Strange light’s behavior - Canadian spec

[mikeym]

I didn’t pay close attention to how the lamps work till the latest saga, so, hang in for some details. The car is a Canadian spec peasant model (1995 e320):

1. I always kept the lamp switch in the O position. When car was started, all exterior lights including low beams would come on. [But the manual says that everything should be off except when the engine is running and the gear selection is in a driving position]

2. Only had to adjust the switch when i needed the fog lights.

3. Last week, all of a sudden none of the exterior lights would come on in the O position except for the low beams. When I turn the switch to the first position on the right (called parking lamps), all exterior lights come on like in point #1 above.

So, my car is behaving like a Frankenstein. And the fact that the default didn’t work like the manual (point #1) tells me that someone dicked around with the wiring…

All fuses look good and planing to check the relays next.
Any other troubleshooting ideas?

Thx!

 

[500AMM]

I don't think none of the 124 model years got any factory DRL feature (daytime running light). If that applies it means you have a retrofit system which may be acting up. Except for cars having specific DRL from factory, the DRL should only turn on the low beam and not the tail light, and without operating the light switch.

...just my 2 cents

 

[mikeym]

Canadian cars were equipped with DRL to be legally compliant. I pasted the pic of the manual which states that low beams should come on when car is put in the driving position and should turn off when put in P or N. Mine used to behave that way except the low beams would always be on regardless regardless of the position of the gear selector.

 

[500AMM]

Thanks for clarifying, I didn't pay attention to the user manual.
DRL has been mandatory here in Norway as well for years, but it's no claim for a permanent feature on the car. So on older cars the headlights are turned on, unless a retrofit DRL system is installed.

 

[gsxr]

Need some Canadian forum members to chime in here, eh.

 

[Sam SL]

I don't have any of these cars anymore but from what I can remember, on my Canadian spec 91 300E all the lights would come on with ignition. I believe it was the same with the 95 E320 but the 97 SL500 was definitely lights on when put into D then would only go off with with ignition or with parking brake depressed. When I say lights on , all the lights including the instrument lamps which meant lots of burnt out dash bulbs as they were always burning. From what I learned if the headlight switch needs replacement a lot of weird things can happen so if that has never been done check that first.

 

[mikeym]

I dont have any of these cars anymore but from what I can remember, on my Canadian spec 91 300E all the lights would come on with ignition. I believe it was the same with the 95 E320 but the 97 SL500 was definitely lights on when put into D then would only go off with with ignition or with parking brake depressed. When I say lights on , all the lights including the instrument lamps which meant lots of burnt out dash bulbs as they were always burning. From what I learned if the headlight switch needs replacement a lot of weird things can happen so if that has never been done check that first.

Thx Sam.
What you are describing it what I used to observe, meaning all the lights including the instrument lamps would come on. This confirms that the manual is not correct.

Now, only the low beams are on in the O position. The other exterior and instrument lights come on when I turn the headlamp switch to the first click towards the right.

Time to fire up the old China SDS laptop and dig into the wiring diagrams.
Thx