C-Class Lighting Question
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
Buick Park Avenue Ultra
C-Class Lighting Question
Hello C-Classers,
Just a question regarding the front lights on both the coupe and sedan.
How can you tell if a car has the xenon lights, or just the regular lights? (Without the car having to be on. ie. looking at a car in a dealer lot and figuring out if it has the xenons or not)
Does the bulb have a different shape/colour?
Does it say "xenon" somewhere on the casing of the headlights?
If anyone has any pictures to accompany their post, that'd be excellent.
Thanks,
Tim
(Maybe our resident lighting man, Timmy, has some wisdom to share on this.)
Just a question regarding the front lights on both the coupe and sedan.
How can you tell if a car has the xenon lights, or just the regular lights? (Without the car having to be on. ie. looking at a car in a dealer lot and figuring out if it has the xenons or not)
Does the bulb have a different shape/colour?
Does it say "xenon" somewhere on the casing of the headlights?
If anyone has any pictures to accompany their post, that'd be excellent.
Thanks,
Tim
(Maybe our resident lighting man, Timmy, has some wisdom to share on this.)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,744
Likes: 1
If you are talking about OEM lighting, the bulb type is embossed on the headlight lens/cover. The coupe, of course, does not have HID's.
If you mean aftermarket conversions, the only way to tell is when the lights are on.
If you mean aftermarket conversions, the only way to tell is when the lights are on.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,309
Likes: 0
From: Stockholm, Sweden
C200 Kompressor
On euro-speced cars you can see it from inside the car. Cars without xenon has a small adjustement wheel to the right of the light switch for adjusting the level of the lights, while xenon equipped car don't have this because of it's auto-leveling feature.
Almost a Member!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area
06 ML350; 05 Infiniti G35 Coupe
I have a 2001 C320 with Xenon light, I cannot tell just from the outside. But for 2002 model, xenon light can only be ordered with the C4 package which includes Headlamp Washer and Heated Seats.
So when you look at 2002 model, look for the heated seats button or headlamp washer button, those are the cars which might have xenon light.
So when you look at 2002 model, look for the heated seats button or headlamp washer button, those are the cars which might have xenon light.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
Buick Park Avenue Ultra
Oh, you are brilliant!
I should've thought of that. I know that you need the washers in order to have the xenons. But, for some reason, it didn't connect.
It must be all that red wine I had.
I'm a moron!
Thanks very much!
Tim
I should've thought of that. I know that you need the washers in order to have the xenons. But, for some reason, it didn't connect.
It must be all that red wine I had.
I'm a moron!
Thanks very much!
Tim
Trending Topics
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,744
Likes: 1
Originally posted by timorgan
So, if I look closely at the headlights, it should read "Xenon" on it somewhere?
Thanks,
Tim
So, if I look closely at the headlights, it should read "Xenon" on it somewhere?
Thanks,
Tim
These marking are required by the DOT and are on all newer cars.
http://lighting.mbz.org/faq/#replacable
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Dubai Tuner Gives the Mercedes G-Class An Entirely New Look
Verdad Gallardo
Six Gift Ideas Your AMG Loving Dad or Grad Will Cherish
7 Craziest Things AMG Gas Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 500
Likes: 1
From: NYC
C32 AMG, C300 Sport
you can order washers...
without ordering xenons however if you have the xenons, it is correct that you need to order the washers. Could fool you though. I would like to know what to look for on the lens that tells that they are actual HIDs.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,230
Likes: 0
From: Gaithersburg, MD
2002 C240 6-spd (ret)
I just went out to my garage to try to read the numbers on the lenses of my Xenons. Even w/ a flashlight, it was hard to see w/ the glare. I'll check them tomorrow.
But, w/ the Xenons, you get a motorized self-leveling system. If you look through the outer lens of the Xenons, you can see an inner "pod" which actually contains the lights. It's the same shape as the outer lens, but has a silver ring around it. When parked, you can see a separation between the lower inside edge of the outer lens and the surface of the "pod", and the silver ring inside. This is because the inner pod is pivoted downward somewhat. If you look at one you'll see what I mean. I think it might actually be easier to glance inside the lens for the separation than it is to decipher the codes imprinted on the outer lens cover.
Also, as someone said, a lot of people probably get C4 without the Xenons, so that's not a reliable determinant.
But, w/ the Xenons, you get a motorized self-leveling system. If you look through the outer lens of the Xenons, you can see an inner "pod" which actually contains the lights. It's the same shape as the outer lens, but has a silver ring around it. When parked, you can see a separation between the lower inside edge of the outer lens and the surface of the "pod", and the silver ring inside. This is because the inner pod is pivoted downward somewhat. If you look at one you'll see what I mean. I think it might actually be easier to glance inside the lens for the separation than it is to decipher the codes imprinted on the outer lens cover.
Also, as someone said, a lot of people probably get C4 without the Xenons, so that's not a reliable determinant.
Almost a Member!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area
06 ML350; 05 Infiniti G35 Coupe
Lynn is correct, there are numbers on the bottom of the lens. Actually there are 2 sets of numbers, one is below the high beam portion and the other is below the low bean portion.
I have a 2001 C320 with Xenon. I cleary read "D2R" on the bottom on the lens (low beam portion on both sides). I believe it is the most accurate method to determine the car has OEM Xenon or not.
I have a 2001 C320 with Xenon. I cleary read "D2R" on the bottom on the lens (low beam portion on both sides). I believe it is the most accurate method to determine the car has OEM Xenon or not.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,230
Likes: 0
From: Gaithersburg, MD
2002 C240 6-spd (ret)
Originally posted by atsang311
I have a 2001 C320 with Xenon. I cleary read "D2R" on the bottom on the lens (low beam portion on both sides). I believe it is the most accurate method to determine the car has OEM Xenon or not.
I have a 2001 C320 with Xenon. I cleary read "D2R" on the bottom on the lens (low beam portion on both sides). I believe it is the most accurate method to determine the car has OEM Xenon or not.
Admin Alumni
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,143
Likes: 19
See Garage
Linking MarkL's separate question to me regarding comps between housings of xenon and non-xenons... In short, the housings behind the lenses appear to be the same.
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...ighlight=MBBOB
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...ighlight=MBBOB
