The Mazda Protege tail light requires bulb sizes 3496, 1157, and 168 depending on the specific version of the vehicle. Data for the components covers the range from 1990 through 1998.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Mazda Protege outer tail light uses three distinct bulb types across its model years, reflecting changes in lighting technology over the vehicle's production span.
The 7443 is a dual-filament T20 wedge bulb rated at 12V with a 21W/5W output, where the higher wattage filament serves braking or turn functions and the lower wattage filament serves running light functions. It fits the outer and upper tail light positions on 1999-2003 Protege models.
The 194 is a single-filament T10 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 3.78W. It fits the inner tail light and lower tail light positions on the 1999-2003 Protege.
Both the 194 and the 168 share the T10 wedge form factor, though they differ in wattage. The 194 draws 3.78W while the 168 draws 4.9W, making them physically similar but electrically distinct.
The 168 bulb fits the outer tail light on the 1990-1991 Mazda Protege. Despite its T10 wedge form, it is not a direct substitute for the 194 used in later model years due to the difference in wattage.
The 1157 is a dual-filament bulb with a BAY15d bayonet base, rated at 12V and 21W/5W. It fits the outer tail light on 1992-1993 Protege models.
The 3496 is also a dual-filament bulb with a BAY15d bayonet base and is described as a variant of the 1157. It fits the outer tail light on 1994-1998 Protege models. Because both the 1157 and 3496 share the BAY15d base, their physical mounting interface is the same, though they are catalogued as separate part numbers.
The outer tail light position on the Protege shows the widest variation in bulb fitment across model years, spanning four different bulb types from 1990 through 2003.
All bulb types listed across the Protege tail light specifications conform to ANSI standards applicable in both the United States and Canada.
The inner tail light and lower tail light positions share identical bulb fitment across all listed years, both requiring the 194 for the 1999-2003 model range.