[extractors]

A quick question to other W116 owners.

The standard arrangement appears to differ a fair bit regarding the layout an options, especially regarding the BRAKE light HAND BRAKE light, PAD WEAR indicator.

I have two 280SE w116, one is a parts car. One 1976, other is 1977, both RHD. One Australian Delivered, and one is UK.

Both have dash warning lights with separate HAND BRAKE and BRAKE warning lights. However only the HAND BRAKE warning lamp is illuminated, when either hand brake is engaged, or brake fluid reservoir is activated.

The BRAKE warning light seems redundant, and I cant figure out why its there, nor why it still has wiring and lamp connected at back of cluster.

I'm currently overhauling a cluster and want to make sure I get it right.

Also for the obvious, I have scanned through wiring diagrams, and they only show the HAND BRAKE (BRAKE) light as a shared warning light. Owners manual also the same.

 

[extractors]

This is from a 1974 model 280se, has the combined brake and hand brake warning light. No brake pad wear or extra brake light.

 

[extractors]

This is from a 1977 280se, same cluster in 1976. Has an extra brake light, despite the fact on the first HAND BRAKE light is the only one that gets activated by either low brake fluid or hand brake.

Is this simply a redundant warning lamp, hard to imagine this would be the case.

Thanks, extractors.

 

[extractors]

So I have since scanned through all wiring diagrams from 1974-1978 and all of them have the brake warning light as a combined lamp on the left of the cluster. No where is the second BRAKE light mentioned or illustrated.

 

[ianrandom]

It's so odd isn't it.

 

[extractors]

Yes very odd. I have three clusters one 1974, 1976 and 1977. Both the 76 and 77 are the same as the last photo, and both are wired the same.

 

[ianrandom]

But there is wiring and bulb to it?

 

[extractors]

But there is wiring and bulb to it?

Yes both wired, I think about 4 wires total. Will post a pic. Weird.

 

[extractors]

 

[extractors]

Cluster back in car, everything working along except the redundant BRAKE light above which seems to have nil purpose. Wiring same between both 76 and 77 280SE's.

 

[ianrandom]

Just saw this. Any relevance?

Brake warning lite 1984 300D

A sort of puzzle. The brake warning light in the instrument panel is designed to illuminate when at least one of the following conditions exist. "Parking brake set" and "Low fluid in brake reservoir". I have noticed that in low light situations (Night time) the brake light actually glows very...

www.benzworld.org

 

[extractors]

No nothing new there. For reference my 84 280se has the separate BRAKE light and PARK BRAKE light but each illuminates individually.

I can only assume that these were wired in on the earlier w116 but never actually connected to anything further. Perhaps not on RHD for instance ??

 

[ianrandom]

How odd.

 

[extractors]

Very odd, I hardly think MB would have done that. But there doesn’t seem to be any other explanation.