LED Car Bulb, Motorcycle Bulb, and Truck Bulb Cross Reference

LED Headlight and Foglight Bulb Interchange Guide

What part number do you need and where do you find your original part number?

Part numbers can get complicated very quickly. Even when you have a reference number for what you are looking for, determining how that number relates to aftermarket part numbers can seem like a job for a master code breaker. If this is the case, we have good news; welcome to our first hand-built interchange guide for headlights and foglights! The guide is composed of three sets of data—commonly used trade numbers, manufacturer and aftermarket part numbers, and finally our own compatible bulb/kit numbers.

Trade numbers will be the general numbers you may be used to seeing like 9006 or H11. These are pretty straight forward and will often be what you will actually find printed on your original bulbs in place of a manufacturer part number. These can have multiple different numbers that are all referring to the same bulb type like H4, 9003, and HB2 or can be one singular trade number like an H8 bulb. These numbers don’t have informational meaning directly in all cases, but each number or compatible set of numbers do represent a specific configuration related to connector, size, shape, power usage, etc. This type of number is used to make sure you are getting an LED light bulb that is compatible with the original you are replacing.

Manufacturer part numbers are specific to the company that made your vehicle and are an internal number meant to take the place of the standard trade numbers. This kind of reference is handy though when trying to find parts through an OEM catalog, as this is the type of number you will find. We hope this will save you some time if you need to translate from Ford or Volkswagen into standard trade size.

Aftermarket part numbers are common numbers used by large automotive parts manufacturers (the same ones that made the original bulbs for your vehicle most likely). They often, but not always, feature the trade number for the bulb. These are important as, unlike LEDs, it is very possible a halogen or HID bulb may have already been replaced in your vehicle at some point. This gives you a quick reference to make sure, whether the bulb is original or has been replaced several times, your upgraded LED headlights or foglights are a good fit.

Our part numbers are based on original trade numbers much like other aftermarket bulbs, with one main exception. LED headlights and foglights offer a huge advantage as one bulb can replace multiple others. For example, there are slight differences between wattage and design on H8, H9, H11, and H16 bulbs. These differences don’t apply to our LED conversion kits though, as the LED bulbs use less power than the lowest wattage and are still brighter than the highest wattage. This means one of our bulbs—H11-HLV8 for example—can replace any standard H8, H9, H11, or H16 bulb. This section of our chart helps give you a quick, easy to use guide between our numbers and the trade, manufacturer, or aftermarket number you may be referencing.

Additional Fitment Concerns: How to Tell If It Will Fit

So once you’ve checked your reference number, whether you pulled the bulb out or consulted a manufacturer parts database, and used it to locate the ideal LED headlight or foglight upgrade, there are a few other things that would be prudent to check.

If you haven’t already, checking with state law enforcement to determine what is legal where you live can save a lot of time. Some municipalities have strict rules on what you can and can’t modify on your vehicle, so it’s better to be on the safe side here.

Another important thing to check is the physical space you have for the bub. While all of our bulbs are designed to fit in place of the glass end of the OEM-style bulb it replaces and lock into the housing securely, some do require extra clearance on the rear side of the bulb due to the heatsink and other cooling features on the bulb. Most times this is not an issue, but on foglights especially, this is always something you should check. Each of our bulbs features a detailed dim drawing included in the product listing to assist you in double-checking this before placing an order.

Are there any exceptions to look out for?

As with any system, there are always exceptions. We’ve made a simple list of common problem areas we see due to confusing numbering.

• HID bulb replacements require the original HID ballast to be functional in order to work. Using one of our LED replacements will not work with a bad ballast. While most of our bulbs are waterproof when installed in the light housing, these are not. HID replacements require a sealed, weatherproof housing to work properly.
• 9005XS and 9006XS are straight plug variants of standard 9005 and 9006 bulbs that have an angled base. The way our LED headlight bulbs are designed it should allow most of them to replace both. Make sure to consult the chart for the ones which can actually replace your 9005XS and 9006XS bulbs to avoid any potential issues.
• H16 and 5202 (also called H16-EU and PS24W) bulbs are not interchangeable. H16 bulbs are primarily used by Japanese manufacturers and are visually similar to H11 bulbs. 5202 (H16-EU) bulbs are often used by manufacturer’s in the US and Europe and feature a radically different base with large ears for mounting and a short straight connector on the rear of the bulb.
• Standard H11 (or H11A) bulbs will not directly replace H11B bulbs found primarily in Hyundai, Kia, and Ford vehicles. H11B bulbs use a special electrical connection that requires a specific plug.
• The main difference between an 880 and an 881 bulb is the base. One, 880, has a straight base and one, 881, has an angled base. All of our bulbs listed for these types will work in place of an 880, but applications using 881 should make sure to check clearance before ordering to make sure there is adequate rook for installation of the new LED foglight bulb.

Are LED Headlights and Foglights Sold as Singles or in Pairs?

Our LED Headlights and foglights are almost exclusively sold as LED conversion kits, meaning they come in pairs. This is due to the fact that these lights are used in pairs on most vehicles outside of motorcycles. Aside from that, bulbs like headlights and foglights are always recommended to be replaced in pairs. Don’t worry though, in the highly unlikely event that you have an issue with one of our LED bulbs, a single unit can be dispatched as a replacement under warranty to make the replacement process as simple as possible.

LED Brake, Marker, Turn Signal, and Tail Light Interchange Guide

How do I find the correct bulb?

When looking at brake, side marker, parking, turn signal, and tail lights, they will often have an easy-to-find number on the base of the bulb or even the clear housing in some cases. This number will be the first piece of information you need to make sure you are purchasing the correct replacement bulb. The second will be measuring the physical size of your bulb to compare to potential replacement bulbs.

The part number of your original bulb coincides with a specific shape, size, base type, color, voltage, and wattage. This is one place where LEDs have an advantage, due to the fact that one LED bulb can replace several different original part numbers with varying wattages, etc. An example would be one of our 3157 bulbs. Since the base is the same as 3057, 3457, and 4157 bulbs (among others) it can also replace any of those.

The size of the LED bulb will vary in some cases from your original bulb. Generally they are designed to fit in any application where the original bulb did, but on rare occasions, there are instances where this is not true. Luckily, we offer detailed dimensional drawings for our bulbs to ensure you can find all the info you need to make an accurate purchase.

I found my bulb size, is there anything else I need to consider?

One very specific issue related directly to the properties of LEDs needs to be considered when ordering brake, marker, parking, turn signal, and tail lights. When replacing a vehicle bulb from a light with a red or amber lens, the bulb color needs to match the lens color for the output to be the intended color. Using a white LED in a red lens isn’t going to fundamentally make the light not work, but you may end up with more of a pink light than a red one.

So when shopping, select a red replacement bulb if the lens is red and an amber or orange bulb for an amber or orange lens.