Mercedes-Benz E-Class Headlights: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

Bulb type, unit part numbers, and the faults that actually cause that flickering or dim light you've noticed.

Illustration for editorial purposes

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Mercedes-Benz E-Class Headlights: OEM Part Number

Accuracy note: genuinely worth knowing: headlight type genuinely matters more than model name on the E-Class — halogen, HID/Xenon, and LED (including adaptive/matrix LED on higher trims) use entirely different housings that aren't interchangeable, and swapping bulb type without swapping the housing isn't legal or safe. Confirm which your car has via the badge, owner's manual, or by looking at the unit itself before ordering.

A Genuinely Important UK Rule Worth Knowing Before You Buy — Mercedes-Benz E-Class Headlights

If your E-Class has factory-fitted halogen headlamp housings, converting them to fit LED bulbs is treated as a definite MOT failure under the current inspection manual — this isn't a grey area or a minor advisory, since a housing designed for halogen doesn't distribute an LED bulb's light output correctly, which can genuinely dazzle oncoming drivers. If you want a genuine LED upgrade, the correct route is a complete headlight unit designed for LED from the factory, not a bulb swap into an existing halogen housing.

Before you buy: matrix LED, adaptive, and cornering headlight systems often require electronic coding to the car after a unit swap, even for a genuine like-for-like replacement — a headlight that isn't recognised by the car's electronics can trigger warning lights or fail to auto-level correctly. Check whether your specific trim has one of these systems before assuming a straightforward bulb-in, bulb-out job.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Headlights reference plate

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Headlights: What It Does

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class's headlight unit houses the main and dipped beam bulbs (or LED/matrix modules on higher trims), positioned and angled to illuminate the road ahead without excessively dazzling oncoming traffic. Many modern units also integrate the daytime running light and front indicator into the same housing, which affects both the part number and the complexity of any repair.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Headlights: Generations, Derivatives & Headlight Type

W212 (2009–2016)	LED low beam paired with Halogen high beam on some trims — genuinely a mixed-technology setup, not full LED on both beams
W213/W238 (2016–present), standard	Full LED as standard
W213/W238, higher trims	Multibeam LED — genuine second-generation Mercedes tech using 84 individually controlled LEDs per unit and a windshield-mounted camera to mask light aimed at oncoming traffic within a fraction of a second, while still illuminating the areas around them; this specific generation's design won a Red Dot Design Award

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Mercedes-Benz E-Class Headlights: Common Faults, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Headlights Guide for the four bulb technologies and how they differ, UK law on aim and modifications, common faults to check for, how difficult this job is to DIY, and confirming fitment against your VIN.

More Mercedes-Benz Headlights

The same part, covered across other Mercedes-Benz models.