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W123 bulbs

86K views 112 replies 41 participants last post by  Forcedinduction 
#1 · (Edited)
I thought I'd start this thread to complete the bulbs in our cars. Some sites list which types go where but they're all not accurate, as some of you have experienced.

As per the owner's manual:

http://www.foro.pieldetoro.net/web/MERCEDES/detalle2.php?ID_FOTO=1388&MANUAL=14
http://www.pruebas.pieldetoro.net/w...200D-240D-300D-UK/W123 200D_240D_300D-080.jpg

Exterior Lamps

Head lamp: H4/9003 (or sealed beams...H6024)

Fog lamp: H3

Front turn signal lamp: 21W dual element 7528 (nickel base)/1157 (brass base)
*note* European version will have 21W single element 7506 with different socket for single filament bulb (see below)


Rear turn signal lamp: 21W single element 7506


Rear park/standing light: 10W round dome glass 5008


Brake/stop lamp: 21W single element 7506 (nickel base)/1156 (brass base)

Reverse lamp: 21W single element 7506 (nickel base)/1156 (brass base)

Rear fog lamp: 21W single element 7506 (nickel base)/1156 (brass base)

Rear side marker (US version only): 4W small bulb single element 3893

License plate lamp: 5W festoon bulb 6418

Interior Lamps

Instrument cluster illumination: 3W peanut bulb 2821 (x2)


Instrument cluster turn signal: 1.2W "rice grain" bulb 2721MF (x2)


Idiot lights on bottom of instrument cluster: 1.2W "rice grain" bulb 2721MF

Climate control bulbs: 1.2W "rice grain" bulb 2721 (lone bulb w/o base, x5)
*note* 5 bulbs for automatic climate control with horizontal pushbuttons


Ashtray bulb: 2W small bulb 3898 (x1)

PRNDSL shift gate: 4W small bulb, round glass 3893 (x1)


Glovebox lamp: 5W festoon lamp 6418 (x1)


Front dome light, main: 10W festoon lamp 6411 (x1)


Front dome light, map: 5W pointed tip small bulb 64111 (x1)


Rear dome light: 10W festoon lamp 6411 (x1)

Trunk lid: 10W festoon lamp 6411 (x1)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All bulb images courtesy of AutohausAZ.
 
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#5 ·
Always order LED's in the color of the lens they're going behind for the brightest and most vibrant results.

Here are some of them:

2821 gets replaced with these (I use these ones in super white):
T10 Wedge 5 Ultra Bright SMT LED Light - Automotive LED Lights - LEDLight
Here's a pic of them in my cluster:


or these for more cash and possibly slight modification to the light tunnels:
T10 Wedge 12 SMT Tower LED Light - Automotive LED Lights - LEDLight
T10 Wedge 25 Ultra Bright SMT LED Light - Automotive LED Lights - LEDLight


2721 gets replaced with these (these aren't brighter than the stock bulbs, they use less power and don't generate a lot of heat):
Search Result Page

6411 gets replaced with these (good results but you need to position the bulb to direct the light into the cabin since it has a spot light type effect due to all the LEDs firing the same direction):
Festoon SMT 9 LED Light - Automotive LED Lights - LEDLight

7528, 5008, 7506 get replaced with these (I haven't tried these myself, check the dimension diagram against the space behind your lenses before you order. I know the bases fit the sockets and the bulbs fit behind the wagon tail lights but I'm not sure of the others yet.):
S25 27 Ultra Bright SMT LED Light - Automotive LED Lights - LEDLight
 
#6 ·
Thanks Chad for the LED links. Curious with one thing though, does the dimmer switch still work for the bulbs with LEDs? I'm thinking of getting the instrument light LED's for my 300D.

Thinking of also getting LEDs for the puddle light for the 300TE doors and license plate lights (I think they're the 5W festoon bulbs)...
 
#7 ·
:thumbsup:

The bulbs for the cluster lighting are completely dimmable. The 74 wedge base bulbs are not dimmable, but the cluster lights will dim a little bit before the CCU and spider go dark. I never dim the bulbs since I want everything as bright as possible.:)
 
#9 ·
The pic I took is fairly accurate to reality. I took it in my garage with the lights out and the headlights on.

I guess they're not as bright as 5W bulbs as evidenced by the glares on your cluster pic. All areas of my cluster are visible, but the light coming from the tunnels isn't so intense that it causes as bright of a hot spot.

The main benefit compared to 5W bulbs would be the dramatic difference in heat generated. The LEDs won't risk melting your optics. Even a stock wattage 2721 melted the insert behind the temp wheel in my CCU.
 
#10 ·
I'll have to look again, but if memory serves me right - the rear fog light bulb in the headlight switch uses the same bulb as the instrument cluster idiot lights (2721).

I may have even put the part number in my rear foglight writeup...
 
#12 ·
Oh, did you ever get a part number for the "city light" on the Euro headlights? I believe I used 3893 bulbs, merely because I was guessing.

With those bulbs, my city lights are about the same brightness as the ones on my Land Rover Discovery...I figured I probably guessed right?
 
#14 ·
Patrick -

Nice to know that those bulbs fit in place of the factory city lights. Do you happen to know what the stock bulbs are supposed to be?

I actually used the left side parking lights the other night! I was at a friend's cabin, and had to park alongside the road. My 300D is a champ in the winter, but I highly doubt I'd get up his icy driveway w/o chains. Do you think the brighter bulbs would drain the battery substantially faster?

Darren, use this:

Front dome light, map: 5W pointed tip small bulb 64111 (x1)

They're expensive, around $5 each but they're much brighter than the stock city lights.
 
#15 ·
The front park light is 21W/5W so the park light is only 5W up front and 10W in the back. The standard city lights are 4W, these pointed tip bulbs are 5W so it evens out. :) The 21W part of the dual filament is for the turn signal function only.

Standard usage: front map dome light, w201, w124 and w126/w116 rear seat C pillar reading lights.
 
#18 ·
if the seatbelt light and glowplug light went out at the same time try running a wire from the back of the cluster to the main grounding point behind the cluster.

FYI, it light 2721
 
#22 ·
I'm looking at the first page of this thread and the 7th bulb picture looks like the tiny bulbs that are on the ends of the back lights, right? The very back corners...

Uhhhhh, what do they do?
 
#25 ·
awesume LEDS I am going to have to do that mod.

Can anyone explain how the city lights work? I replaced my h4 and h3 in my euro headlights with blue fake xenon lights and I notice I haev city light bulbs the have to be bad or disconnected as I cannot get them to light. My rear fogs work find so I guess I am still wired euro style how do the city lihts work.
 
#26 ·
City lights are basically used in lieu of the corner lights (running lights) on US vehicles.

On Euro vehicles, the corner lights are used strictly as a turn signal...US vehicles have a dual-filament bulb.

The city lights should turn on anytime the running lights are on, or the left/right parking lights are on.

Have you checked the bulbs? The ones in my Euro lights 'looked' good, but tested out to be bad. Drove me nuts - I thought I wired something in wrong when I swapped to the Euro lights.
 
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