Side marker lights on US 280SL

[dlesbrown]

I've had my SL for 20 years and never realized that the side marker lights were more than just reflectors.  But now that I've read some on the Pagoda SL Group site, I see that there are wires running to them, e.g. inside the trunk. Before I go trying to determine whether this is an electrical problem or just the bulbs, can someone tell me when they are supposed to come on -- with the signals only, or with the other running lights, or both?

Thanks.

Mine is a US model 1970 280SL, 113.044-12-014195 to be exact, if that helps.

David
1970 280SL
2004 E320W 4matic

[mdsalemi]

David,

The side markers were a change in mid-1969 production, something like after -11XXX which was June of 1969 I believe.  Before that, the nearly identical items were merely reflectors.  Your 1970 quite clearly have markers.

There are electrical "pigtails" that exit the markers; they have plugs on the ends, and plug into recepticles on each of the lighting assemblies at the four corners of the automobile.  That's one reason why there are early and later style headlight assemblies as well as tail light assemblies--to provide the electrical connections.

Now all that being said, you can start at the marker and work your way back to trace an electrical problem.  39 year old plugs, contacts, etc. are always suspect.  Should not be too hard to find your issue.

They come on when you turn on the parking lights or headlights.  They don't flash.

On modern cars, they generally make the headlight and taillight assemblies wrap around the side of the car to provide this compliance.

[Naj ✝︎]

David,

I recently bought a '70 US car.  

The side markers only come on with headlights, not on with side lights.

naj

[treedoc]

David,
I'm thinking of rewiring mine as flashers, but were down here in Australia.
Attached is a picture of our ex Walnut Creek 280SL
Regards
Geoff Eldridge

[Iconic]

To help eliminate any confusion, I can confirm and agree with NAJ that the side marker lights only come on when the headlight switch is in the headlight position, not in the parking light position.
When I bought my car, I thought all 4 side markers didn't work, and I thought that was quite strange (because all else electrical worked (except clock  ) until I realized they only come on with the headlights. They work fine on my car. If I am not mistaken, this is even stated in the glove-box manual (I'm not 100 % sure on that comment  ).
Just rotate that switch all the way, maybe you'll get lucky. Go for the simple first.
Mark

[tuultyme]

Geoff
Here is my instruction on rewiring the side lights.  Copied from a post a few years ago.
The US side lights can not be wired just as side lights with the Euro headlights.  I followed Stern lighting to get the lights to light with the head lights. When the headlights are on the side lights alternate flash with the blinkers.  When the headlights are off the side light flash with the blinkers.  The side light only has one wire coming from it; the only wire is the ground.  Connect one wire from the side light to the hot turn signal wire and connect the "ground wire" to the park light; remove all grounding of side lights.  I did have to remount the side lights with plastic bolts to prevent the side lights from grounding to the fender.

[treedoc]

Hi David,
 Don't know if this helps but the attached wiring disgram was with the original info supplied with my 280 build date 10/70 vin 113044 12 021877
On another note the car is now officially a registered Australian, our bureaucracy put up a struggle but we won in the end.
Geoff

[mdsalemi]

All,

Just got my car back...My headlight switch on the dash has 3 and 3 positions only:  OFF, PARKING, and HEADLIGHTS. (n.b. not being a euro model, the right/left parking lights are not available).

When off, all is off as it should be.  When in the first position, PARK, the tail lamps/parking lamps are ON, the parking lamps UNDER the headlamps are on, AND the side markers are ON as well.  One more click and all those stay on, and the headlights come on as well.  And, based on the previous you would expect the following: the side markers do NOT flash with the 4-way emergency flashers, either, just the amber tail lamps and front amber parking lamps.  This is precisely as I described earlier, but apparently not in sync with everyone else.  So what else is new.

We did not engineer any special wiring or adaptation.

When the car was restored, new headlight doors and backs were added, as well as new tail lamps.  Since the available "new" were only the latest version, they had the jacks for the marker pigtails.  We added the markers and plugged them in.  That's it.

Since others appear to behave different then this, this is coincident with what my restorer once told me: he never saw two 113's with the same wiring...

