W126 DIY front courtesy lamp replacement

[owm]

Carried this out because my old lens was cracked and yellow plus the courtesy light would not go off automatically after 8 seconds when the doors were closed:

A flat tip screwdriver is used to engage the 3 catches (2 on the driver side and 1 facing the sunroof:

There are 4 connections to remove, 3 electrical, 1 is an air hose that leads from the small air sample motor just below the glovebox to the cabin thermosensor.

You can see the catches here:

Gold one is the one facing the sunroof and the two silver ones are where the white plastic housing is.

Photo of the thermosensor that is located in front of the sunroof switch:

Cleaned with an earbud and IPA to remove the gunk built up over 20+ years. I have serious doubt it is working since I believe my A/C system has been hacked into before which is why I have zero heater functions and the airflow is always only out from the front vents.

[chubbyV8]

nice~ did u managed to source for a new replacement unit~? btw your interior wiring looks new~ i am looking to replace both my rear vanity mirrors~

[owm]

Hey there,

Nope, it is not a new part but a good condition used unit that I got off from eBay. I typically find replacement parts from local JY/scrap yards else online.

My wiring looks new because I have a tendency to vacuum and wipe down whatever I can see exposed and then treat the rubber with a protectant and the electrical connections with contact spray to ensure further problem-free operation. Part and parcel of my preventive maintenance schedule.