The Nissan Xterra side marker utilizes bulb size 12961 and bulb size 168 for various lighting applications. Data for the specified components covers the range from 2000 through 2015.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The Nissan Xterra front side marker position uses one of two bulb sizes across its model years: the 194 or the 168, both of which are T10 miniature wedge bulbs operating at 12 volts.
Although the 194 and 168 share the same T10 wedge form factor, they are not electrically identical. The 194 draws 3.78W while the 168 draws 4.9W, making them non-interchangeable without accounting for the wattage difference.
The Nissan Xterra (2000-2001) front side marker takes a 194 bulb, while the 2002-2004 model years require the 168 instead.
From 2005-2015, the front side marker position returned to the 194 bulb, which is the most consistently specified front marker bulb across the Xterra's production run covered in these specifications.
The rear side marker position on the Xterra uses the 3157, a dual-filament T25 wedge bulb rated at 12V with a 27W main filament and a 7W secondary filament.
The dual-filament design of the 3157 means the rear side marker on the 2005-2015 Xterra is capable of operating at two distinct brightness levels, a characteristic that distinguishes it from the single-filament front marker bulbs.
The 3157 is physically larger than the T10 wedge bulbs used at the front, and its socket is not compatible with T10 housings, so the front and rear marker bulbs on the Xterra are not interchangeable with each other.
All three bulb types specified for the Xterra, the 194, 168, and 3157, conform to ANSI standards recognized in both the United States and Canada.