W204 cornering lamps

[8bit]

I have a 13-plate W204 C63 AMG coupe (facelift version). Got a warning on the dash recently saying "Right Cornering Lamp". Some digging through the handbook suggested that this is the separate H7 bulbs (one in each headlight cluster) which illuminate to the side of the car on steering or indicating in that direction. Got myself some new H7 bulbs and removed the one on the right, saw that it was blown so replaced it.

Problem is, the message remains on the screen. I visually checked the new bulb, doesn't appear to be blown. I can't find any way to clear the warning and I don't see any sort of fault codes relating to lighting. One thing I did note in the menus is that the Intelligent Lighting system now says "System Inoperative - Inactive for right-side traffic".

Any ideas?

[PDP76]

As for the cornering bulb message, no ideas on that one besides a plug in and clear ?

For your inoperative system I think you may have the car on the wrong settings for headlight aim.
Check that it’s set for left side traffic ( U.K.)
Some features in the ils won’t work when it’s set for right side traffic. ( Europe )

[8bit]

Thanks - when you say "plug in and clear", do you mean fault codes? I couldn't find any with my iCarSoft device.

Thanks for clarifying the thing about the left/right-side traffic. I did try the other setting and I get a different message but it still says that the system is inoperative. I'm hoping that's just because of the bulb issue (whatever the problem actually is) but I gather from the manual that the car does have "bendy" lights so I guess maybe that's gone wrong?

[PDP76]

Clearing faults is all I could think of for the cornering bulb.

Not sure why your system is still inoperative. Beyond my knowledge to be fair.
Was it working before the bulb change ?

[8bit]

PDP76 said:

Clearing faults is all I could think of for the cornering bulb.

Not sure why your system is still inoperative. Beyond my knowledge to be fair.
Was it working before the bulb change ?

I was really hoping to find a fault code, clear it and be home and dry!

I got it working tonight. Needed petrol so popped out around 8.30pm when it was getting dark. Found an empty, dark office building with glass frontage so pulled up facing that and tested the cornering lights by using the indicators and I can see both bulbs lighting up as they should. The warning no longer appears on the dash either. No idea why it should be so cryptic as "the message only clears the first time the car uses that bulb", nor that the manual didn't seem to suggest that was the case, but there we go.

I don't recall seeing any messages about the ILS being inoperative prior to this but then again that message didn't pop up on the dash, only appeared in the menu when I went digging to see if there was an option to clear the light warnings or similar. It seems OK now too so I presume that was a byproduct of the failed lights, or at least the car thinking that the bulb was still out.

Thanks for your input, much appreciated!

[Sheepshanks]

I suppose it’s feasible that the car doesn’t know the bulb is OK until it tries it.

Sold it now, but I used to regularly get random bulb warnings on my Merc, and they’re known to be fussy about replacements as the system is pretty sensitive. I was warned about a number plate lamp failing - it was still working but was slightly dimmer than the other one.

[8bit]

I see what you mean, thing is I don't think I was driving the car when it was dark enough for the auto lights to come on (which is a precondition for the cornering lights to operate) any time recently because I generally don't go out in the car that late at the moment. Could be wrong though.

Someone on another forum did suggest that it could be because I used a non-Genuine Mercedes bulb. Not sure the Intelligent Light System is quite as intelligent as that, but it was an Osram bulb I bought in any case.

[PDP76]

I have read today that the fault would still show until the cornering bulbs are operational - and has to be dark for them to come on and clear the fault.

Sounds like you’re back up and running. Dreading the day I have to change mine, I think I’ll start training a small child on the procedure lol !!!

[8bit]

On the driver's side (UK RHD car) access isn't actually too bad, it's just you have to replace it by feel and it's not obvious how to orient it to get it in there. Take a photo if you can and figure out what direction the wires from the connector are pointing so you know where you need to end up.

The other side is trickier as there are hoses partially blocking it, but I still managed to get my big, clumsy hands onto it.

[PDP76]

Yeah the manual makes it sound easy and I’ve always read otherwise ! I’ll wait for them to eventually burn out ! Thanks for the info.

[8bit]

Yeah I got a pair of the Osram Nightbreaker ones as I find they give a nice brightness and smart, modern cool-white tone. I had intended to swap both out but I think I'll leave the other one until it pops! There isn't much difference in the light really and obviously you'll never see both on at the same time anyway