Mercedes-Benz GLA Headlights: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

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

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OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — aftermarket LH Hella 1EX 015 568-711 / RH Hella 1EX 015 568-721

Accuracy note: Covers the Mercedes-Benz GLA (X156 2014-2020) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Headlights are sold by side (passenger / nearside = LH, driver's / offside = RH on a UK car) and by lamp type — halogen, xenon (D1S / D3S) and LED or full-LED units are not interchangeable, and DRL, cornering and levelling options change the part number again. The references below are UK aftermarket catalogue listings for this generation, labelled by brand; genuine numbers are shown only where a listing quotes one. Check the lamp type and traffic side (UK right-hand-traffic units, not LHD) against your VIN, and expect xenon / LED and adaptive units to need levelling adjustment or coding after fitting.

Passenger side (LH / nearside) headlight — aftermarket	Magneti Marelli 711307024352 (halogen H7, H15, PY21W, electric levelling, bulbs included); Van Wezel 3080961 (halogen H7/H7/H7, electric levelling cars, no motor); Van Wezel 2930985M (xenon D3S with LED, automatic levelling); Diederichs 1641085 (bi-xenon D3S with LED, automatic levelling, bulbs included); Magneti Marelli 711307024372 (bi-xenon D3S with LED, automatic levelling, bulbs included, no DRL control unit); Hella 1EX 015 568-711 (LED matrix, DRL)
Driver's side (RH / offside) headlight — aftermarket	Van Wezel 2930962 (halogen H15/H7, DRL, electric levelling); Magneti Marelli 711307024353 (halogen H15, PY21W, electric levelling, bulbs included); Van Wezel 3080962 (halogen H7/H7/H7, electric levelling cars, no motor); Van Wezel 2930986M (xenon D3S with LED, automatic levelling); Diederichs 1641084 (bi-xenon D3S with LED, automatic levelling, bulbs included); Magneti Marelli 711307024373 (bi-xenon D3S with LED, bulbs included, no DRL control unit)
Bulb types	halogen dipped H7, daytime running H15, indicator PY21W; xenon D3S; LED units take no bulbs
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	Hella 1EG 013 074-111 (LH) A 247 906 57 01; Hella 1EG 013 074-121 (RH) A 247 906 58 01; Hella 1EX 013 074-611 (LH) A 247 906 77 01; Hella 1EX 013 074-621 (RH) A 247 906 78 01; Hella 1EX 013 074-711 (LH) A 247 906 83 01; Hella 1EX 013 074-721 (RH) A 247 906 84 01 (these A247 numbers belong to the later GLA H247, so do not use them for an X156)
Fitment notes	Halogen, D3S bi-xenon and LED units are listed; the xenon units are sold without the control unit, and the Hella LED units with A247 OE numbers fit the later GLA rather than the X156.

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

If your GLA 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 GLA Headlights: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: 2015 MERCEDES GLA 250 HEADLAMP BULB REPLACEMENT

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X156 headlamp bulb change

Mercedes-Benz GLA Headlights reference plate

Mercedes-Benz GLA Headlights: What It Does

The Mercedes-Benz GLA'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 GLA Headlights: Generations, Derivatives & Headlight Type

X156 (2015–2020)	Halogen or Bi-Xenon (HID) depending on trim — confirmed as completely different, non-interchangeable technology from the second generation
H247 (2021–present), standard	Static LED — powerful LEDs for both beams, but the unit doesn't swivel with steering input
H247, higher trims	Adaptive/MULTIBEAM LED option genuinely does swivel and adapt, a real functional step up from the static LED fitted elsewhere in the range

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Mercedes-Benz GLA 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.