The Mercedes-Benz 500E uses a P21/5W bulb size for front side marker applications and 5008 or 232 bulb sizes for rear side marker positions. The replacement chart covers 1992 to 1993 model years with corresponding bulb size specifications.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Mercedes-Benz 500E front side marker positions for 1992-1993 both use the P21/5W bulb, an ECE-standard dual-filament type rated at 12V with a 21W main filament and a 5W secondary filament, mounted on a BAY15d bayonet base.
The BAY15d base features offset pins that prevent incorrect insertion orientation, a design characteristic shared across dual-filament bayonet bulbs in the ECE family.
The P21/5W designation follows ECE naming conventions, where "P" denotes a plastic-capped bulb, "21" refers to the higher wattage filament, and "5W" refers to the lower wattage filament.
The rear side marker position differs between model years: the 1993 500E uses the 5008 bulb, while the 1992 model uses the 232 bulb, making these two years non-interchangeable at that position.
The 5008 is an ANSI-standard single-filament bulb with a BA15s bayonet base, rated at 12V, and is a lower wattage variant within the same family as the 1156 bulb.
The BA15s base used by the 5008 is a single-contact bayonet fitting, distinct from the dual-contact BAY15d base of the P21/5W, meaning these two bulb types are not physically interchangeable despite both using bayonet-style mounts.
The 232 bulb used in the 1992 rear side marker is a festoon-type bulb with an SV8.5 base, rated at 12V and 3W. Festoon bulbs are cylindrical in form and seat by compression between two end caps rather than by a bayonet or wedge fitting.
The SV8.5 designation on the 232 bulb refers to a festoon base with an 8.5mm cap width, a specification that determines physical fitment within the lamp housing.
The front and rear side marker positions on the 500E use entirely different bulb families, with the front relying on an ECE dual-filament bayonet type and the rear using ANSI single-filament types across both model years.