Toyota Tacoma Brake Bulb Size

Additional Notes

• The Toyota Tacoma brake light specifications reference three dual-filament bulb types across the full model range: the 7443 (T20 wedge), the 3157 (T25 wedge), and the 1157 (BAY15d bayonet base). Each operates at 12V, and all three carry ANSI standardization for the US and Canadian markets.
• The 7443 and 1157 share identical wattage ratings of 21W on the high-intensity filament and 5W on the low-intensity filament, while the 3157 draws more power at 27W and 7W respectively. Despite the matching wattage figures, the 7443 and 1157 are not interchangeable because they use different base types: a wedge base versus a bayonet base.
• The 3157 is the most frequently specified bulb across the brake light positions in the Tacoma specifications, appearing in both the standard brake and outer brake positions across multiple model years.
• The center high mount stop light uses the 168 bulb, a single-filament miniature T10 wedge type rated at 12V and 4.9W, across the entire span of years covered in the specifications. This position does not share a bulb type with any other brake position on the vehicle.
• Several outer brake entries include production date qualifiers that affect bulb selection within a single model year. The 2015 Toyota Tacoma outer brake position, for example, requires a 3157 for units produced up to August 2015 and a 7443 for units produced from August 2015 onward.
• The 2012 outer brake position specifies the 3157 only for units produced from September 2011 onward, and the 2005 outer brake position specifies the 3157 only for units produced from September 2004 onward, indicating mid-cycle specification changes tied to production dates rather than calendar model years.
• For the 2012-2015 standard brake position, the 3157 specification carries a "Without LED Tail Lights" qualifier, meaning vehicles equipped with factory LED tail lights in those years do not use a replaceable 3157 bulb in that position.
• The 1157 uses a BAY15d bayonet base, which is a physically distinct mounting style from the wedge bases used by the 7443 and 3157. This base difference means the 1157 cannot be substituted into a socket designed for either wedge-type bulb without an adapter.