560sl left taillight out.
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Pulled out taillight and checked continuity. Tail light socket has direct short.
No power when lights switched on. In Testing when setting right parking lights on, both front parking lights are on and right rear parking and taillight on. When setting for left parking lights, both front parking are on and the right rear parking and tail light is still on but the rear left parking and tail light is off. Still trying to figure out the problem.....
My guess is the socket but you need to confirm that. Ignoring the socket do you have 12 volts on the wire leading to it? You may have to trim off a bit of insulation on that wire to test...either that or cut the wire and re-splice later. If you have 12 volts on the wire start looking for a replacement socket.
Here's a tip...the 560SL shares many parts with other MB models from the 80's like the SEC and SEL's. Can't say for sure if the sockets are the same but worth a try. If you live in a populous area (you don't state your location other than US) try a trip to a local salvage yard.
Here's a tip...the 560SL shares many parts with other MB models from the 80's like the SEC and SEL's. Can't say for sure if the sockets are the same but worth a try. If you live in a populous area (you don't state your location other than US) try a trip to a local salvage yard.
I do not have 12 volts to the socket or too the wire harness that plugs into the left rear light assembly. All the other lights on the left rear assembly work. I am thinking it may be headlight switch since the left and right park setting do not work correctly.
My first inclination with any electrical problem is to use a fiberglass pen (wear gloves) to remove any corrosion and gunk, then a shop vac to vacuum up the little slivers of fiberglass followed by a shot of contact cleaner, then compressed air to blow out any residue. I probably solve 9 out of 10 electrical problems that way.
My go-to contact cleaner is Caig DeoxIT D5 for stationary things like pins and sockets, Caig DeoxIT F5 Faderlube for anything that moves like a switch or potentiometer. It's the stuff professional audio people use. It's expensive but it's better than what you find in auto parts or hardware stores. I also put down a very thin film of No-ox-id electrical contact grease with a cotton bud (the kind that you find in a doctor's office that comes on the end a wood stick) as a preventative measure.
If you can't get to the innards of the switch directly, vacuum it thoroughly, shoot some contact cleaner into it, twist the knob back and forth quickly and then blow out with compressed air.
Disconnect the battery before you go shooting contact cleaner into electrical stuff.
MB used the most robust electrical hardware parts I've ever seen in any car. But they still accrue crud over the years, mainly dust, but these days on the West Coast you also get the extra bonus a lot of corrosive, particle-laden wildfire smoke seeping into everything.
My go-to contact cleaner is Caig DeoxIT D5 for stationary things like pins and sockets, Caig DeoxIT F5 Faderlube for anything that moves like a switch or potentiometer. It's the stuff professional audio people use. It's expensive but it's better than what you find in auto parts or hardware stores. I also put down a very thin film of No-ox-id electrical contact grease with a cotton bud (the kind that you find in a doctor's office that comes on the end a wood stick) as a preventative measure.
If you can't get to the innards of the switch directly, vacuum it thoroughly, shoot some contact cleaner into it, twist the knob back and forth quickly and then blow out with compressed air.
Disconnect the battery before you go shooting contact cleaner into electrical stuff.
MB used the most robust electrical hardware parts I've ever seen in any car. But they still accrue crud over the years, mainly dust, but these days on the West Coast you also get the extra bonus a lot of corrosive, particle-laden wildfire smoke seeping into everything.
Thanks for the advice. I do have electrical contact cleaner. Will follow through in this.
Replaced the headlight switch and all problems disappeared! The new headlight switch does not support standing lamps though….
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