The Mercedes-Benz 560SEL uses 9004 bulb size for both high beam and low beam headlight applications. The replacement chart covers vehicle production years spanning 1986 to 1991.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Mercedes-Benz 560SEL uses the 9004 bulb for both high beam and low beam headlights across the full 1986-1991 production run.
The 9004 is a dual-filament halogen bulb, meaning a single bulb unit contains two separate filaments to serve both the high and low beam functions within one housing.
Because both headlight positions share the same 9004 specification, the same bulb type is interchangeable between the high beam and low beam sockets on this vehicle.
The 9004 operates on a 12-volt electrical system and carries a wattage rating of 65W on the high beam filament and 45W on the low beam filament.
The 9004 uses a P29t base, which is a specific bayonet-style connector. Bulbs with a different base type are not physically compatible with the 560SEL headlight sockets, regardless of wattage or voltage rating.
The 9004 is an ANSI-standardized bulb type recognized in the United States and Canada, meaning its electrical and physical specifications conform to a defined North American standard rather than a proprietary or regional European format.