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My First DIY Job

3K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  Miss Mercedes 
#1 ·
Don't laugh.



I'm tired of paying exorbitant maintenance fees, and this one should be a no-brainer. My right rear blinker bulb has gone out. I can find a replacement online, but I have a couple of questions:


1) Buy the bulbs in a pair and replace both of them?
2) Go with a brighter bulb than stock? Any recommendations?

3) Where do I find instructions for removing the lens? I can't find any screws, so I'm assuming one goes in through the cargo area?



TIA
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
1) You don't have to, however it is best practice to replace both.

2) I use the cheapest bulb you can get from the store. You can go brighter if you want, however your mileage may vary.

3) Take off the side panel in the boot (one for each side) and the cradle is just held in place with a single clip. I believe the owner's manual illustrates the process.

Thanks, Miss Mercedes! The manual is less than helpful (or maybe it's these eyes that can't make hide nor hair out of the pictures), but I opened the panel, moved aside the insulation/sound baffling and just worked the light cradle until it came loose. I then took the bulb into Batteries + Bulbs and found the replacements. One pair US$5.99. I replaced the bulb in the parking lot in less than five minutes.


I also managed to buy a replacement battery for a solar lantern I recently bought (!). Stopped by the grocery store and purchased some lunch goods for today at work. Total time spent from start to finish, less than an hour!
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
By "boot" the British-speaking Miss Mercdes means the cargo area behind the seats.

And the "21/5" designation for this bulb specified in the owners manual is a European designation. In a US auto parts store, look for a "1157" bulb. It is slightly brighter than a 21/5, so while not normally necessary, replacing them as a pair is reasonable.

Also note that the bulb board has a empty socket with no bulb in it. This is intentional - its for a separate amber turn signal bulb lens in European Smarts.

I noticed the empty socket, and it threw me for a loop for a moment. But eyeballing the placement of the upper and lower lenses suggested the placement, and there are only two inserts in the body for the bulbs, so it wasn't hard to determine the proper socket.


My research prior to my trip this morning indicated the replacement bulb was a type 7528, which is a 21/5. It's what I bought and so far it's working perfectly.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
Yeah, there are probably a half-dozen dual-filament bulbs that will work - the only differences are small differences in wattage. Regarding the empty socket, I dont know why Smart uses US-style tail lights instead of separate red brake/amber turn signal. Both are legal. Do Canadian Smarts have US-style tail lights?

Is this the first car service of any kind you've done? If so, I'm sure you are now ready to move to more involved things now eh? Me, I've never not done anything but all my own car maintenance and repairs save for a few things that required specialized equipment like alignments.

It's the first car service I've done in many a year. For the past twenty-five years I've owned Mercedes auto, and just opening the hood on one is daunting enough. But in my younger years I was quite the shade tree mechanic, doing my own tuneups, etc. (plugs, timing, oil, etc.). Given the bad feeling I get and the length of the drive to my nearest Benz/smart shop (NOT where I buy my Benzes!) plus the "inexpensive" factor, I'm going to start doing my own service on the smart. There's plenty of knowledge on this board, so I'm not likely to get too deep into hot water!
 
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