The Mercedes-Benz C240 high beam headlight uses an H7 bulb size, while low beam headlights accommodate H7, D2S, or D2R bulb sizes. The replacement chart covers 2001 to 2005 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 H7 bulb is a single-filament halogen type rated at 12V and 55W, fitted with a PX26d base. It follows the ECE standard recognized across Europe, the United States, and Japan, making it one of the most widely distributed automotive bulb formats.
The H7 bulb serves both the high beam and low beam positions across all model years of the Mercedes-Benz C240 covered in these specifications, spanning 2001-2005.
The D2S and D2R are HID (xenon) discharge bulbs, each rated at 85V and 35W. Unlike halogen types, both require an external ignitor to initiate and sustain the electrical arc that produces light.
Although D2S and D2R share the same voltage and wattage ratings, they are not interchangeable. The D2S carries a P32d-2 base and is designed for projector-type housings, while the D2R carries a P32d-3 base and is designed for reflector-type housings.
For the 2003-2005 C240, the low beam position accepts either an H7 or a D2S bulb depending on whether the vehicle was equipped with standard halogen or HID headlamps at the time of manufacture.
For the 2001-2002 C240, the HID low beam option uses the D2R rather than the D2S, indicating that those earlier model years used reflector-type housings in HID-equipped configurations rather than projector-type housings.
The shift from D2R to D2S in the low beam HID fitment between the 2002 and 2003 model years reflects a change in headlamp housing design, and substituting one type for the other would result in an incorrect fit and improper light output.