Electrical problem / 1987 560 SEL

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fritzmeister - 26 Jan 2006 17:16 GMT

After the 'exterior light failure' lamp came on briefly, a little bit of
white smoke came out of the dashboard and it smelled like an electrical
fire but stopped. Then the Speedometer, RPM meter, the oil pressure and
temperature gauge and the fuel indicator went dead. (Even the odometer)
The car is running well except for a feeping noise that only stops when
the indicator light is turned on. Any suggestions of how I can fix it
myself ? Might it just be a burned out module ?

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David - 26 Jan 2006 17:39 GMT

It may be a fuse that needs replacing although but that needs to be done
with care as it sounds like there is a reason it went.

David

> After the 'exterior light failure' lamp came on briefly, a little bit of
> white smoke came out of the dashboard and it smelled like an electrical
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> the indicator light is turned on. Any suggestions of how I can fix it
> myself ? Might it just be a burned out module ?

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fritzmeister - 28 Jan 2006 17:46 GMT

David:

Thanks for the input. The fusebox is in the engine compartment therefore
the smoke should not have been in the dash. It might be a more serious
issue........
Thanks again !

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Richard Sexton - 28 Jan 2006 15:14 GMT

>After the 'exterior light failure' lamp came on briefly, a little bit of
>white smoke came out of the dashboard and it smelled like an electrical
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>the indicator light is turned on. Any suggestions of how I can fix it
>myself ? Might it just be a burned out module ?

Ah well, you've let the smoke out haven't you? Now you're in trouble,
you have to get ot back in there.

Sounds like a trace in the instrument cluster fried. Pull the
cluster and solder in a shunt (small wire) to go over the burnt
trace. It would surprise me greatly if it was more thana burnt trace.

What's more disturbing is the source of the problem. You need to find this
or it's gonna eat another instrument cluster.

126 wiring is very stable, but when you add on stuff to it all bets
go out the door. Made any changes recently?

What stuff got aded on after it left the factory?

I sat this because I cound a 21 year old speakerphone connection in mine
that had caused me bizarre electrical problems for years.

Get a schematic and a volt meter and go chase it down. Here's how to pull the
cluster:

http://articles.mbz.org/instrument/

Signature

Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

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fritzmeister - 28 Jan 2006 17:55 GMT

Richard: Thanks that is very helpful. I did pull the instrument cluster and
could not detect any sign of a burned trace. I will try to replace the unit
yet it does not explain the feeping noise from behind the dash ( which,
after I pulled the instrument cluster, did not go away, was below the
panel and only goes away if the indicator light is on ....... ???!!!) The
only added things are a phone and an after market, radio which both have
been in there for years without causing a problem. The car did get broken
into a while ago (drivers side door) and since then the fuse for the
doorlocks, interior light etc keeps blowing so I did not replace it)

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fritzmeister - 17 Mar 2006 22:26 GMT

It is the Multi Purpose Relay for Flasher, Wipers and rear defrost ( part #
201 821 01 47 ) in the rear fuse box. Apparently it is in charge of the
overload protection and went bad. part is available for about $60 - $70 @
mercedes-parts-direct.com

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