The Ram 3500 brake light utilizes 1157, 3157, and 3057 bulb sizes depending on the specific version required for the vehicle. Data for the lighting components covers the range from 2011 through 2024.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The 3157 bulb is the most frequently specified brake bulb across the Ram 3500 model years covered, appearing in the 2011-2012 and 2019-2020 model years as well as 2023. It is a dual-filament T25 wedge bulb rated at 12V with a 27W high-filament and 7W low-filament output, conforming to ANSI standards for the US and Canadian markets.
The 3057 bulb shares the same T25 wedge form factor and identical 12V, 27W/7W electrical ratings as the 3157, yet the two are not universally interchangeable. The 3057 is specified for the Ram 3500 from 2013-2018 exclusively on vehicles without projector-type headlamps, indicating that headlamp configuration is a determining factor in brake bulb fitment for those years.
The 2024 Ram 3500 brake light specification shifts to the 1157 bulb, which differs from the T25 wedge types used in prior years. The 1157 uses a BAY15d bayonet base rather than a wedge mount and carries a 12V, 21W/5W dual-filament rating, making it physically and electrically distinct from the 3157 and 3057.
The 921 bulb serves as the center high mount stop light (CHMSL) across all listed model years of the Ram 3500, from 2011-2024. It is a single-filament T15 wedge bulb rated at 12V and 16W, a lower wattage than the dual-filament brake bulbs used in the tail lamp positions.
The 2019-2020 model years carry a conditional fitment note, specifying the 3157 only on vehicles equipped with halogen capsule headlamps. This pairing of brake bulb fitment to headlamp type reflects how lighting system configurations within the same model year can produce different bulb requirements.
The 3057 and 3157 bulbs occupy the same T25 wedge housing, and while some sources treat them as interchangeable, their filament wiring differs internally. Substituting one for the other in the Ram 3500 without confirming the correct specification for the applicable model year and trim configuration carries a risk of improper function in the brake or running light circuit.