# Mercedes benz ml 320 2001 instrument panel lights up **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** m-class, mercedes-benz\ **Created:** [March 3, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mercedes-benz-ml-320-2001-instrument-panel-lights-up/62151 "2011-03-03T18:49:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![quraeshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/db5fbb/32.png) [@quraeshi](https://community.cartalk.com/u/quraeshi)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mercedes-benz-ml-320-2001-instrument-panel-lights-up/62151/1 "2011-03-03T18:49:03Z")
numerous Instrument panel lights come on when driving ( lefthaand side esp abs etc and right hand side brake). odometer falls to 0. when i stop and restart its fine but then after driving some time it happens again. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mercedes-benz-ml-320-2001-instrument-panel-lights-up/62151/2 "2011-03-03T19:04:24Z")
The most likely cause is a bad ground in the instrument cluster. If you don’t want to have to take out a second mortgage on your home in order to get this fixed, I suggest that you avoid the Benz dealership. An independent foreign car specialist should be able to trace the bad ground for a whole lot less than the dealer would charge. ---
**Author:** ![quraeshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/db5fbb/32.png) [@quraeshi](https://community.cartalk.com/u/quraeshi)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mercedes-benz-ml-320-2001-instrument-panel-lights-up/62151/3 "2011-03-03T19:24:49Z")
thank you. on another search for a solution , they recommended replacing the brake switch. could that also be a cause ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mercedes-benz-ml-320-2001-instrument-panel-lights-up/62151/4 "2011-03-03T19:27:06Z")
``` For a few reasons the brake light switch may play a role, but I would start looking for a bad ground first. ``` ---
**Author:** ![quraeshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/db5fbb/32.png) [@quraeshi](https://community.cartalk.com/u/quraeshi)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mercedes-benz-ml-320-2001-instrument-panel-lights-up/62151/5 "2011-03-04T16:13:41Z")
Thank you. my mechanic will check out the “bad ground”. I asked him about the brake switch and he said it was replaced ra few months ago so he is ruling that out.I will post if there is success. would appreciate it if there are any other suggestions since i dont want to " mortgage my house" ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mercedes-benz-ml-320-2001-instrument-panel-lights-up/62151/6 "2011-03-04T16:32:30Z")
Also, check the alternator for a weak diode…Check it when your dash is lit up… ---
**Author:** ![quraeshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/db5fbb/32.png) [@quraeshi](https://community.cartalk.com/u/quraeshi)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mercedes-benz-ml-320-2001-instrument-panel-lights-up/62151/7 "2011-03-04T16:56:45Z")
Thank you for the additional suggestion will ask mechanic to check alternator