Chevrolet Corvette Parking Brake Indicator Bulb Size

The Chevrolet Corvette parking brake indicator utilizes bulb sizes 57, 74, 161, 194, 257, and 1895 depending on the specific production period for the vehicle. Available data for the specified components spans from 1955 through 1996 without omission of any recorded intervals.

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
1995-1996	161
1991-1992	74
1990	161
1986-1989	194
1984	194
1979-1982	194
1976-1977	1895
1967-1974	1895
1966	257
1965	57
1960-1964	257
1955-1959	57

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 1W.	161
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T5). 12V, 1.4W.	74
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 3.78W.	194
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T5). 12V, 0.9W.	1895
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Festoon or BA9s base instrument bulb. 12V, 2W.	257
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA9s base. 12V, 1W.	57

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The 194 bulb is the most frequently specified parking brake indicator bulb across the Chevrolet Corvette model years listed, covering 1979-1982, 1984, and 1986-1989. It is an ANSI-standard T10 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 3.78W.
The 1895 bulb covers the second-largest span of years in these specifications, appearing across 1967-1973 and 1976-1977. It is an ANSI-standard T5 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 0.9W.
The 57 bulb is specified for the Chevrolet Corvette from 1955-1957, 1959, and 1965. It uses a BA9s base with a single filament and is rated at 12V and 1W.
The 257 bulb is specified for 1960-1964 and 1966. It is an ANSI-standard festoon or BA9s base instrument bulb rated at 12V and 2W. The BA9s base type it shares with the 57 bulb does not make the two interchangeable, as their wattage and physical form differ.
Both the 161 and 194 bulbs use the T10 wedge form factor and operate at 12V, but they are not interchangeable. The 194 draws 3.78W while the 161 draws only 1W, and the Corvette specifications assign them to different model years: 161 to 1990 and 1995-1996, and 194 to 1979-1989.
The 74 and 1895 bulbs both use the T5 miniature wedge form factor and operate at 12V, but their wattage ratings differ. The 74 is rated at 1.4W and is specified for 1991-1992, while the 1895 is rated at 0.9W and is specified for 1967-1977.
All six bulb types in these specifications conform to ANSI standards applicable in both the United States and Canada, indicating consistent regulatory compliance across the full range of listed model years.
Three distinct base or socket types are represented across these specifications: the T10 wedge base (161, 194), the T5 wedge base (74, 1895), and the BA9s bayonet base (57, 257). A bulb from one base category is physically incompatible with a socket designed for another.
The 1965 Corvette is specified with the 57 bulb, while the surrounding years 1964 and 1966 use the 257 bulb. Despite both using a BA9s base, the 57 is a single-filament bulb rated at 1W and the 257 is rated at 2W, making them distinct parts for that application.
The lowest wattage bulb in these specifications is the 1895 at 0.9W, and the highest is the 194 at 3.78W, reflecting a range of indicator illumination levels across the Corvette's listed model years.