Mercedes-Benz Option Codes Explained: How to Read a Data Card
Mercedes-Benz option codes are three-character factory codes on a car's data card — one per package, option or color. Many are numeric, like 413 (panoramic sliding sunroof) or 489 (AIRMATIC); recent US cars also carry letter-and-digit package codes such as DA2. Paint is a separate three-digit code, such as 149 Polar White.
By CarWhere Research · Updated
The four parts of a Mercedes data card
| Section | What it shows | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| VIN and model designation | Identifies the exact car and Mercedes model type. | Match the VIN to the windshield and door-jamb VIN before trusting anything else on the card. |
| Paint code | Three-digit exterior color code (e.g. 149 Polar White, 197 Obsidian Black Metallic). | Also on the vehicle data plate — a mismatch with the car’s color suggests a respray or wrap. |
| Upholstery code | Interior material and color combination. | Seats are sometimes retrimmed; compare with the cabin. |
| Option code list | One three-character code per factory option, package or market version. | The heart of the card — this is where AMG Line, AIRMATIC or a factory hitch are confirmed. |
Three kinds of code you will see
Equipment codes. Three characters, usually digits, each for one item: 873 seat heating, front, 401 climatised front seats (heating + ventilation), 275 memory package (seats, steering column, mirrors), 228 auxiliary/residual heating. Many have been used for decades, which is why classic-car restorers check the same codes as modern buyers.
US package codes. Letter-and-digit codes for the bundles sold in the US market. On the 2022 GLE 450 example record CarWhere publishes, DA2 is Driver Assistance Package Plus and DP1 the Premium Package. Package codes are model- and year-specific, so read them against the car's own record rather than a generic list.
Color codes. Paint is a three-digit code on the vehicle data plate and the data card — for example 149 Polar White, 040 Black, 197 Obsidian Black Metallic. Upholstery has its own code for the interior material and color.
Example: codes on a 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 record
An excerpt of the factory options returned for one car in CarWhere build data — package codes and equipment codes side by side. Every car's list is different.
| Code | Option |
|---|---|
| DA2 | Driver Assistance Package Plus |
| DP1 | Premium Package |
| DC8 | AIRMATIC Suspension |
| DC1 | Night Package |
| 413 | Panorama Sliding Sunroof |
| 550 | Trailer Hitch |
| P64 | Passenger Seat Memory |
| 846 | Illuminated Running Boards |
Codes buyers check most
From the Mercedes-Benz option code reference — the codes that most often settle a question about a specific car.
| Code | Option | Applies to | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 873 | Seat heating, front | Classic and modern models | The classic heated-seats code — on 80s/90s cars one of the first boxes restorers verify against the data card. |
| 580 | Air conditioning | Classic models | Factory A/C on classic Mercedes — presence and originality move value on W113/W123/W126-era cars. |
| 889 | KEYLESS-GO | W220 onward | Keyless entry and start — a flagship-S-class option that trickled down; early cars without it are easy to spot on the data card. |
| 489 | AIRMATIC air suspension | W220 onward | The adaptive air suspension — comfort flagship line, and a maintenance item buyers specifically check builds for. |
| 772 | AMG styling package | W202/W210 era | The factory AMG body styling on pre-merger-era cars — often confused with full AMG models; the data card settles it. |
The full list (27 codes and growing) is on the option code reference.
Reading tips
- • Read codes against the model and year. Applicability differs by era — the reference marks each code (classic, W210 onward, modern models), so a list for a W123 is not a key to a W223.
- • A package may appear as its own code alongside codes for items it includes, so one feature can show up more than once.
- • Market and version codes (country, language, emissions) appear alongside equipment; they are not options a buyer chose.
- • Model-specific options that matter most are on each model page: E-Class, S-Class, GLE, AMG GT.
Decode the codes for one exact car
Enter the VIN on the Mercedes-Benz data card page. The availability check is free; you pay $9.99 only if detailed build data exists for that car.
Free availability check first · $9.99 one-time only if detailed build data exists for the VIN · no subscription
FAQ
What are Mercedes-Benz option codes?
Three-character factory codes on a Mercedes data card, each standing for one package, option, color or market version. Many are numeric (413 panoramic sliding sunroof, 489 AIRMATIC, 550 trailer coupling); others mix letters and digits, such as the US package codes DA2 and DP1 seen on a 2022 GLE 450 record.
What are SA codes on a Mercedes?
SA stands for Sonderausstattung, German for “special equipment”. SA codes are the option codes on the data card — each maps to one factory option or package for that model and year.
How do I read a Mercedes data card?
Start at the top: the VIN and model designation identify the car; the paint code (a three-digit number such as 149 Polar White) and upholstery code describe colors; the column of three-character codes below lists every factory option and package. Decode each code against the model and year — the same code can mean different things on different eras.
Where do I find my Mercedes paint code?
On the vehicle data plate (on most models on the driver-side door pillar or under the hood) as a three-digit code, and on the data card.
Can I get the data card from the VIN?
The VIN does not contain option codes, but it identifies the car’s production record. Owners can see records in Mercedes me after authenticating the VIN; a dealer can look it up; and a CarWhere build sheet reconstructs the options and codes from licensed VIN-level build data when it exists ($9.99, free availability check first).
Sources
- CarWhere Mercedes-Benz option code reference — equipment codes and applicability
- CarWhere Mercedes option codes by VIN — 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 example record
- CarWhere Mercedes-Benz paint code reference — paint codes and data-plate location
- NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder — what the VIN itself encodes (no option codes)
This CarWhere build sheet is reconstructed from available VIN-level build data. It is not an official Mercedes-Benz data card, Monroney label, or factory certificate.
Related Mercedes-Benz resources
- Mercedes-Benz data card by VIN
- Mercedes-Benz build sheet by VIN
- Mercedes-Benz research hub
- Mercedes-Benz option codes
- Mercedes option codes by VIN
- Mercedes-Benz paint codes
- Mercedes-Benz window sticker by VIN
- Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder
Build sheet by model
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class build sheet
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class build sheet
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class build sheet
- Mercedes-Benz GLC build sheet
- Mercedes-Benz GLE build sheet
- Mercedes-Benz GLS build sheet
- Mercedes-Benz G-Class build sheet
- Mercedes-Benz CLA build sheet
- Mercedes-Benz AMG GT build sheet