The Kia Rio brake light utilizes 1157 and P21/5W bulb sizes for illumination across various production versions. Data for the specified lighting components covers the period from 2001 through 2023.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The 1157 is the most widely used bulb across the Kia Rio brake light specifications, appearing in the standard brake light position across all listed model years from 2001-2023, with the exception of 2020.
The 1157 is a dual-filament bulb rated at 12V with a 21W main filament and a 5W secondary filament, mounted on a BAY15d bayonet base. The dual-filament design allows a single bulb to serve both brake and tail light functions.
The center high mount stop light on the Kia Rio uses three different bulb types depending on the model year, making it the position with the greatest variation across the specifications provided.
The 921 wedge bulb (T15) at 12V and 16W is specified for the center high mount stop light on the 2006-2011 Rio. It uses a wedge-style base rather than a bayonet fitting, making it physically incompatible with the 1157 and 1156 sockets used in other positions.
The 2019-2020 and 2023 Rio center high mount stop light uses the 12961, a miniature T10 wedge bulb rated at 12V and 5W with a W2.1x9.5d base. This is a Philips part number designation rather than an ANSI standard number.
The 1156 is specified for the center high mount stop light on the 2001-2002 Rio. Although it shares the same BAY15d bayonet base as the 1157, the 1156 is a single-filament bulb and is not interchangeable with the dual-filament 1157 in applications where both filaments are required.
The P21/5W is an ECE-standard bulb used in the outer brake position on the 2019-2020 Rio specifically with halogen capsule headlamps. It is rated at 12V with a 21W/5W dual-filament output and also uses a BAY15d bayonet base, placing it in the same base family as the ANSI 1157.
Despite sharing the BAY15d bayonet base, the P21/5W and the 1157 originate from different standards bodies. The P21/5W follows ECE regulations common in European and international markets, while the 1157 follows ANSI standards used in the United States and Canada.