The Buell S3 Thunderbolt front turn signal requires a 5008 bulb size, while the rear turn signal uses either 5008 or 232 bulb sizes. The replacement chart covers 1997 to 2001 production 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 Buell S3 Thunderbolt uses two distinct bulb types across its front and rear turn signal positions: the 5008 and the 232, both of which are ANSI-standard bulbs rated for use in the US and Canada.
The 5008 is a single-filament bulb with a BA15s bayonet base, operating at 12V. It is described as a lower wattage variant of the 1156 bulb, sharing the same base type but drawing less power.
The 232 is a festoon-style bulb with an SV8.5 base, rated at 12V and 3W. Festoon bulbs are cylindrical in form and mount by contact pressure at each end rather than by a base socket.
The front turn signal position on the S3 Thunderbolt uses the 5008 bulb consistently across all model years from 1997-2001.
The rear turn signal position does not follow a consistent bulb type across the same production span. The 5008 appears in 1997, 1999, and 2001, while the 232 appears in 1998 and 2000.
Because the rear turn signal alternates between the 5008 and the 232 depending on the model year, these two bulbs are not interchangeable with each other. The BA15s bayonet base of the 5008 and the SV8.5 festoon base of the 232 are physically incompatible mounting types.
The front and rear turn signal positions share the same bulb type only in 1997, 1999, and 2001, when both positions specify the 5008.