How to change brake light bulb on 2005 MB Cruiser?

My right brake light bulb was blown today and am looking for a way to change it. Any insight is appreciated. Thanks!

On my floorplan, open the vanity cabinet door, reach in and unlatch the taillight assembly, pull in into the cabinet so you can see it, and then change the bulbs.

Search this site for the proper replacement bulbs. The auto parts stores will give you the wrong one, so be careful.

Mine is model 220. I have the generator in the vanity cabinet... any idea?

This is my findings:

For the right brake light bulb: Opened the vanity cabinet door and there is the generator. I opened the outside genie door and there is no access. I am going to try accessing from the bottom tomorrow and see..

For the left brake light bulb: On the shower corner, I've found a small shower panel with 6 bolts on them that corresponds to the left tail light cluster, so I am guessing when I take off this panel, I should be able to change the light bulbs...

Don't know still about the access to the right tail light cluster.

Also, I've looked at some photos of the same model on the web, and found locations of roof ac and genie are different and also the refrigerator is different. My roof ac is located far back at around the dinette area and genie is at rear right below the sink. Others I have seen the roof ac is located in the front, around the microwave and genie is below the water heater on the left side. My refrigerator is beige in color with no nob whatsoever on the top. Others are black and has some sort of grill on top with some kind of knob. I've always wondered why my refrigerator does not have freezer section to carry ice blocks or hot dog, and also in order to change the power source, I have to open the outside grill and switch to AC, 12V or propane, every single time, so I have given up using it all together. I thought this was a bad design. Do the black ones have freezer section and what is the knob for?

The black ones are only 12 Volt. No gas or 110. The single knob is a temp control. I love mine.

Does the 12v have freezer compartment? Also, I've installed 4 6v batteries. What is your battery set up and how long can you run the 12v on your set up?

socalmbcruiser said:

Does the 12v have freezer compartment? Also, I've installed 4 6v batteries. What is your battery set up and how long can you run the 12v on your set up?

Click to expand...

Yes it has a freezer. I have one deep cycle battery for the coach. When I am on the road working, I use it 24 hours per day, for up to 3 months at a time, without turning it off. I drive on and off during the day and sleep all night. Occassionally, but not offen, the battery is low and refrig automatically turns itself off until the battery is charged up by driving. I have never had it defrost.

It came with my coach. It is really a great unit for dry camping.

I am sold!!! I want to replace my unit with one like yours. Can you tell me make and model of your 12v? Finally I maybe able to actually use my refrigerator!!! It's been useless to say the least...

If you're still looking for the access panel for the rear passenger side brake light, it might be found on the inside (back wall) of the outside storage compartment.

Open the right side cover door of the storage unit, and it should be right there. If it's like mine, there's usually stuff stowed in front of it, but it's size is about the same as the shower panel located on the inside for the the left light cluster.

Hope this is your situation.

(footnote: I learned that these access panels were absent in some of the initial MB Cruiser conversions done by Forest River & FR ended having several do-overs under warranty to get the access panels installed. Last month I happened by their shop in Goshen, Indiana, and chatted with the supv of the crew that did the MB Cruisers before they stopped making them. An interesting but fun visit to say the least.)

I must have the initial batch! I don't have the access door in the back!!! What do I do?

OK, my refrigerator is a Norcold model DC0051 the mfg label reports it to be 12/24volt - 2.5/1.3amp. I forgot to mention it has a compressor.

I see a couple of options for the right rear access question :

1) contact Forest River and maybe they'll make it right. It sounds like warranty is long over, but maybe as a goodwill gesture, they might arrange to get an access panel installed. Here is a possible contact: Susan Thornberg @ Forest River 574-642-3119 (ext 205 if this is still current) or email sthornberg@forestriverinc.com.

2) attempt to make your own access panel in the rear compartment. The rear wall is fiberglass and with a little handyman skill, cutting an opening and making a panel (maybe out of masonite or thin plywood) should be feasible. The opening starts about 5.5" above the compartment's floor, and about 2" left of the rubber gasket of the compartment door. (My original gasket failed a long time ago, and I've since replaced it with a bit heftier one).

The rear passenger light access panel is approx. 5"x16" and should be relatively water tight (since the rear compartment isn't really).

Here is a photo of what mine looks like (Forest River OEM version). The panel is immediately left of the passenger-side rear tail lights (hidden from view by the compartment door.).

Good luck .

@ mb cruiser: And I thought ours was hard to get to in the cabinet and behind the shower. That totally sucks for you. Keep us posted on what Forest River says.

It was the original posting by socalmbcruiser who was wondering about access to passenger side rear taillights on his 2005, not me (mb cruiser).

Fortunately, I've never had to replace a rear bulb (mine is also a 2005 chassis/2006 model year conversion), so I don't know how functional Forest River's design with the access panels really is. But I have had the passenger side panel off once, and it appeared fairly hollow, so maybe it's workable.

For what it's worth....

(p.s. I'm not sure how the fridge questions got into this thread, but what the hay.)

I have a 2004 MB Cruiser and the driver side rear brake light is now out. There is a small panel in the shower I can remove but hate to break the seal. I may cut a hole similar to the post on the left side of the storage compartment behind the spare tire and install a cover over it with a gasket. Make more sense then messing with the shower.

Regarding the refigerator I now keep the freezer full of blue ice bags which freeze during the day and then turn the refrigerator down to the lowest setting at night. This way the compressor is not coming on for 45 minutes out of every hour during the night. In the morning the blue ice is just starting to go soft and everything is still nice and cold.

I am currently using the 12 volt deep cycle battery, but considering converting to two larger 6 volt deep cycle batteries, a 2000 watt inverter, and installing two 50 watt solar panels on the roof just back of the AC unit. We stay in state or national parks mostly so being able to recharge the batteries without running the generator will be nice. It will also let my smarter half make her coffee at 6:00am without starting the generator.

If you create the access panel behind the spare tire on the driver's side, could you post your findings/conclusion because it might be something I might want to think about if I ever need to change rear driver's side bulbs too.
Before you start drilling, just be cautious about the shower stall (very thin fiberglass) on the back side.
All of the fiberglass in the rear compartment and shower are very thin; even thinner than the compartment cover doors.
good luck.

(from the frig conversations, I guess I'm lucky to have the propane option on my 3-way. I only run on 12VDC while underway for long travel days in warm temps).

photoadjuster:
the access panel in the shower enclosure is approx. 5"x16" size - same as the outside compartment panel.

Mine has never been off, but it looks/feels like there is a bead of latex/acrylic bath-type caulking sealing the panel. Any other (e.g. silicone) kind of caulking would probably be tough to remove, so it seems a bath/kitchen latex caulk makes sense (i.e. easily peeled off of the fiberglass surface).

Here are a couple of shower access panel photos.

Thanks James . . . . .

OK, I took a picture of what I am assuming is the access panel in the shower. It is very different but in the same location with no screws to remove. This is why I am thinking of cutting an access in the storage cabinet without messing with the shower. After I get the light fix done I will post pictures of what did.

Anyone interested in how to convert the lights to LED's for $2 a light? The light tone is a little too white, but the power draw is about 10% of the standard light and basically equal in lumens. We have used them now for two trips and don't even think about things being more white in color. Maybe a new thread would be good for this mod.