INFINITI QX56 Headlight Bulb Size

The INFINITI QX56 headlight bulb size specifications include D2S and 9005 for high beam applications, along with D2S and D2R options for low beam configurations. A replacement chart documents bulb size data spanning 2004 through 2013 model years.

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

High Beam Headlight

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
2011-2013	D2S	D2S	Check Price
2004-2010	9005	HB3	Check Price

Low Beam Headlight

Years	Bulb Type	Shop
2011-2013	D2S	Check Price
2004-2010	D2R	Check Price

Bulb Specifications

Description	Type	Shop
ECE standard (Europe & worldwide). HID (xenon) discharge bulb with P32d-2 base, for projector-type housings. Requires external ignitor. 85V, 35W.	D2S	Check Price
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament halogen bulb with P20d base. 12V, 65W.	9005	Check Price
ECE standard (Europe & worldwide). HID (xenon) discharge bulb with P32d-3 base, for reflector-type housings. Requires external ignitor. 85V, 35W.	D2R	Check Price

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The D2S and D2R bulbs found across the INFINITI QX56 headlight specifications are both HID (xenon) discharge types operating at 85V and 35W. Unlike halogen bulbs, both require an external ignitor to strike and sustain the electrical arc that produces light.
Although D2S and D2R bulbs share the same wattage and voltage ratings, they are not interchangeable. The D2S uses a P32d-2 base and is designed for projector-type housings, while the D2R uses a P32d-3 base and is designed for reflector-type housings. Substituting one for the other results in incorrect light output and beam pattern.
The 9005 bulb is a single-filament halogen type rated at 12V and 65W with a P20d base. It follows the ANSI standard used in the United States and Canada, and it does not require an ignitor or ballast, operating directly from the vehicle's 12V electrical system.
For the 2011-2013 QX56, both the high beam and low beam headlights use the D2S bulb, meaning both positions rely on projector-type HID housings at that stage of the model's production.
For the 2004-2010 QX56, the high beam headlight uses the halogen 9005 bulb while the low beam uses the HID D2R bulb, indicating a mixed housing system where the two beam positions operate on fundamentally different technologies and power requirements.
The shift from D2R low beams and 9005 high beams in the 2004-2010 models to an all-D2S configuration in the 2011-2013 models reflects a change in housing type for the high beam position, moving from a reflector-based HID setup to a projector-based one.
The D2S and D2R bulbs both carry ECE certification, the regulatory standard applied in Europe and most of the world outside North America. This classification governs beam pattern tolerances and photometric output requirements distinct from the ANSI framework governing the 9005.
Because the 9005 high beam bulb used in the 2004-2010 QX56 operates at 65W on a 12V circuit, its power draw and replacement process differ substantially from the 35W HID bulbs used in the low beam position of the same years, which require handling of high-voltage ignitor components.