Installed clear / red taillight lenses on my '93 W124, but... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

suginami · #1 02-20-2003, 12:36 AM

Installed new '94-'95 clear/red taillight lenses on my 1993 W124, and realized that since the old W124 taillight lenses have amber for the blinker, the old bulb is clear and needs to be changed to an amber bulb to be legal.

I went back to the dealer and purchased new amber bulbs, but they can't be inserted into the "bulb holding plate" because the pins / nipples / bumps on the amber bulb are spaced apart differently.

When you compare the two bulbs, the clear bulb has two nipples on the base of the bulb that are exactly 180 degrees apart, and the amber bulb has the two pins that are spaced apart differently.

Is anyone aware of an amber bulb ( or a bulb that is clear but blinks amber) that has the pins spaced apart properly (180 degrees)?

Will it work if I file down one of the little bumps (or nipples), and will it stay in place and work?

Or, is it possible to replace the metal strip that holds the bulbs (bulb holding plate) from a '94-'95 without too much trouble?

Thanks for your help in advance....

afmcorp · #2 02-20-2003, 01:40 AM

hello

i seem to remember bulb numbers of 1157 maybe 1180. these bulbs are the same except that the bases have different locating pins. one had 2 pins 180 degrees apart on the same level. the other had 2 pins but one was higher than the other. (i am not 100% sure on the 1180 #) but the 1157 should be good. go to a good parts store and they should be able to identify what number you need.

40 years ago my father drove truck and he would bring home all the different bulbs you could imagine. somehow i remember i remember this because because i was working on my 33' plymouth and my 66 belvedere.

but a good part guy should be able to look in his lamp book and figure out what you need.

ToreBj · #3 02-20-2003, 02:47 AM

Do as you describe, file down one of the bumps (perferrably the right one! You will figure it out) and the bulb will stay in there. I've done the same, no problem!

suginami · #4 02-20-2003, 11:35 AM

Another question:

Is the blinker the only bulb that needs to be Amber, or are there others that need to be changed, too?

jsmith · #5 02-20-2003, 12:34 PM

check out "Titanium" brand silver colored amber bulbs. they have them at pep boys for about $6. i know they have 1157...

suginami · #6 02-20-2003, 01:50 PM

1157 is the number for the 94-95 bulb.

I went to a Pep Boys and an Auto Zone this morning, and they didn't carry an amber bulb that had the pins in the right place.

I might have to check with a store or a website that specializes in bulbs. It must exist...

rbmercedes · #7 02-20-2003, 02:48 PM

I went through this with a friend's 95 E420 ('95with 35,000 miles for $17,000!) You may have to see the local stealership...

Happy Motoring

RBM

suginami · #8 02-20-2003, 04:42 PM

Well, after a lot of research, the bulb for the blinkers is 7506.

They do make a 7056A (amber) bulb, and it is a special order item.

I found them on www.litebulbs.com

It will take some time to get them in, so in the meantime, I ordered two clear bulbs that they are dyeing amber for me.

I also found this bulb made by a company by Polarg, that is silver when off, and flashes amber when lit. The only problem is that it is a 27 watt bulb, and the standard bulb is 20 watts, so I don't know if that would be a problem. I know the idiot light will illuminate if you are using a bulb that is the wrong wattage. The other problem is that the bulb is very expensive:

http://www.xtremewhite.com/ORD-Light~bulbs-1-Signal,Corner,Tail~and~accessories~bulbs-No-3690-1-1-1-1.cfm

Ashman · #9 02-20-2003, 06:16 PM

I have used 1157 bulbs with no problem.

The bulbs you describe have the nipples closer together on one side.

I have used those too, and they do fit, its just a tight squeeze to get them in.

what I have done also is file one of them down just a tad.

Alon

jsmith · #10 02-21-2003, 08:37 AM

Paul,

I'm a little confused. Aren't the rears all single filaments? I believe that the 7506 is a single filament. Didn't you say that you were replacing a double filament in your original post?

suginami · #11 02-21-2003, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jsmith
Paul,

I'm a little confused. Aren't the rears all single filaments? I believe that the 7506 is a single filament. Didn't you say that you were replacing a double filament in your original post?

Right, all of the rears are single filaments.

What I mean by nipples or tabs, are the ones on the side of the base of the bulb. These nipples are indexed, or spaced apart, so that the bulb slides in the socket and can be turned and locked into place.

With the exception of the rear side markers which takes a smaller bulb, all of the other bulbs in the rear taillights, including the rear fog light, is a 21 Watt #7506 bulb.

What is interesting is that I didn't even know I had a rear fog light. Yes, that's right - fog light. Our cars don't have rear fog lights. There is only one, and it is on the drivers side. You pull out the light knob two clicks to engage the rear fog light.

jsmith · #12 02-21-2003, 02:37 PM

yeah that rear fog light is a "euro" feature. when i had a passat a few guys i knew retrofitted one on theirs. BTW, mine had the bottom contact squished causing an intermittent light out indicator. of course when i tried to pry it up it broke off. i stuck a little spring in there to maintain pressure but that entire light assembly is just about the flimsiest component in the entire car!