The Saab 9-5 dome light utilizes 6411 and 12961 bulb sizes depending on the specific version of the vehicle. Available data covers the span from 1999 through 2011.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The DE3423 is the most frequently specified bulb across the Saab 9-5 dome light data, appearing in both the front and rear dome light positions across multiple model years.
The DE3423 is an ANSI-standard festoon bulb with a 41mm length and end-cap contacts, operating at 12V. Its end-cap contact design distinguishes it from the shorter 6411 festoon, which uses an SV8.5 base instead.
The 6411 is a 36mm festoon bulb with an SV8.5 base, rated at 12V and 5W. Because it is shorter than the DE3423, the two festoon types are not interchangeable despite sharing the same general festoon form factor.
The Saab 9-5 (1999-2009) uses the 6411 for the general dome light position, while the 2010-2011 model years use the 12961 in that same position, indicating a bulb type change between the 2009 and 2010 models.
The 12961 is a Philips part number for a T10 miniature wedge bulb with a W2.1x9.5d base, rated at 12V and 5W. Its wedge base is physically incompatible with the SV8.5 base of the 6411 it replaced in the general dome light position.
The front dome light for the 2001 Saab 9-5 specifies the bulb size 74, a T5 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 1.4W. This is a notably lower wattage than the DE3423 used in all other listed front dome light years, and the two bulb types are not interchangeable.
The rear dome light position uses the DE3423 consistently across all listed model years from 1999 through 2009, with no variation in bulb type across that span.
The front and rear dome light positions share the DE3423 specification for the 1999-2000 and 2002-2009 model years, meaning a single bulb type serves both locations in those vehicles.