The Mercedes-Benz 190E front side marker uses a P21/5W bulb size, while the rear side marker requires either 5008 or 232 bulb sizes. The replacement chart covers vehicle production spanning 1984 to 1993.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Mercedes-Benz 190E front side marker position uses the P21/5W bulb across all model years from 1984-1993, making it the only bulb type specified for that position throughout the entire production run covered by these specifications.
The P21/5W is an ECE-standard dual-filament bulb rated at 12V with a 21W main filament and a 5W secondary filament, mounted on a BAY15d bayonet base. The offset pins of the BAY15d base ensure the bulb can only be seated in one rotational orientation, preventing incorrect filament alignment.
The rear side marker position on the 190E is not served by a single bulb type across all years. Two distinct bulb types, the 5008 and the 232, are specified depending on the model year.
The 5008 is an ANSI-standard single-filament bulb operating at 12V with a BA15s bayonet base. It is described as a lower wattage variant of the 1156 bulb, and its single-filament design contrasts with the dual-filament P21/5W used at the front.
The 232 is an ANSI-standard festoon bulb rated at 12V and 3W, fitted with an SV8.5 base. Festoon bulbs are cylindrical in form and make contact at each end rather than through a bayonet or screw base, which means they are physically incompatible with sockets designed for BA15s or BAY15d bases.
For the 190E rear side marker, the 232 festoon bulb is specified for model years 1989-1991, while the 5008 is specified for 1984-1988 and 1992-1993.
The P21/5W and the 5008 share a superficially similar bayonet-style mounting but use different base types, BAY15d and BA15s respectively. These two bases are not interchangeable, as the BAY15d has offset pins while the BA15s has symmetrical pins, and the socket designs differ accordingly.
The 232 festoon bulb specified for the rear side marker on 1989-1991 models is physically and electrically distinct from both the P21/5W and the 5008, requiring a dedicated festoon-style socket rather than a bayonet socket.
The P21/5W follows ECE regulations used in Europe and worldwide markets, while both the 5008 and the 232 follow ANSI standards associated with the US and Canadian markets. The front and rear positions on the 190E therefore draw from different regulatory standards.
Because the rear side marker bulb type changes between certain model years, substituting a 5008 into a socket designed for the 232, or vice versa, would require a socket adapter or housing modification, as the base types are mechanically incompatible.