Component Parts & Assembly Removal & fitting of repeater Indicator bulbs Bulb specifications. LED bulbs.
Indicator Repeater Lamps situated in the front wings.
The repeater Indicators lights in the wings are the easiest bulb on the car to replace as long as you follow the procedures below.
Dependent on which way round your repeater lamp body was fitted will determine how it comes out. Slide the complete lens either left or right, at the same time trying to ease the end out and away from the plastic wing.
If it won't come away from the wing one end then try the other!
As you can see from this photo, the lamp body has a spring clip moulded into it one side and a small recess at the other, you need to push against the spring clip so that the body can be withdrawn.
Once you have achieved this the lamp body complete with bulb holder can be withdrawn from the wing. The bulb holder is removed from the lamp lens and body by turning the lamp holder 45degrees to the body. HOWEVER before removing the lamp body make provision for holding the bulb ,bulb carrier, and wire from retreating back inside the wing cavity .
Remember these wings are lined and getting this unit back out of the wing will be quite a job
I have a piece of plastic with a slot cut into it which I simply slide over the wires this prevents the problem pre-mentioned. I keep this item in the same box as my spare bulbs.
The bulb is a simple pull to remove and push in to replace , Having replaced the bulb clean the bulb lens with a clean dry cloth. When refitting the bulb carrier into the lamp body ,note the two projection on the bulb carrier , these slide into the two grooved in the lamp body.
When replacing the lamp body into the wing place the spring portion in first I put both of mine towards the front of the car , then push on the lamp body, it will slide and snap into place.
When correctly located the lamp body should be fully secured by the wing.
Bulb Specifications .
If buying your bulbs using the references below then you should have no problem. However be aware that there are three types of bayonet fitting used on the 2001 'A' Class two of which will only fit one way. The rear/stop light staggered pin, and the indicators lamps front & rear. see examples of bayonet above.
If for any reason and like a fellow owner John you car's indicators at the rear will not allow the fitting the off-set pin bulb, then you can overcome this problem by purchasing standard pin ,orange as with the PY bulb with parallel pins. These are special none standard bulbs and will not normally fit your car. The bulb number in this exceptional case is available from Halfords on the special rear lens Upgrade counter, details:- 12v 21W BA15 SCC but I tress this is not the bulb fitted as standard on the Facelift 'A' Class .
Front bulbs (see mypage 9)
Main Beam & fog Lamp, 60/55 watt (twin element) H4
Dipped Beam 55 watt H7
Side & parking lamps W5W
Indicators PY 21 W (yellow
Repeater Indicators on NS/ & O/S Wings WY 5 W
Rear bulbs (See mypage 11
Licence Plate 2 x 37R E1 0010 N1C C 5 W (Festoon Lamp)
High mounted brake lights (Rear window) 4 x W 5 W
Rear Brake lights P21 W
Reversing Lamps P21 W
Indicators (White lens only )PY21 W
Rear Tail & Fog lamps P21/4 ( Note Both rear lamps are fitted with the same bulb, Fog lamp, lights O/S only with standard wiring)
Interior (see mypage 8)
Front interior combined lamp 2 units, Festoon K5618-n Lt Map light(spot)W5W(e1)2GL W1B
Rear festoon K5618-n Lt
Instrument cluster bulbs, (
See mypage 45 )1.2 w GL
Replacement of standard bulbs with LED Bulbs
There is a lot of talk these day about replacing standard vehicle light bulbs with (Light emitting Diode's)
LED before you even consider doing please read information available on the WWW.(net) of which there is plenty of choice. One thing comes across quite clearly ,unless your vehicle was built with the intention of using LED's then you can cause more problems the enough, indicator systems are a typical example, unless your vehicle has an electrical flasher unit fitted which is compatible with LED's then your indicators will not work without also fitting resisters to the system to create a dummy loading. Having had to undertake this task with the possibility of a breakdown of the resister at a later date the benefits over standards bulbs is small and the power saving on that circuit of the vehicle will be minimal if any. In other instances the light emitted through the various reflectors may be insufficient for your car to pass the MOT. There is however one exception and that is where you are wiring your early A Class to show two reversing lamps instead of the fitted one, both lamp holders left and right are fitted with bulbs but one the O/Side lamp is wired, if you wire so as to be able to use both light then you will need to either fit LED bulbs or fit a relay so as the reduce the increased load on the reversing switch , failure to do one or the other may result in the reversing switch burning out. This is a difficult switch to replace. This is just one such site available with information.
Before changing your standard bulbs to LED also consider the problems associated with them, when a standard bulb fails it is obvious as no light is emitted! When the LED fails only part of the LED may fail with the result that some light will be emitted 1 but in all probability too little to conform to the vehicle lighting regulations which means you car will fail the MOT if the inspector notices the problem. 2 In the worst case scenario while driving using these lights less light may be delivered by the LED bulb making driving more difficult and making it more difficult for third parties to see your vehicle these two photos taken by john shown the problem, as it happens these are only side lights, on which you should not drive alone anyway although a good many drivers do! but he problem can still result in the vehicle being inefficiently lit. You can also see that the LED with 3 lights appears brighter, this may well shorten the life of that section of the remaining LED's.
This is a photo of one of the bulbs I fitted to my rear reversing lamps, apart from the fact that the light delivered is white, I also feel it is less effective. That along with the complex construction of the bulb I feel makes them less attractive to the motorist. I have also fitted a set in my Stop lights bulb location. However again due to the white light delivered They make the rear red reflector appear more orange coloured. No, apart from the reversing light bulbs which I changed to protect the reversing switch, I will be sticking to standard lamp bulbs. When Of course I purchase my car designed to use such modern technology I will be more than happy to make the change , but not for change sake.
When correctly located the lamp body should be fully secured by the wing.
