The DeLorean DMC 12 high beam headlight uses an H4651 bulb size, while low beam headlights require either H4656 or H4652 bulb sizes. The replacement chart covers 1981 to 1983 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 DeLorean DMC-12 uses sealed beam headlight units across all three of its production years, 1981-1983, meaning the entire lens-and-filament assembly is replaced as a single unit rather than swapping an internal bulb.
All sealed beam types fitted to the DMC-12 conform to ANSI standards recognized in both the United States and Canada, and all operate on a 12-volt electrical system.
The H4651 and H4656 are both 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam units. The H4651 serves the high beam position across all three production years, while the H4656 serves the low beam position in 1981 and 1983.
The H4652, fitted to the low beam position in the 1982 DMC-12, is a variant of the H4651 unit. Although it shares the same 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam format, it is a distinct part number and is not interchangeable with the H4651 without verification.
The low beam specification for the 1982 model year differs from both the 1981 and 1983 model years, which use the H4656. This means the 1982 low beam unit is not a direct drop-in replacement for the units used in the surrounding years.
Because the H4651 and H4652 are described as variants of the same sealed beam family, the high beam unit and the 1982 low beam unit share a close relationship, though they remain separate part numbers intended for different lighting functions.