Updated 2010 w221 taillights on older w221

[jtanoyo1]

I think he meant for you to PM him and he will be able to let you know where to get it for $350. *grins*

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[CL55_Serge]

yes - he reached out to me, and gave me his contact info. i'm in the process of trying to update the firmware on the REAR SAM and some SCN coding, if that doesn't work out - I'll purchase a new REAR SAM. Some tests were done last night and I saw the entire light light up.

I saw you noticed that only the bottom half is lit on your new lights - that isn't correct, the top half should be lit as well for running lights and should become brighter for brake lights. With Star Diagnostics computer, it's possible to control the levels of the light - the running lights run at 7% power, brake applied - LEDs get brighter (forget the exact level). You should look into getting the full set of LEDs working, maybe we can come up with a solution here.

More updates to come next week.

Originally Posted by jtanoyo1

I think he meant for you to PM him and he will be able to let you know where to get it for $350. *grins*

[jtanoyo1]

Let me know what you come up with. By the way, I drove around last night for an hour or so. There's no flickering and no dead rear lights, but yeah, only the bottom half is lit up (just like the old lights). I thought it was really odd, since there's a whole row of LED lights above it as well, but none of them works. Should I bring it to the dealership and have them reflash the rear light??

This was how mine turned on last night. It looks fantastic, even though it's not complete haha...



Please let me know. I will call my dealership tomorrow to see if a reflash would help.

[jtanoyo1]

Crap, I just did a google image and this showed up:



I guess they are supposed to both light up on top and at the bottom...what to do!?!?

[jtanoyo1]

Just confirmed with the stealership that we all need to have the lighting system "reset"-ed.

Whatever that means. But they said they will do it for free, so I am game.

[CL55_Serge]

Awesome - that probably means that they will update the SCN coding (I guess update the program firmware by re-flashing) on your REAR SAM unit that controls the lights. Let me know how it goes. I'm getting the same done tomorrow at the dealership, but my REAR SAM is older than yours - so it may not work.

Originally Posted by jtanoyo1

Just confirmed with the stealership that we all need to have the lighting system "reset"-ed.

Whatever that means. But they said they will do it for free, so I am game.

[jtanoyo1]

I also talked to MbenzNL who is a superguru in all things Merc and he told me that newer model SAM "might" be able to be reflashed as a 2009. But the older models won't work.

[CL55_Serge]

That's Steve Krabbenborg (MBenzNL), he is the MASTER!!! I also had a discussion with him via email last week, and he said he was not sure if the old REAR SAM can be flashed/updated to work with the new lights, but he was certain that the 2010 version of SAM H/W would work. My guy at Mercedes here (also very knowledgeable) thought he can play with the old SAM a bit and try to figure it out... Car is going in tomorrow for this exercise. Let me know how things go on your end.

Originally Posted by jtanoyo1

I also talked to MbenzNL who is a superguru in all things Merc and he told me that newer model SAM "might" be able to be reflashed as a 2009. But the older models won't work.

[jtanoyo1]

I won't be able to go till this weekend (in 5 days' time), but my merc mechanic has done a few conversions and he told me all of them only needed a reflash.

[FloridaMB]

Hi guys, thought I'd chime in. I've been following your thread, please keep it going. I have a funny feeling I am not the only person in this forum interested in the outcome of your mod.

jtanoyo1, your car looks great!

Good luck to both of you.

Regards

[Armadillo888]

I'm interested too but stayed quiet Good luck -Jon- !

[Ahmedito]

Originally Posted by Armadillo888

I'm interested too but stayed quiet Good luck -Jon- !

Same thing

[frebay]

where are you guys buying your tail lights from? how much did they cost?

[Ahmedito]

any one tried to go with Parts.com $289.80 isn't cheap?

[CL55_Serge]

Paid $430 USD a piece at the dealer, was scared to buy from Parts.com - wasn't sure if they would be original components.

Originally Posted by frebay

where are you guys buying your tail lights from? how much did they cost?

[fireo]

Originally Posted by 13pauls

If you do the entire facelift, please post pics.

Its been 12 days now that my car is in the shop. they are having trouble programming the front headlights with the led. turns out there is two versions of the 2010, one with led and one without. i told them im not taking it back unless i got the leds on, otherwise put the old ones back on.

[jtanoyo1]

You are right, fireo. The whole point of the conversion is that row of LEDs on the front lights. Without it, you might as well not do the front conversion.

