Pontiac Sunbird Headlight Bulb Size

The Pontiac Sunbird headlight bulb size chart specifies high beam bulb options of 9005, H4701, and H4651, along with low beam bulb options of 9006, H4703, and H4652 for this vehicle model. The replacement chart covers 1976 through 1994 vehicle production years 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.

High Beam Headlight

Years	Bulb Size
1989-1994	9005 (With Halogen Capsule Headlamps)
1989-1994	H4701 (With Sealed Beam Headlamps)
1976-1980	H4651

Low Beam Headlight

Years	Bulb Size
1989-1994	9006 (With Halogen Capsule Headlamps)
1989-1994	H4703 (With Sealed Beam Headlamps)
1977-1980	H4652
1976	H4656

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament halogen bulb with P20d base. 12V, 65W.	9005
ANSI standard (US & Canada). 7-inch round sealed beam unit, variant. Not a replaceable bulb — the entire unit is replaced. 12V.	H4701
ANSI standard (US & Canada). 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam unit. Not a replaceable bulb — the entire unit is replaced. 12V.	H4651
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament halogen bulb with P22d base. 12V, 55W.	9006
ANSI standard (US & Canada). 7-inch round sealed beam unit. Not a replaceable bulb — the entire unit is replaced. 12V.	H4703
ANSI standard (US & Canada). 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam unit, variant of H4651. Not a replaceable bulb — the entire unit is replaced. 12V.	H4652
ANSI standard (US & Canada). 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam unit. Not a replaceable bulb — the entire unit is replaced. 12V.	H4656

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Pontiac Sunbird used two distinct headlamp system types across its production years: sealed beam units and halogen capsule headlamps. Models from 1989-1994 accommodated either system depending on how the vehicle was originally equipped, while models from 1976-1980 used sealed beam units exclusively.
The 9005 and 9006 bulbs are the replaceable halogen capsule types found in 1989-1994 Sunbirds equipped with halogen capsule headlamps. The 9005 handles high beam duties at 65W, while the 9006 handles low beam duties at 55W. Both operate at 12V and conform to ANSI standards applicable in the US and Canada.
The 9005 uses a P20d base and the 9006 uses a P22d base. These two base types are physically incompatible with each other, meaning the high beam and low beam bulbs cannot be interchanged between sockets despite their otherwise similar construction.
Sealed beam headlamp units, including the H4701, H4703, H4651, H4652, and H4656 types, are not replaceable bulbs. When a sealed beam unit fails, the entire lens-reflector-filament assembly is replaced as a single unit.
The Pontiac Sunbird models from 1989-1994 with sealed beam headlamps used 7-inch round units: the H4701 for high beam and the H4703 for low beam. These are distinct units and are not interchangeable with each other.
Models from 1977-1980 used the H4651 for high beam and the H4652 for low beam, both of which are 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam units. The H4652 is a variant of the H4651, and the two serve different beam functions and are not interchangeable.
The 1976 Sunbird used the H4656 for its low beam, which is a separate 4x6-inch rectangular sealed beam unit distinct from the H4652 used in 1977-1980 low beam positions. This makes the 1976 low beam unit non-interchangeable with those of the following model years.