Greetings all. I'm new to the forum and a new MB owner (new to me at least). My 96 has 101k on the clock and recently I observed a "Defective Lamp" advisory on the dash while on a recent trip to the market. As I drove home to check all the lights in the driveway, I noticed that when I engaged the turn signal lever, I didn't see the signal illuminate on the dash, nor did I hear that signature clicking. The same was true for both L&R turn signals, Hmmm?

When I got home, I left the engine on and tried both turn signals, and observed from the exterior that neither front or rear signals illuminated. Yet, when I engaged the hazard button, they all lit up.

Also, the reverse (white) lights would not light up when the car was put into reverse, but would light briefly (as normal) when the car was started. The headlights work normally, as do the rear tail lights (when the headlights are on). The brake lights work normally as does the "heads up" brake light at the base center of the rear window. Now there may be a dead bulb somewhere, I've not checked them all, but does anyone have an inkling as to why none of the turn signals function, when the lever is engaged, yet they all blink when the hazard button is on? Not to mention the reverse lights, but one thing at a time. I've thought signal module or a signal sending unit - but do not have the experience with these cars to know for sure w/o taking it to the repair shop.

Any advice on this would be much appreciated!!!!

Thanks in advance,

FA

 

I have the exact same issue on my 96 E320 and have not isolated it yet.

I think it is the module that includes the hazard switch. I bought a spare and now can't find it.

Let me know if you got yours fixed,

Tom

 

TT, you (hopefully) do not have the same problem as I did, but a day after I posted my defective bulb issue, the starter began to (audibly) engage each time I shifted into reverse. The first time it happened I had no idea what it was. I thought it was the transmission based on the sound (like a coffee grinder).

Thinking the problem now went way beyond a defective lamp or signal module, I took it in to the shop. It turned out to be a fault in the wiring harness to the starter. The starter was spooling up (inaudibly at first, then loud and constant by the 8th or 9th time I shifted into reverse) and blowing lamp fuses. No one in the shop had ever encountered this particular issue - but once the harness was replaced, everything, all lights, signals etc were back to normal.

Good luck with your car, hopefully you've found that spare module and it turns out it WAS the problem. Let me know how it works out - I was reading 96' E320 reviews while waiting for my car to be returned, and about 1/2 of them complained of electrical problems, gremlins, etc so I'm 50% sure I'll encounter something similar down the road.

Best,

FA

 

check all your lights and use factory bulbs the moniter system counts the amps and if there is more amps being consumed than alloted by the bulb moniter system then it throws the light on. but really give your lights a good checking