Chevrolet Corvette Seat Belt Warning Bulb Size

The Chevrolet Corvette seat belt warning light utilizes bulb sizes 161, 74, 194, 168, and 1895 depending on the specific application for the interior dashboard illumination. Available data for the specified lighting components covers a span of time starting from 1973 and ending in 1996.

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

If US Type and EU Type show the same value, a direct cross-reference for this bulb is not available or the data is insufficient.

Years	US Type	EU Type	Shop
1995-1996	161	161	Check Price
1991-1992	74	W1.2W	Check Price
1990	161	161	Check Price
1984-1989	194	W5W	Check Price
1979-1982	194	W5W	Check Price
1978	168	W5W	Check Price
1973	1895	1895	Check Price

Bulb Specifications

Description	Type	Shop
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 1W.	161	Check Price
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T5). 12V, 1.4W.	74	Check Price
ECE standard (Europe & worldwide). Miniature wedge bulb (T5) with W2x4.6d base. 12V, 1.2W.	W1.2W	Check Price
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 3.78W.	194	Check Price
ECE standard (Europe & worldwide). Single-filament signalling bulb with W2.1x9.5d wedge base. 12V, 5W.	W5W	Check Price
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 4.9W.	168	Check Price
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T5). 12V, 0.9W.	1895	Check Price

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The seat belt warning bulb specifications for the Chevrolet Corvette span model years 1973-1996, with four distinct bulb sizes used across that period: 161, 74, 194, and 168.
The 194 bulb is the most frequently specified size, covering the Corvette across 1979-1986, 1988-1989, and 1982, making it the dominant fitment across this application. It is a T10 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 3.78W under the ANSI standard.
The 161 bulb, used in the 1990 and 1995-1996 Corvette, is also a T10 miniature wedge type operating at 12V but draws only 1W, making it a lower-wattage alternative within the same T10 form factor as the 194.
Although the 161 and 194 bulbs share the T10 wedge base, their wattage ratings differ significantly (1W versus 3.78W), which means they are not interchangeable despite the physical similarity in base type.
The 74 bulb, specified for the 1991-1992 Corvette, is a T5 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 1.4W. The T5 form factor is physically smaller than the T10, making it incompatible with sockets designed for T10 bulbs.
The 168 bulb, used in the 1978 Corvette, is a T10 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 4.9W, giving it the highest wattage of all four bulb types listed in these specifications.
The 1895 bulb, specified for the 1973 Corvette, is a T5 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 0.9W, the lowest wattage among all bulb types in these specifications. Its T5 base places it in the same physical category as the 74 bulb, though the two differ in wattage output.
All five bulb types listed conform to the ANSI standard applicable in both the United States and Canada, indicating a shared North American specification framework across all model years covered.
The shift from T10 (194) to T5 (74) fitment between the 1989 and 1991-1992 Corvette represents a socket-level change, meaning parts sourced for one configuration are physically incompatible with the other.
The return to a T10 bulb (161) for the 1995-1996 Corvette after the T5 (74) fitment of 1991-1992 indicates that the socket specification changed again between those production periods.