The Toyota MR2 brake light components utilize 1156 and 1157 bulb sizes for the rear lighting systems. Data for the specified vehicle covers the range from 1985 to 1995.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
The 1157 bulb is a dual-filament type rated at 12V with a 21W main filament and a 5W secondary filament, mounted on a BAY15d bayonet base. Its dual-filament design allows it to serve both brake and tail light functions within a single housing.
The 1156 bulb is a single-filament type rated at 12V, 21W, mounted on a BA15s bayonet base. Because it carries only one filament, it is dedicated to a single lighting function rather than a combined one.
Both the 1156 and 1157 are ANSI-standardized bulbs recognized across the United States and Canada, meaning their electrical and physical specifications conform to a defined industry standard.
The BA15s base of the 1156 and the BAY15d base of the 1157 are not interchangeable. The BAY15d base features offset locating pins that prevent a dual-filament bulb from being seated in a single-filament socket, and vice versa.
The Toyota MR2 brake light specification shifts from the 1157 to the 1156 between the 1993 and 1994 model years, representing a change from a dual-filament to a single-filament bulb for that position.
The 1985-1993 MR2 brake lights use the 1157, while the 1994-1995 model years use the 1156. Installing a 1156 in place of a 1157, or the reverse, would result in either an improper fit or incorrect lighting behavior due to the differing base types and filament configurations.
The Center High Mount Stop Light on the MR2 uses the 1156 single-filament bulb across the 1985-1992 model years for which data is provided, consistent with its dedicated stop-light-only function.