Let us know how it goes! I am going to the stealership in a couple of days...

[Diesel Benz]

Originally Posted by fireo

Its been 12 days now that my car is in the shop. they are having trouble programming the front headlights with the led. turns out there is two versions of the 2010, one with led and one without. i told them im not taking it back unless i got the leds on, otherwise put the old ones back on.

Trouble with programming? Do you mean they try to make it work with the old front SAM or do you mean they have difficulties programming the new control units?

[JonMBZ]

Originally Posted by fireo

Its been 12 days now that my car is in the shop. they are having trouble programming the front headlights with the led. turns out there is two versions of the 2010, one with led and one without. i told them im not taking it back unless i got the leds on, otherwise put the old ones back on.

Can you let us know what you have changed so far?

[Diesel Benz]

Originally Posted by JonMBZ

Can you let us know what you have changed so far?

If the car has been 12 days at the shop, perhaps it is easier to tell what has not been changed.

[Ahmedito]

Originally Posted by fireo

Its been 12 days now that my car is in the shop. they are having trouble programming the front headlights with the led. turns out there is two versions of the 2010, one with led and one without. i told them im not taking it back unless i got the leds on, otherwise put the old ones back on.

Why don't you gust get a new SAM?
What about the taillights? did get it the full leds working?

[CL55_Serge]

ok folks, my '07 now has the new lights fully working. All fours rows light up as running lights, no issues. Thanks to a good tech that got a 2010 rear SAM installed and updated the firmware as well.

Here are my observations:

1. '07 are different rear SAMs than '08 and '09 - it is not possible to just update the firmware or perform SCN coding to make it work with the new rear lights.

2. '07 stock rear SAM will disable all circuits on the new lights after 20-30 minutes, except the turn signals - those continue to work. Basically, you have no rear lights at night with the old SAM and new lights if you have a model year '07 and older rear SAMs.

3. Stock '08 and '09 rear SAMs do not enable the top two rows of the new rear lights (running light LED rows). Only the bottom half is enabled, and brake works correctly though. The lights seemed to be more compatible with this year models SAMs, as they do not get disabled like the '07 year models, but not all of the LEDs are lit.

4. It is not possible to update the firmware on the '08 and '09 rear SAMs to work with the new lights.

5. Only solution is to upgrade the rear lights and the rear SAM at the same time and have someone with a Star Diagnostics system at the dealer flash it for you. I believe an uplink to Mercedes is required for this, and this can't be just done by anyone with an SDS. Not 100% sure about the need to have an uplink to Benz, but I was told this...

6. Good price for a rear SAM is $350 + tax USD.

[jtanoyo1]

I concur. Dealer can't flash the old SAM, must change to new SAM, or live with just the bottom 1/3 lighting up...

[Ahmedito]

Originally Posted by CL55_Serge

ok folks, my '07 now has the new lights fully working. All fours rows light up as running lights, no issues. Thanks to a good tech that got a 2010 rear SAM installed and updated the firmware as well.

Here are my observations:

1. '07 are different rear SAMs than '08 and '09 - it is not possible to just update the firmware or perform SCN coding to make it work with the new rear lights.

2. '07 stock rear SAM will disable all circuits on the new lights after 20-30 minutes, except the turn signals - those continue to work. Basically, you have no rear lights at night with the old SAM and new lights if you have a model year '07 and older rear SAMs.

3. Stock '08 and '09 rear SAMs do not enable the top two rows of the new rear lights (running light LED rows). Only the bottom half is enabled, and brake works correctly though. The lights seemed to be more compatible with this year models SAMs, as they do not get disabled like the '07 year models, but not all of the LEDs are lit.

4. It is not possible to update the firmware on the '08 and '09 rear SAMs to work with the new lights.

5. Only solution is to upgrade the rear lights and the rear SAM at the same time and have someone with a Star Diagnostics system at the dealer flash it for you. I believe an uplink to Mercedes is required for this, and this can't be just done by anyone with an SDS. Not 100% sure about the need to have an uplink to Benz, but I was told this...

6. Good price for a rear SAM is $350 + tax USD.

Thanks alot for the information.

Do you have the part number for the new SAM?

[CL55_Serge]

I don't, but a member on this site (JonMBZ) could help you get this. Mine came from a local 2010 car, otherwise I would have ordered from Jon.

Originally Posted by Ahmedito

Thanks alot for the information.

Do you have the part number for the new SAM?