" because it is daylight, my low beams are off, and my daytime running lights (bottom row of LEDs in the bumper) are on as I set them in the COMAND Service Menu. In this mode they are bright. The LEDs at the bottom of the headlamp cluster are off (but they flash yellow when the turn signal is activated).

Second photo, headlamp switch is "On", and headlamp low beams are on; DRLs are dim, and the row of LEDs at the bottom of the headlight clusters are on. Despite the appearance in the photo, the DRLs are actually the same brightness, left to right. Ambient lighting makes them look different. If I pull the fog light switch out, the rear fog light illuminates, the low beams dip downward, and the DRLs go out; I cannot illustrate the low beams dipping unless it is dark. The low beams and the headlamp cluster LEDs remain on. If you have the Intelligent Lighting System, check it at night by pulling the fog light switch out. The low beam will illuminate the roadway closer to the car, and wider to the sides.

Last photo, same as the second photo, but with a turn signal activated. The headlamp switch is "On," headlamps are on, DRLs remain dim (again, equal brightness left and right) and the left turn signal is on (bottom row of LEDs on driver side blinks yellow).

*******************************

Thanks SkyLaw for posting that information and clearing up what I thought was an error on my part. After reading your post I went out to my car and checked out my exterior leds and my headlight switch. Sure enough, I too only have one pull out indent on my switch knob, not two. Plus, all of my exterior lights operate exactly how you described yours do.

Once again, this forum has saved me hours of aggravation and headache trying to trouble shoot something that is a non-issue. So far, I am confident all of the lights on my car are working with zero issues. Whew. Now I can focus my attention on preventive maintenance and detailing.

One last question for Skylaw, can you please explain to me how to open the rear sunroof? I can get the shades retracted using the center controls and the rear door switches, but I was not able to open the sunroof yesterday, only the front.

Thanks!

Ted

 

Sorry, I can't help with that outside of the owners manual instructions. My car doesn't have that option.

 

Only the front glass roof opens. The rear glass is stationary but as you mentioned you can open its shade. When the front glass opens it actually moves over top of the rear glass, it literally has to as there is no where else for it to go.