Chevrolet Bel Air Parking Brake Indicator Bulb Size

The Chevrolet Bel Air parking brake indicator utilizes bulb sizes 194, 57, and 257 for illumination. Available data covers the range from 1955 through 1975 for the specified vehicle components.

The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.

Bulb Size by Year Range

Years	Bulb Size
1967-1975	194
1966	57
1965	257
1964	57
1963	257
1962	57
1958-1961	257
1955-1957	57

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 3.78W.	194
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA9s base. 12V, 1W.	57
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Festoon or BA9s base instrument bulb. 12V, 2W.	257

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Chevrolet Bel Air parking brake indicator uses three distinct bulb types across its model years: the 194, the 57, and the 257, all of which conform to ANSI standards applicable in the United States and Canada.
The 194 is a T10 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 3.78W. Its wedge base design means it is retained by spring tension in the socket rather than by a bayonet or screw mechanism.
The 57 is a single-filament bulb with a BA9s base, rated at 12V and 1W. The BA9s is a small bayonet cap with a 9mm collar, commonly found in instrument panel applications.
The 257 is rated at 12V and 2W and is available with either a festoon or BA9s base. A festoon bulb is cylindrical with contact caps at each end, while the BA9s variant uses the same small bayonet fitting as the 57 bulb.
The Chevrolet Bel Air (1967-1975) uses the 194 wedge bulb exclusively for the parking brake indicator across that nine-year span.
The 57 and 257 bulbs share the same 12V operating voltage but differ in wattage, with the 257 drawing 2W and the 57 drawing 1W. Despite the overlapping BA9s base option on the 257, the two bulbs are not interchangeable due to this wattage difference and the 257's additional festoon form factor.
The 57 bulb is specified for the 1955-1957, 1962, 1964, and 1966 Bel Air, while the 257 is specified for 1958-1961, 1963, and 1965, indicating that the two bulb types alternated across several consecutive model years.