Show time Act 1! LEDs in the Trunk PDF
Show Time Act 2 ! LEDs in the Foot Wells PDF ............I used these lights in the foot wells.

I took out the driver side panel with the trunk light in it and fitted the LED license plate light in place of the OEM trunk light and it fits like a glove. The spring clip has to carefully lifted to clamp over the thicker panel. I used a small screwdriver to pry it up and over the panel thickness.

I will now wire it up using the proper socket and fit another light in the other side, it is bright enough with one light but it may be better with two lights. The wires are in corrugated plastic loom and routed behind the rear hatch panel. I was going to cut out the old light plug and replace it with the new one but bluecoupe suggested that I keep the old plug. The new wire uses spade terminals in the old plug to get the power. I cut down 1/4" spades to 1/8" to fit the old plug. One of the new plugs with pigtails was soldered to the new wire and insulated with shrink tubing. The spade terminals used were the crimp style.

Access to the socket at the rear is obviously achieved through the access panel for the rear lights.

The OEM light loses more than half its light because it has no reflector, as a result the area behind the trim panel is brighter than inside the hatch area.Anyone who replaced their license plate lights with LEDs could use their old license plate lights in the trunk and wire them up as shown here.

These are the lights I used.

Ideally you would use the Mercedes socket #A 036 545 11 28 as I did for this application (from MrMopar), these are the same as the ones on the license plate lights, but you can use suitably insulated 3/16" female crimp on spade terminals. The Mercedes socket is hard to get, so use the spade terminals if you cannot get them.



The first picture shows the light installed in the original trunk light hole.
The second and third pictures are the rear of the installed light.
The fourth picture shows a close up of the spade terminal to fit the OEM trunk light plug.
The fifth picture shows the two ends of the cable between the two lights.
The sixth and seventh pictures show the illuminated trunk.
The eighth picture shows the cut out dimensions for the second trunk light.

 

From what they were saying in the other thread about the license plate lights, the trunk light has the same socket as the side markers no? Or I am wrong on that assumption?

 

they are not the same.

 

The existing lamp unit just pushes into a hole and so does this one. These look almost like left and right hand units so they will be nearly mirror images to one another on each side. These lamps fit the trunk light hole without any modification.

Others have added an identical unit on the other side but these are just dim lights period. With this new light the trunk will look much brighter.

 

This should work, would be a lot brighter in the rear of the car, actually it would be awesome!

 

I realize that, but I could not see the comment on side markers coming into the equation, so I ignored that post. I'll edit that post.

With these lights it will be SHOW TIME.

 

I think I have another set in my garage, ill find them and experiment with mine.

 

Questions:

1) Does the light in the cargo area have the same connector as the license plate lights ?
2) How do you add another light to the other side in the cargo area ? Additional wiring ??

I'm very interested in this idea

 

What socket type does the trunk light have then? I'm sure it can be retrofitted to work with the license plate type LEDs somehow. This does sound like a good mod though, because the stock like looks like crap on the interior area :|

 

The stock connector on the existing light is a little two prong connector, a very lightweight assembly. I am sure that if they do not match the ones on the LED unit then they could be replaced with completely new plugs and sockets. A new wire could be attached to the new female socket on the harness and run under the carpet lip over the fuel tank or behind the license plate area. I favor the wire going behind the license plate as it could be strung along existing wires to the rear lamps. This new wire would have a female socket on the other end and plug into the LED lamp unit using the as supplied plug or a new plug.

You need plugs and sockets so the light can be disconnected from the harness to enable the trim panels, which have the light in them to be removed from the car.

We are all smart people so this would be an easy peasy job.

This would be the first mod that I have done where you could not go back to OEM, no big deal as it is a job that needs to be done as that trunk light is a joke.

Required for a two light modification
(2) LED license plate lights
(2) pairs of matching sockets and plugs (assuming the need for new plugs)
(2) pieces of wire, 16g x 8ft long
Cable ties or similar to suit.

 

OEM lamp fixture installed on right side with blue LED bulb. I wired this to the existing left side lamp and ran the wire across the bulk head tying in blue LEDs under the cargo cover. On the NA I did the same mod but ran the wire across the back, easier to tuck the wire under the rear trim panel. I purchased 2 lamps with pigtails from parted out cars and just spliced into existing wiring......easy peasy!

 

I was thinking about this myself but have not checked the connector on the cargo light. I was looking at this eBay option

Mercedes LED Footwell Luggage Trunk Light Glove Box E Class W212 E350 E63 S212 S | eBay

 

They look like a nice set and would do the trick, I ordered the other license set and thought I could use them in the trunk.

I think I'll get these as well, they might be much better.

 

The stock cargo is pretty rectangular but I feel like the back side looks closer to what is in the xfire (from memory, could be way off) than the plate lights. I assume the standard MB part bins were raided for that light just like the others so hopefully there is a proper LED replacement out there.

 

Would these work? They look pretty simular compared to the original light.

2X 03 10 Mercedes Benz SLR R199 Super White LED Door Trunk Lamps Lights No Error | eBay

 

I seen those as well but havn't pulled the trigger on either, I need to pull the light out to check the connection, those are more rectangular than the ones I posted.

 

Gonna check out the connector tomorrow, and then order from this site:

Mercedes : MB LED voetruimteverlichting W203/W207/W209/R171

If the connector looks good, part should be arriving Saturday or Monday, so pictures should be here on Tuesday.

Anyone got a link for a quick DIY dismanteling the trunklight? push left or right? or just pull.

 

Pull from the right side. Clip slides right off.

 

Did someone say to use a credit card to pop them out easily? I haven't even tried to remove one yet so I have no idea

 

Use my drivers license.. need my credit card.. lol. popped right out with a little pressure and wiggle-walking it in under the gasket.. went from "middle side" towards out side deck lid.

(light) <--- ..pressure..---> (light)