[NYCPiLoT747]

Hello all. Just a brief question. Above the headlight switch there are position indicators for the position that the headlight switch is in. Do those symbols above the headlight switch illuminate when the lights are turned on ??? My local dealership said that they do not. I have learned not to trust the dealer for they are semi-retarded.

 

[JG in SB]

Your dealer, retarded or not, is correct in this case. The markers above the headlight switch do not light up. I wondered why MB went to the extent to provide illumination on almost every other conceivable control in the car (which I love) but didn't do it on this one where it would have made a lot of sense.

I am further confounded by the fact that in the 2003 C-class loaner I got when I took my car in for service, these indicators DO light up!! That is a $32,000.00 car and my E500 is a $70,000.00 (after taxes) car!! However, when I recently drove a 2005 C-class, I noticed that MB have eliminated this feature in it as well.

I don't always believe what a dealer tells me either, so I made them demonstrate the same functionality in two (2) other 2005 E-class vehicles and it was identical in all: the symbols above the headlight switch do not light up.

The car is so fantastic that I can live with this small design oversight, but it still seems stupid to not provide backlighting for a control like this, which seems really important to be able to see in the dark, at night, when you would be changing headlamp settings.

NYCPiLot747 you seem like a detail oriented guy, so I am sure it will only be a matter of time before you come across the next stupid design choice: interaction of Tele-AID with the stereo system. You can read about it in advance here:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1200075&posts=1&fid=18

Also, I am curious, do you really fly 747's?

 

[NYCPiLoT747]

Hey, thanks for responding. I am really picky and I sometimes wonder if it's a bad thing. I just think when we dished out $61000.00 and your $70000.00 for fine Automobiles, we should not be driving them into service after the car just has 2000 miles on it. It is really aggrevating. I believe you though because just today I drove out to the dealership and compared my car to a brand new E320 & E500 Sport and sure enough, the markers do not light up. Just one more drop of aggrevation for me. HA-HA.

On another note, yes I do fly Boeing 747-200's. They call them the Classic. I am a First Officer (Co-Pilot) for Atlas Air which flies 43 B747-200's and -400's based out of NYC. It is a Freighter Airline. Nice Jet for sure but the Airline itself sucks. I wish I was flying with American or Delta or some passenger carrier. 911 has truly taken the fun out of being an Airline Pilot. I just started my own business providing Aircraft Maintenance for several airlines out of Huntsville, Al. Hopefully I can hang up my wings and stay home for a change. It's just Huntsville, Al. that's killing me. What a boring backwards ass place this is. No offense to anyone intended.

Just got to go where the money is. BOTTOM LINE.

Nice talking to ya !

 

[kloop64]

Hey Captain (NYCPilot748),

I found this forum because my recently-purchased 2000 C280 has the same issue. No light-up icons at the headlight switch. It is definitely a strange oversight by MB. Your comment about being picky resonates with me. I'm actually glad to find out that the issue is design oversight and not a failure, because I become completely obsessive when something that ought to work doesn't work. On that note, my car isn't equipped with a cruise control indicator. I've never seen any car without that before.

 

[lugerstew]

I agree with you,but you gotta love the auto position, i put mine in auto 3 yrs ago and havent touched or worried about it since!