Kia Soul Tail Light Bulb Size

Kia Soul tail light bulbs utilize 3 distinct sizes: 168 for the inner tail light, 2357 for the outer tail light, and 12961, 2357, or P21/5W for the tail light. The replacement chart covers vehicle production years spanning 2010 to 2024 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.

Inner Tail Light

Years	Bulb Size
2019	168 (Without Projector Headlamps)
2014-2018	168 (Without Projector-Type Headlamps)

Outer Tail Light

Years	Bulb Size
2019	2357 (Without Projector Headlamps)
2014-2018	2357 (Without Projector-Type Headlamps)

Tail Light

Years	Bulb Size
2023-2024	12961
2021-2022	2357
2020	12961
2019	12961 (From 1/15/2019)
2019	P21/5W (To 1/15/2019)
2010-2018	2357

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 4.9W.	168
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Dual-filament bulb with BAY15d bayonet base. Brighter variant of 1157. 12V, 26.9W/8W.	2357
Philips part number. Miniature wedge bulb (T10) with W2.1x9.5d base. 12V, 5W.	12961
ECE standard (Europe & worldwide). Dual-filament signalling bulb with BAY15d bayonet base. 12V, 21W/5W.	P21/5W

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The 2357 bulb is the most frequently specified size across the Kia Soul tail light data, appearing in both inner and outer tail light positions across multiple model years.
The 2357 is a dual-filament bulb with a BAY15d bayonet base, rated at 12V with filaments drawing 26.9W and 8W respectively, making it suitable for combined stop and tail light functions within a single housing.
The 168 bulb is an ANSI-standard T10 miniature wedge type rated at 12V and 4.9W, specified for the Kia Soul inner tail light position from 2014-2019, exclusively on vehicles without projector-type headlamps.
The 12961 is a Philips part number designation for a T10 miniature wedge bulb with a W2.1x9.5d base, rated at 12V and 5W, and is functionally similar in form to the 168 but carries a manufacturer-specific designation rather than an ANSI standard number.
The outer tail light position on the 2019 Kia Soul underwent a mid-year bulb change, with units produced before January 15, 2019 using the P21/5W and units produced from that date onward using the 12961.
The P21/5W follows the ECE standard used in Europe and worldwide, carrying a BAY15d bayonet base and dual-filament ratings of 21W and 5W, which differ from the 2357 despite sharing the same base type.
Because the P21/5W and 2357 share a BAY15d bayonet base but carry different wattage ratings, they are not interchangeable without accounting for the electrical differences between the two standards.
The headlamp type on the Kia Soul directly affects tail light bulb fitment for model years 2014-2019, as the inner tail light specifications are conditioned on the absence of projector-type headlamps.
The outer tail light on the 2022 and 2021 Kia Soul uses the 2357, while the adjacent model years 2020, 2023, and 2024 use the 12961, indicating that the same position does not carry a uniform bulb type across the generation.
The 168 and 12961 are both T10 wedge bulbs operating at 12V, but the 168 is defined under the ANSI standard at 4.9W while the 12961 is a manufacturer-designated part rated at 5W, and the two are specified for different positions within the Soul's tail light assembly.