Mystery Orange Indicator
...Slowly working my way around to understand more about the W460 I have bought.
Today is the mystery orange lamp..
Stuck right in the middle of the centre 'blanked' hole in the dash (in between Speedo and other petrol gauge etc dial), this orange lamp lights up randomly, with no obvious relationsip to engine state, any other electrical system, transmission or similar.
It looks like a DIY addition (hole is not central for a start!).
From time to time it will flash randomly (almost as though an intermittent circuit fault).. often soon after startup or when pulling up at a junction. Again this doesn't seem to tie into any vehicle state..
Accompanying the flashing though (often but not always) is rapid cycling of what I imagine is a relay which I think lives in the black junction box located forward of the battery on the right hand wing (facing the vehicle) inside of the engine bay.
Any suggestions as to what it could be? (I had thought perhaps central locking, but actually I believe that the small green lamp botto right of the same console is that). I can post a picture if that helps.
Could be an immobiliser of sorts..?
Possible to post a picture of it?
Spider1V
Fitted to the round blank about 50mm in diameter that can have the rev counter in it between the two big dials? Aftermarket then; you can take the back off the instrument binnacle with a couple of wee screws on the side.. that will show if it is nice OEM wiring or some manic job with plastic squeeze fittings or even worse the side taping blue "wire cutter" things.. and one colour of plain wire..
Definitely a DIY addition; my thoughts on this is, possibly an indicator for an electric fan, fog lights or handbrake light but there would be a separate switch to engage the fan and ,or the fog lights.
Your bet, is to try all and every switch to locate what is powered.
Do let us know what you find.
Cheers
that or its a life crystal from Logans Run....... if its flashing means only 5 more years before 'Carousel' ;)
(my money would be with Pistonhead thoughts)
Spider1V
My guess, given its size and position, is it was to act as some kind of deterent by continuously flashing when the alarm and imobiliser were set and the vehicle left unattended.
I imagine you have some kind of short or cross connection from when the alarm and immobiliser were removed. Do you have a key fob that activates the central locking which probably set the old alarm system. If you do you could see if pressing this has any effect on the light.
No keyfob i'm afraid.. Actually no keys to lock it at the moment either... Something in history has meant that the igition barrel was changed for another Merc one. I have now ordered a replacement barrel and key coded to the VIN, so hopefully all will work then (central locking included!).
I'll do some more investigation over the weekend. Whatever it the orange light is it has got to go anyway as I have a tacho planned for that space. If I conclusively work out what it is, I'll post it here.
No keyfob i'm afraid.. Actually no keys to lock it at the moment either... Something in history has meant that the igition barrel was changed for another Merc one. I have now ordered a replacement barrel and key coded to the VIN, so hopefully all will work then (central locking included!).
I'll do some more investigation over the weekend. Whatever it the orange light is it has got to go anyway as I have a tacho planned for that space. If I conclusively work out what it is, I'll post it here.
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Hmm, that's an interesting thought.
Another member here thought that this vehicle had at one time been fitted with an alarm/ imobiliser it isn't now for sure though (see thread re mystery terminal connections earlier in the month).