Turn signals died...

[The Warden]

Hello!

The turn signals on my 116 300SD no longer flash. This just happened today, as far as I can tell. All four bulbs are working properly, but when I push the stalk down (or up for a right turn), the lights turn on and stay on steadily. The same thing happens (with all four lights) when I use the hazard switch. I'm also hearing a buzzing noise from somewhere under the dash (it sounds like it's behind the instrument cluster) when trying to use the turn signal.

I also pulled the bulbs and tried the hazard flasher with the bulbs removed. Even with all four bulbs removed (and also with one or two bulbs installed), the system did exactly the same thing. Steady ON, with that buzzing coming from in front of the instrument cluster.

I also looked at the bulbs themselves; everything looked fine. In addition, I didn't see any wiring issues.

My first thought is that the flasher died. But, IIRC, M-B used a different setup than what most of us are used to with American cars. So, where should I be looking?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Meta6981]

make sure your arm doesn't get tired, hehehehe. Sorry i have no idea what could be wrong.

 

[The Warden]

Actually, since the lights failed "ON", I've been manually blinking them. Beats hand signals, and at least I'm following the law. ;p

For posterity's sake, I figured I'd give an update. On the direction of a few people on a different site (http://www.w116.org), I found the actual flasher. It's a Bosch part, and rare for an M-B, there isn't a Mercedes part number anywhere on the box. It does have a Bosch part number; the number is 0 335 200 007. I pulled the relay and plug off of the bracket it was mounted to and turned on the 4-way hazards...and this is clearly the part that's buzzing. Not that I'm surprised, but still. I tested it a few times, and one or two of those times, the dash indicator lights actually started blinking normally (although a little faster than usual; I think that's because there was no load on the system since all four "main" bulbs are still removed due to me trying to eliminate the bulb as a possible problem).

Now, I get to talk to Seth and see how much it is. I'm in the middle of moving and job-hunting, so I don't really have time to go to a junkyard (the closest one is a half hour's drive away, and it's hard to find any M-B's at all, let alone a 116)...but, if it's ridiculously expensive, I may not have a choice in the matter.

I'll follow up again once it's all working (or, more likely, when I run across another problem )...

 

[Meta6981]

yeah give him a call and see what he can do. I want to go to the scrapyard and find me a hazard triangle that goes in the trunk lid. Also if its not that big of a deal right now you might be able to order it from preformance parts, I have the latest catalog at the house. It covers the w116 chassis and oh so much more I would like to buy. Would also have to see if its cheaper than ordering from Beshoff

 

[The Warden]

I talked to him an hour ago (it was actually right before my last post), and he said he was on his way to work, and that he'd call me back after he got in. He hasn't called me yet...and I called again about 20 minutes ago and left a message. My guess is, he just got busy.

Also, I looked on Performance Products and on Fastlane, and the flasher isn't even listed (even with doing a search for a part number). Some people think the flasher is intergral to the hazard switch; my guess is that the parts counters are under that impression (since I think the switch fails more often than this relay). So, it's either the dealer of the junkyard. Thing is, I really need this today if at all possible...I have too much autolite to do in the next couple of weeks to afford to have the car down for the count.

BTW, good luck finding the hazard triangle. It was never put on U.S. vehicles until recently, so you would need to find a gray-market Euro import that hasn't already been picked clean. Seth was lucky to get the triangle on his car. You've got your work cut out for you.

 

[The Warden]

Well, the box is $47 and will be here on Monday. It's rare enough that no dealer in California carrys it. I guess I get to put the car back together and signal manually until then... *sigh*

 

[Full Monte]

Well, the box is $47 and will be here on Monday. It's rare enough that no dealer in California carrys it. I guess I get to put the car back together and signal manually until then... *sigh*

If it doesn't work, you could always get a pair of those two-foot long reflective arrows that you hang on hinges on the outside of the car, and hook up a pulley system that lifts one or the other into the horizontal position when you want to signal. It might add a unique look to that MBZ...make it stand out in a crowd.

 

[The Warden]

Actually, if I wanted to do that in the Mercedes "style", I'd have to make them vacuum-operated. As if the vacuum system wasn't complicated enough

IIRC, 1950's VW's had a vacuum-operated semaphore turn signal setup...

Also...for grins, I asked a different dealer what the cost would be for that relay. He quoted me $90. Thank you, Seth!!

 

[The Warden]

Thought I'd update this

I got the new relay today. The Mercedes part number is A 001 544 97 32. Put it in, and the turn signals are working beautifully now!

The clicking is also quieter than it was with the old relay. I wonder if the louder clicking with the old relay was an indidcation that it was starting to fail?

Well, all's well that ends well.

Thanks again

 

[Meta6981]

Right on, but you will no longer be getting that valuable excercise from working the blinker manually hehehe.