Mitsubishi Eclipse License Plate Bulb Size

The Mitsubishi Eclipse license plate uses bulb sizes 12961 and 168 for illumination purposes across various production versions of the vehicle. Available data covers the span from 1990 to 2012.

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

Bulb Size by Year Range

Years	Bulb Size
2009-2012	12961
1990-2008	168

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
Philips part number. Miniature wedge bulb (T10) with W2.1x9.5d base. 12V, 5W.	12961
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 4.9W.	168

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Mitsubishi Eclipse uses two distinct bulb types for the license plate position across its production span: the 168 and the 12961.
The 168 bulb is an ANSI-standardized type recognized in the United States and Canada, while the 12961 is a Philips part number designation, though both are T10 miniature wedge bulbs operating at 12 volts.
The 168 bulb carries a rated output of 4.9 watts, and the 12961 carries a rated output of 5 watts, placing them within a fraction of a watt of each other in power draw.
The 12961 specifies a W2.1x9.5d base, which is the standard wedge base type associated with T10 miniature bulbs in this class.
The Mitsubishi Eclipse (1990-2008) uses the 168 bulb for the license plate position, covering the majority of the model's production years.
The 2009-2012 Eclipse models use the 12961 bulb, representing a change in the specified part from the earlier 168 designation.
Because both the 168 and 12961 share the T10 form factor and W2.1x9.5d wedge base, their physical fitment is functionally equivalent, though the specified part number differs by model year.
The near-identical wattage between the two bulb types means the license plate housing and circuit in the Eclipse are designed around a consistent low-wattage load across all listed years.