I want to convert my old standard bulbs to the new LED ones. I know the bulbs don't cost much, maybe $1 each or something, but I don't want to buy crummy ones that start flickering and failing 2 months after I put them in.

Has anyone converted and how are the results? Are there any quality brands out there that you know of, or do you know which brands to avoid?

Also how many lights on the dash? There's 1 or 2 for the speedometer cluster,
one for the a/c controls, one for the shifter, and what other ones?

Thanks,

Jeff 1991 300d, 218k

Watching want to do the same thing!

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Brad

Bunch of old metal, trying to keep it on the road....

Short of any replies, I guess I'll just have to call a MB parts dealer to see what bulbs they have. I just don't want to end up with any junk from China where I'm driving down the road and the lights start to flicker then suddenly quit. I don't want to do the job twice.

LEDs pretty much all come from China. The $1-$2 ones are garbage. There's some that Kent sells, they work well. I've had good luck with name brand bulbs - you can buy them from Walmart, autozone, or any auto parts store. You will pay a premium, but I've had no issues with any of them at all. All my dash lights are LEDs, including the back lighting on the center console and HVAC knobs.

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Milan Brown 1979 240D, rebuilt OM617.952 turbo diesel, rebuilt 722.315 transmission - engine spun a rod bearing

1979 300SD, ~90k original miles, all stock

I'm running these : https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/miniature-wedge-base/194-led-bulb-3-smd-led-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/3551/

And they are good at night. My dash lights (spider lights) aren't working now though, haven't figured it why.

For the link you gave, those look like speedometer cluster bulbs, and not for the shifter area and climate control, etc. Is that what those are?

And what are spider lights?

The “spider” refers to the fiber optic light distributor behind the dash that lights up the rocker switches above the heater controls. One bulb lights up all these switches.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

I played with LED's on my w123 cluster. While not the same, something to consider are bulb dimensions. Your LED bulbs that you're looking at might have the same bulb base as their incandescent equivalent, but the bulb height may be different. As i remember, in some instances the bulb was too tall such that i couldn't even screw in the base.

I used these for the main bulb pair in the cluster. The white frosted cap will come off allowing it to fit perfectly in the cluster.

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1991 300D 2.5 "Rocinante"
2002 Golf TDI "Teen Spirit"
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1984 300D
1966 Mustang I6 3sp
1985 Mazda RX-7 GSLSE
1982 Toyota Supra
1977 Datsun 280z
1971 Datsun 240z

I use these in my W123 dash.

4300k on the left:

Years ago I'm smartly used a straw to go over the bulb to then pull it out, preventing me from having to take apart the whole assembly. But this time I don't have and can't find the same diameter straw.

If I wanted to take that plastic assembly apart that holds the bulbs how can I do that without breaking any of the plastic clips that appear to keep the two halves together?

There is actually a tool made for this purpose, the name is “lamp extractor”. It was developed for the telephone industry for the little incandescent bulbs used on the operator switchboards and the older key system business phones. They continue to be used on industrial control panels for removing incandescent bulbs in operator devices. Just looked on eBay and there were several offered in the $10-20 range.

A piece of rubber tubing also works very well for this.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

WOW!! Somebody else knows about these!! Been in telecom since the mid 80's in the Army, changed many a switchboard and phone lights with them!!

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Brad

Bunch of old metal, trying to keep it on the road....

Someone on a thread long ago said 1/4" rubber tubing would do the trick.