The Mercedes-Benz 500SEL uses 9003 and H6054 bulb sizes for both high beam and low beam headlight applications. The replacement chart covers 1984 to 1993 production 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 9003 is a dual-filament halogen bulb, meaning a single unit contains both the high beam and low beam filaments. This is why the 1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL uses the same bulb size for both high beam and low beam headlight positions.
The 9003 operates at 12 volts and draws 60 watts on the high beam filament and 55 watts on the low beam filament. It uses a P43t base, which is a bayonet-style mount standardized under ANSI specifications for the US and Canadian markets.
The H6054 is a 5x7-inch rectangular sealed beam unit, meaning the lens, reflector, and filament are fused into a single non-serviceable assembly. When the filament fails in the 1984-1985 500SEL, the entire sealed beam unit requires replacement rather than just an internal bulb.
Both the 9003 and H6054 carry ANSI standardization for the US and Canadian markets, indicating that fitment is governed by regional lighting regulations rather than manufacturer-exclusive specifications.
The 1984-1985 model years share the H6054 sealed beam unit across both high beam and low beam functions, following the same dual-purpose pattern seen in the later 9003 fitment of the 1992-1993 years.
The H6054 and 9003 are not interchangeable. The sealed beam format of the H6054 and the replaceable halogen format of the 9003 represent fundamentally different headlight construction types, and the mounting configurations are incompatible.