Light Bulb Specs
 

The "light out" dash light on my 300TE comes on when I turn on the parking lights. Also I have one dim brake light and the cruise control isn't working.

I thought I better start by making sure I have all the correct bulbs. Could someone tell me the correct wattage for the brake, turn signal, parking light, third brake light, license plate and any others I might have missed.

This info is probably in the manual but, unfortunately, I don't have one.

Thanks,
BoB

Actually, if you remove either taillight housing (held on by these twisty "dzus-like" fasteners), the correct wattage for each is embossed right on the housing next to each lamp receptacle.

Most likely, the bulbs are either 10W or 21W, with the brake light bulbs being the higher wattage.

Make sure the replacement bulbs have the nickel-plated sockets, not copper. Use either the Sylvania or Philips bulbs that are readily available at most auto parts stores.

If there is a Pepboys in your area...
 

try those. I think they are Sylvania but, teh best part is that they are made in Germany!:cool:
I heard there is a relationship between the tail light bulbs and the cruise control.:(

It's my understanding that the Mercedes light failure warning system is designed to use Osram bulbs. Get them at your dealer.

Since these things are so darn cheap it isn't worth fooling with bulbs that might cause false warnings.

That is not always an option, especially if you are several hours from the nearest MB facility.

True, there are some weird 1.2W dash bulbs I can't seem to get anywhere except at MB. But exterior bulbs from PepBoys, AutoZone or whatever do just fine.

Thanks everyone. I'll pick up the correct bulbs and check them all this weekend.

BoB

Yes, this thread is almost two years old but I *finally* solved this problem. I'd given up long ago but a few weeks back the center brake light bulb went out. I knew it was a brake light because the "light out" dash light came on the first time I hit the brakes.

Anyway, after I replaced the brake light I checked and the "light out" dash light still came on when I turned on the parking lights. I looked around and all the lights looked good. I did notice for the first time though that one of the license plate bulbs was a little dimmer than the other. I'd never bothered to check the actual bulbs installed in the license plate lights. I replaced the dim one and no help. Then I pulled out the other, brighter bulb. Well it was a 10W instead of a 5W. I replaced it and my problem is solved!

After two and a half years of ownership, I can now turn my lights on w/o being faced with at light out warning light! I know it's foolish but it made my day.

BoB

BTW the Sylvania bulbs from the auto parts store worked fine though the ones for the Mercedes sure are a lot more expensive than some of the others.

Congratulations, Bob!

It's not foolish at all to take delight in tracking down and solving a puzzle like this. I can think of at least 2 very good outcomes from this effort:

1) Your bulb-out warning now works properly, so when your brake lamps burn out you'll know, and you'll replace 'em, and you won't get rearended, unlike drivers of most other vehicles on the road;

2) You've increased the database on this forum. I don't believe I've ever heard of the answer to a bulb-out warning to be mismatched license plate bulbs! You have, in advance, solved some future poster's problem.

Steve

Here is another little quickie tidbit.

Seems a number of people have in the past advised against installing the Euro lights and connecting the city lights, believing somehow that negates the lamp out MIL. Well, last week in my return trip from the airport my lamp out mil flickered for a moment...I now know I have a failing bulb (just don't know which one, yet). I have my city lights hooked up so the old wives tale about no lamp out MIL after connecting the city lights is bunk.

Since I do no longer have the manual, I would also like to know which types of bulbs fit what: headlights, fog lights, turn signals, brake lights, tail lights, reverse, license plate - can someone post the bulb chart?

~Thank you,

Nautilus

Thanks Steve. Aside from wanting to share my joy at solving my problem, I did post with the idea that it might help someone else (or at least give them hope).

Nautilus, you can get the whole bulb list for just about any car from the Sylvania web site. It's pretty handy.

http://www.sylvania.com/auto/carapp/

BoB

I have had no problem with bulbs from Shuck's, using the manufacturer charts for my cars. In fact, I diaged that previous owner had the right shape but wrong bulb in the License plates lamps in my sedan using these charts. This particular anomaly caused only intermittent lamp out warning lamp (similar to a lose connection) so it was quite difficult to track down.

Thanks Uberwagon, yet the link is barely useful:( it gives just the Sylvania code for each bulb, not the actual wattage and other specs of the bulb. Here there are no Sylvania dealers, so we have to do with Osram, Bosch or Narva...

On the other side, the small weirdo 0.4-1.2W dashboard bulbs can be easily replaced with a type of small bulb used for electronic appliances... so I don't have to pay the price of MB stealerships :) the real problem is to pull the damn gizmos out of the dash; still not figured how to replace those in dash vent adjusting wheels, or in mirror-adjusting button

~Nautilus

The Sylvania code for the bulbs should be the same as Osram's, because they are the same company

BTW, most of the chain auto parts stores have a section that is called OEM.

That is where I get great bulbs, the right spec, etc. per all the required items from the posts above.

Haasman