WANTED Instrumentation cluster - Battery light

[CAN_E420]

I am located in Canada. My 1995 e420 has an independent wire connecting to my instrumentation cluster battery light indicator. Mine broke, I am looking for a replacement if anyone has it. Pictures attached. Without it my daytime running lights and night time lights do not work. Thank you!

 

[gsxr]

EPC seems to indicate this may be p/n 000-545-40-19...? If so, it's still available new, but may look different than what is in your photo.

 

[CAN_E420]

Let me order the part and give it a shot, will keep you guys posted!

 

[CAN_E420]

Part from the dealer came in Friday. Sadly it is the standard style. Hunt continues for the correct battery bulb socket.

 

[gerryvz]

I recommend buying a used W124 cluster via eBay or wrecking yard / Yurro used parts supplier for a Canadian market car. It's going to be tough to find such from anyone in the US.

 

[khomer2]

My first post on 500eB.

I thought I'd pipe up on this matter, as it looks to be a Canadian and Swedish DRL requirement, and perhaps others with DRL systems.

I took a closer look at this 12V E1 bulb socket and inquired with my contacts at MB. They ordered one for me (good folks there), based on what I sent them.
When it arrived, the socket was exactly as @CAN_E420 received - a standard larger cluster bulb socket.
It does not resemble/match the correct VDO socket used on our Cdn version.
This being said, I've asked them to see what they can find with the info/photos I provided them. I've not heard back yet.

I don't like to leave stones unturned, so I looked more closely at this version of the bulb socket for the cluster.
It's a 1-wire (blue) to the bulb socket, The backside flat handle (VDO marking on it - no part #s) is spring loaded when you push on it. You cannot disassemble this socket without destroying it I think (as far as I see and tried). There are what look like channel pegs fillers on the perimeter of the socket body - perhaps part of the assembly of it?
The blue 1-wire is connected to the connector on one side only where the E1 bulb makes contact.
I suspect (not sure) the blue wire closes a loop for power?

If you look at the exterior body of this version, it has no electrical contacts to use/make with the cluster backboard or circuitry on it. But when you push in in the flat handle on the backside, you can then push it into the cluster socket opening and twist it into place for the metal contacts onto the circuit board contacts on the other side.

So a solution to replace the disintegrated original OEM socket for CDN and possibly Swedish DRL requirement, is to:

simply modify the standard larger socket, that you can easily obtain.
(Thinking aloud here)
-Some soldering for the blue wire to connect to one side of the standard larger socket connector (it's exposed already so easily doable)
That's all.
- With the blue wire now connected, it's just a matter of placing and twisting the bulb socket into position.

Does this makes some sense?

 

[CAN_E420]

Thank you khomer2, great write up and logic. So I tried this but no avail. I am going to try to add power directly to the blue line (making sure I am providing the right voltage and amperage) and will see what happens! The battery light on the dashboard does light up.

The issue is I can manually turn on the headlights with the switch. However the instrumentation dashboard lights don't come on so I cannot see the gauges at night.

 

[gsxr]

Where does the other end of the blue wire connect?

 

[khomer2]

Blu connects to N7 pin12, the exterior lamp failure module.

 

[DLL]

To the OP, have you found one / fixed this yet? It looks the same as E320, I probably have one of those.

 

[CAN_E420]

Thank you DLL, I was able to find one in the local junkyard. I am just waiting for the -19C weather to be over so I can install!