BMW 535i front turn signal bulbs use PY24WNA, 3357NA, or 3457NA sizes, while rear turn signal bulbs use P21W size. The replacement chart covers 1985 through 2016 model years with corresponding bulb size specifications.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The PY24WNA is the most frequently specified front turn signal bulb in the BMW 535i data, covering the 2011-2016 model years. It operates at 12V and 24W, uses a PGU20-4 base, and is an amber variant of the ECE PY24W type built to ANSI standards for the US and Canadian markets.
For the 2014-2016 BMW 535i, the PY24WNA front turn signal fitment carries a "With HID Headlamps" qualifier, indicating this bulb size applies specifically to trims equipped with HID headlamps rather than to all configurations of those model years.
The 3357NA, specified for the 2009-2010 front turn signal position, is a single-filament T25 wedge bulb with natural amber glass, rated at 12V and 27W under ANSI standards.
The 2008 front turn signal uses the 3457NA, which shares the T25 wedge form and natural amber glass of the 3357NA but differs in that it carries a dual filament rated at 27W and 7W. Substituting a single-filament 3357NA for a dual-filament 3457NA, or vice versa, would not replicate the original electrical function.
The P21/5W, specified for the 1985-1993 front turn signal position, is a dual-filament bulb rated at 21W and 5W with a BAY15d bayonet base, built to ECE standards. Its dual-filament design distinguishes it from the single-filament P21W used in the rear position of the same model years.
The P21W covers the 1985-1993 rear turn signal position across all listed years. It is a single-filament bulb rated at 12V and 21W, using a BA15s bayonet base under ECE standards.
The BA15s base of the P21W and the BAY15d base of the P21/5W are physically distinct. The BAY15d base has offset pins to prevent incorrect single-filament or dual-filament substitution, so the two bulb types are not interchangeable despite sharing a similar appearance.
The front turn signal position spans three separate bulb standards across the full range of listed years: the ECE-standard P21/5W for 1985-1993, the ANSI-standard 3457NA and 3357NA for 2008-2010, and the ANSI-standard PY24WNA for 2011-2016. Each group represents a distinct base type and wiring configuration.
The PY24WNA uses a PGU20-4 base, which is specific to this bulb family and is not shared by the wedge-base 3357NA or 3457NA types. This means the front turn signal socket design changed between the 2010 and 2011 model years.
The 1985-1993 model years are the only ones in the specifications that include rear turn signal data, with the P21W listed uniformly across that entire span.