[forrestjordan]

Funny how when a topic starts you read a few replies then you have to go out and look at your car to see if your car acts, looks or feels the same way.  Well I went out in the garage tonight, turned out the garage light, turned on my light switch to the first click and the front amber parking lights came on as well as the rear amber parking lights.  I turned one more click and the headlights and rear tail lights came on with all four side lights.  I then pulled the flasher switch and the four amber emergency lights flashed on.  A  slight, but definitely visible flash was taking place with the side reflector lights that could be seen in the dark.  There was no slight flashing of the red tail lights or head lights, so I could not attribute the slight flashing of the side reflector lights to the current draw of the flasher.  Not sure what to think.  1970 280sl.
Forrest

[mdsalemi]

It isn't uncommon to see "simulated flashing" because of the current draw--particularly if the engine is not running and you are running on battery alone.

Clearly some different wiring setups because I'm here to tell you my side markers are ON when the parking lights are on, not just headlights, and they do NOT flash with the 4-way flashers.

[treedoc]

Yes you can, -  turn the side lights into flashers and still have them as side lights. We have just had Euro Head Lights fitted and starter motor re-coned as a preventative measure. While the auto electrician had the car I got him to see if it's possible to convert the side lights into flashers without too many changes.
We now have the side lights flashing in sink with the normal turn indicator lights [see front flasher] at day time and also flashing when the parking or main lights are on but out of sink, i.e. when fashers are on side lights go off and visa versa [see rear flasher, side light off]
Cheers  Treedoc
PS Car is a genuine US model build date 10/1970 we did not add extra bulbs or wirers to side lights

[scoot]

Hmmm.   A couple of items in this thread that sound wrong to me.   First of all, side marker lights are activated by the parking lights, not the flasher and not the headlights.  I realize that this contradicts what others have posted.  I don't understand how it could be otherwise though.  Second, refence to a headlight switch that only has three positions....   I scour the junkyards for parts and I have NEVER seen a Mercedes headlight switch from this period that did not have two clicks to the right and two clicks to the left of center.  Those positions may not do anything, but they have always been there.  Having said that, I have never seen a 113 at the junkyard so I'm speaking mostly of 110, 114, 115, 108 cars, all of which have a switch that has more than 3 positions.  My US 250 SL has the headlight switch that has the two clicks to the left and two clicks to the right (and to clicks to pull out for fog lights when the headlights are on).  It is a US model.  I noticed that the indicator bulbs for this function were not in the light housings so I added them.  (The bulbs only, not sockets)   So the capability works fine for me.  Also works fine on my US model 1971 250 C 114 car.   FWIW.  Scott

[Iconic]

Hmmm.   A couple of items in this thread that sound wrong to me.   First of all, side marker lights are activated by the parking lights, not the flasher and not the headlights. 

Scott,
I believe we might be having a communication issue here. I believe this thread is discussing the USA version side markers that started in 1968 (I believe). Not the Italian side marker or any other kind. Your early '67 doesn't have USA side marker lights, does it?
My (and other's) side marker lights are activated by the headlight circuit.
My car seems original with respect to wiring.
Of course possible explanations for some cars being different would be a design change somewhere along the way, or a common failure (a short or something) that happens to many cars?? My car might be one of the cars with the common failure because I certainly would have expected them to come on with the parking lights, but they don't.
Now I am curious, so when I get a chance I will take a look at the wiring diagram to try to solve this.
Is it possible that at some point in time this design changed?
My car is a 1970, produced in August 1969.
How about the earlier cars (earlier cars with USA side marker lights, that is) and the later cars?
How about the original poster, 70mbenz? Did you discover they turned on with the headlights? 70mbenz's car is newer than mine (later production).

[dlesbrown]

My side marker lights are now working again, and they come on (only) with the headlights, not the parking lights.

[scoot]

I'm happy to stand corrected.  My 67 SL doesn't have side marker lights and my 71 250 C has side marker lights that come on with the parking lights.   Side markers that come on with the headlights is non-intuitive to me since it would require running extra wires to the side marker lights instead of the side marker lights just plugging into the tail light assembly.  Whatever.