The Toyota Tacoma tail light utilizes 7443, 2458, 3157, and 1157 bulb sizes depending on the specific version of the vehicle. Available information covers a period from 1995 through 2023.
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 size across the outer tail light positions in the Toyota Tacoma, appearing across model years 2005-2015 in various configurations. It is a dual-filament wedge bulb using the T25 form factor, rated at 12V with a 27W high filament and 7W low filament, and meets the ANSI standard for the US and Canadian markets.
The 1157 bulb held the outer tail light specification from 1995-2004. It shares the same 12V, 21W/5W electrical rating as the 7443 but uses a BAY15d bayonet base rather than a wedge-style base, making the two physically incompatible despite their identical wattage ratings.
The 7443 is a T20 dual-filament wedge bulb rated at 12V, 21W/5W. It replaced the 3157 in the outer tail light position from August 2015 onward and is also specified for the 2018 and 2021-2023 model years.
The 3157 and 7443 are both wedge-base bulbs but belong to different size classes, T25 and T20 respectively. The physical size difference between these two wedge bases means they are not interchangeable, even though both are dual-filament designs operating on 12V systems.
The 2015 Toyota Tacoma outer tail light carries a production-date-dependent specification: vehicles produced before August 2015 use the 3157, while those produced from August 2015 onward use the 7443. Confirming the build date is necessary before selecting a replacement bulb for that model year.
For the 2012-2015 model years, a separate fitment condition applies to vehicles without LED tail lights, which are specified to use the 3157. This indicates that some units from those years were factory-equipped with LED tail light assemblies that do not use a replaceable incandescent bulb in the outer position.
The 2008 model year outer tail light specification is also split by production date. Units produced through May 2008 use the 3157, while a separate entry without a date restriction also lists the 3157, suggesting the same bulb type applies across the full production run of that year regardless of the cutoff notation.