Every option possible on a Mercedes Benz has its own unique 3-digit code. These numbers are recorded on the vehicle date card when the car is scheduled for building in one of the factories. A copy of this card can be found in the maintainance booklet of the car. The codes are also mentioned on a build-tag, attached to the cross-member in front of the radiator. The tag should look somewhat like the one in the picture below.
You can use the table below, along with the vehicle data card, to determine what accessories were ordered with your W126.
The card will show a number of 3-digit codes. Simply find the code in the table below to discover what accessory it points to. This list is based upon the original 1979 accessory-list, so newer or modified codes might not show up.
'Yes' means that that accessory was available for that car, 'No' means it wasn't avialable (at least not in 1979) and 'Std' means it was fitted to your W126 as a standard. Rembember, if an item is listed as 'Std' it won't show up in the options list on your vehicle data card. If there is no longer a vehicle data card with your W126, one can be printed out a any MB-dealership. If your local MB-dealer doesn't comply, they can also be ordered from Daimler-Benz in Stuttgart. Some identifacation or proof of your ownership of the car in question will be neccessary, however.
If some data on your card isn't mentioned in this list, the following situation may exist.
| Accessory | Code | 280S | 280SE | 280SEL | 380SE | 380SEL | 500SE | 500SEL |
| Trailer Hitch | 550 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Antenna, automatic, w. radio | 531 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Antenna, automatic, w/o radio | 532 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Antenna, normal, w/o radio | 534 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ABS | 470 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Armrest beween frontseats | 570 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Limited slip differential | 256 | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rightside mirror, standard | 502 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Rightside mirror, electrical | 504 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Doorlights, front & rear | 611 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accessory | Code | 280S | 280SE | 280SEL | 380SE | 380SEL | 500SE | 500SEL |
| Car Phone antenna, rear | 355 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Car Phone Becker AT 40 S | 353 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Car Phone TeKaDe BSA 31S | 265 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Higher Capacity Battery | 673 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RPM counter | 451 | Yes | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std |
| Car Alarm | 551 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Device agst. Radio interference | 533 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Std | Std | Std | Std |
| Twotone horn | 452 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power windows, 2 | 583 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Power windows, 4 | 584 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Std |
| Accessory | Code | 280S | 280SE | 280SEL | 380SE | 380SEL | 500SE | 500SEL |
| Fire extinguisher, 2kg halon | 682 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Interior light, rear | 876 | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std |
| Curtain, rear window | 294 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Curtain, rear door windows | 295 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Package nets behind frontseats | 286 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Std |
| Automatic gearbox, floormount | 420 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Std | Std | Std | Std |
| Lock on glovebox | 542 | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std |
| Speakers rear, Mono | 811 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Speakers rear, Stereo | 812 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heated rearwindow | 248 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accessory | Code | 280S | 280SE | 280SEL | 380SE | 380SEL | 500SE | 500SEL |
| Hydropneumatic suspention | 487 | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Airconditioning, Mech. | 580 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Airconditioning, Electr. | 581 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cocos Mats, 4 pieces | 835 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Headrests, rear, 2 | 430 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Special paint | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Metallic paint | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Alloy wheels, 5 | 640 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Adjustable Steering Wheel | 441 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Map lights, rear, 2 | 877 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accessory | Code | 280S | 280SE | 280SEL | 380SE | 380SEL | 500SE | 500SEL |
| Self levelling suspension | 480 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cloth upholstery | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std | No | |
| MB-Tex | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Leather (seats only) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Velours | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Std | |
| Radio Becker Europa LMKU | 514 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radio Becker Europa Kurier LMKU | 257 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radio Becker Grand Prix LMKU | 516 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radio Becker Europa Cassette | 512 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radio Becker Europa Cassette Kurier | 254 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accessory | Code | 280S | 280SE | 280SEL | 380SE | 380SEL | 500SE | 500SEL |
| Radio Becker Mexico | 511 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radio Becker Mexico Kurier | 510 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radial Tires | 645 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Headlight washers/wipers | 600 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Electric slideroof | 410 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manually operated slideroof | 411 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Power Steering | 422 | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std | Std |
| Electr. Adjustable driver seat | 221 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Electr. Adjustable pass. seat | 222 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Electr. Adjustable rear seat | 223 | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Accessory | Code | 280S | 280SE | 280SEL | 380SE | 380SEL | 500SE | 500SEL |
| Orthopeadic driver seat | 404 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Orthopeadic pass. seat | 405 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reinforced driver seat | 561 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reinforced pass. seat | 562 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lowered driver. seat | 339 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lowered pass. seat | 340 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heated driver seat | 870 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heated Pass. seat | 871 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heated rear seats | 872 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Seat height adjustable pass. | 572 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accessory | Code | 280S | 280SE | 280SEL | 380SE | 380SEL | 500SE | 500SEL |
| Sun visors with illuminated mirror | 543 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tempomat | 440 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heat absorbing glass | 590 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Central door locking | 466 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heating w. timer | 228 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
ABS (click picture to return to table)
Armrest (click picture to return to table)
Trailer Hitch (click picture to return to table)
RPM counter (click picture to return to table)
Automatic Gearbox, floormount (click picture to return to table)
Hydropneumatic suspension (click picture to return to table)
Airconditioning #1 (click picture to return to table)
Airconditioning #2 (click picture to return to table)
Alloy wheels (pre-1985 style) (click picture to return to table)
