The Mercedes-Benz ML500 parking light utilizes bulb sizes 12961, 1157NA, and 1034NA depending on the specific version. Available data for the bulb sizes covers the range from 2002 to 2007.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Mercedes-Benz ML500 front parking light specifications cover model years 2002-2007, with three distinct bulb sizes used across that span: 12961, 1157NA, and 1034NA.
The 12961 is a Philips part number designating a miniature wedge-type bulb in the T10 form factor, fitted with a W2.1x9.5d base and rated at 12V, 5W. It is a single-filament, low-wattage bulb suited to parking light applications.
The 1157NA and 1034NA are both ANSI-standard dual-filament bulbs sharing the BAY15d bayonet base and a natural amber glass envelope, each rated at 12V with a 21W/5W filament configuration. The 1034NA is classified as a variant of the 1157 type.
The BAY15d base used by both the 1157NA and 1034NA is an offset-pin bayonet fitting. The offset pin positions prevent incorrect insertion, which is relevant given that the two filaments operate at different wattages.
The natural amber glass of the 1157NA and 1034NA produces an amber output without the use of an amber-coated or plastic lens, a construction detail that distinguishes the NA suffix variants from their clear-glass counterparts.
For the 2006-2007 ML500, the specifications list the 12961 under two separate conditions: a general entry and an entry explicitly noted as applying with halogen capsule headlamps. Both entries reference the same bulb size, indicating the 12961 applies regardless of headlamp type in those years.
The 2003 ML500 is the only model year in the specifications assigned the 1034NA rather than the 1157NA, despite both bulbs sharing the same base type and voltage-wattage rating.
Because the 1157NA and 1034NA share the BAY15d base and identical electrical ratings, physical fitment between the two is possible, though they are catalogued as separate part numbers and are not listed interchangeably within these specifications.
The transition from the dual-filament 1157NA or 1034NA bulbs used in 2002-2005 to the single-filament 12961 wedge bulb in 2006-2007 represents a significant change in both base type and wattage, making the earlier and later bulbs non-interchangeable.
The W2.1x9.5d base of the 12961 is a wedge-type fitting with no pins or bayonet lugs, held in place by contact tension alone, which is a fundamentally different retention method from the bayonet base of the 1157NA and 1034NA.