what's the P in the light switch for?

43sqd said:

Are you saying that when the truck is running and you turn to "P" that there are no lights lit on the front or back?

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FAR888 said:

I believe the 'P' refers to the Parking lights feature.

On my truck it operates with the key OUT of the ignition.

It activates ONE front and ONE REAR light on either the left side or right side of the truck depending on the position of the light switch stalk.

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SML430 said:

guys - the p switch does turn on your parking lights, and if you are in the U.S. it does nothing. From the factory MB does not "activate" the fog lights because they violate the us law of foglight distance from the ground to the light - its too high. Personally, I activated mine because they are very helpful at night. Here is how you can do it:

1) you'll have to pop the hood and find the rubber cap for the inner most rubber cover for the foglights on the headlight fixture. Pop these off and put a pair of bulbs in ( I used Silverstar Ultra's)
2) give your new bulbs some power. pop the fuse box open under the hood and wire fuses K29 and K30 together with a small wire.
3) I did this about 2 years ago and I love them. Whenever you push the P switch, your foglights will work which is now wired to your rear foglight as well (your driver side rear lamp is brighter than the passenger side, significantly brighter for foggy driving).

I am seeing a 15-20 foot difference on the side of the road at night. They don't illuminate the road further away but side to side is greatly increased. This helps me especially because I live in Central Pennsylvania and we have a larger deer population than cities. It has helped me avoid multiple deer this past winter.

Here is a link to Cal45fan's original post on it with pictures and instructions. Modify them to meet your own needs. I didn't even solder them, I used a short wire with little metal clips on the end and just clipped one end on each fuse and it has been working for 2 years. Thanks and I hope you guys get your foglights activated asap and enjoy the new lights! :thumbsup:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w163-m-class/1288784-2000-ml-430-aux-fog-light.html

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SML430 said:

guys - the p switch does turn on your parking lights, and if you are in the U.S. it does nothing. From the factory MB does not "activate" the fog lights because they violate the us law of foglight distance from the ground to the light - its too high. Personally, I activated mine because they are very helpful at night. Here is how you can do it:

1) you'll have to pop the hood and find the rubber cap for the inner most rubber cover for the foglights on the headlight fixture. Pop these off and put a pair of bulbs in ( I used Silverstar Ultra's)
2) give your new bulbs some power. pop the fuse box open under the hood and wire fuses K29 and K30 together with a small wire.
3) I did this about 2 years ago and I love them. Whenever you push the P switch, your foglights will work which is now wired to your rear foglight as well (your driver side rear lamp is brighter than the passenger side, significantly brighter for foggy driving).

I am seeing a 15-20 foot difference on the side of the road at night. They don't illuminate the road further away but side to side is greatly increased. This helps me especially because I live in Central Pennsylvania and we have a larger deer population than cities. It has helped me avoid multiple deer this past winter.

Here is a link to Cal45fan's original post on it with pictures and instructions. Modify them to meet your own needs. I didn't even solder them, I used a short wire with little metal clips on the end and just clipped one end on each fuse and it has been working for 2 years. Thanks and I hope you guys get your foglights activated asap and enjoy the new lights! :thumbsup:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w163-m-class/1288784-2000-ml-430-aux-fog-light.html

Click to expand...

asianml said:

........The P does refer to the Parking Lights however that position is more commonly referred to as Standing Lights. Turn the switch all the way back to P and you won't see anything. You have to push the signal stalk up or down depending on what side parking lights you want activated. Up for the right side parking lights to turn on and down obviously for the left side parking lights to turn on. Ignition has to be off for this feature to work.

I've seen this used when an MB is parallel parked along side a crowded city street to illuminate the side facing the middle of the street. This saves the battery too since just the front side marker, rear side marker, and rear tail lamp are on.

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FAR888 said:

Forgive me if I'm wrong SML430 but I don't believe the 'P' switch on the light stalk activates the fog lights as you describe in the 2002+ model MLs.

YOU have a 2000 model ML which does not come equipped with activated fog lights or fog lamps integrated into the front bumper.

This is unlike the original poster's 2002 model ML which DOES come with fog lights (integrated into the front bumper) and activated by a fog lamp button on the centre control near the controls for the HVAC.

The 'P' switch on the light stalk (when in the correct position) and with the vehicle engine OFF will illuminate (depending on the position of the light stalk)either the left FRONT city/indicator lamp and the left REAR park lamp or the right FRONT city/indicator lamp and the right REAR park lamp.

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