The Volkswagen Golf R headlight bulb sizes include H9, D3S, and H15 for high beam applications, along with H7 and D3S options for low beam configurations. A replacement chart covering 2012 through 2019 model years documents the bulb specifications for this vehicle.
The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.
ECE standard (Europe & worldwide). Mercury-free HID (xenon) discharge bulb with PK32d-5 base and integral ignitor, for projector-type housings. 42V, 35W.
The H15 bulb is a dual-filament halogen type operating at 12V with a 55W main filament and a 15W secondary filament, fitted with a PGJ23t-1 base. In the Volkswagen Golf R, it serves as the high beam source in halogen capsule headlamp configurations across the 2012-2018 model years, making it the most consistently recurring high beam bulb across the specifications.
The H7 bulb is a single-filament halogen type rated at 12V and 55W, using a PX26d base. It holds ECE approval and is also approved for use in the United States and Japan. It appears as the low beam bulb in halogen capsule headlamp configurations across the 2012-2019 model years.
The D3S is a mercury-free HID (xenon) discharge bulb rated at 42V and 35W, fitted with a PK32d-5 base that incorporates an integral ignitor. It is designed specifically for projector-type housings and serves as both the high beam and low beam source in Golf R models equipped with HID headlamps for the 2015-2018 model years.
The 2019 Golf R with halogen capsule headlamps departs from the H15 high beam used in prior halogen configurations, instead specifying the H9 bulb. The H9 is a single-filament halogen type rated at 12V and 65W with a PGJ19-5 base, carrying ECE approval as well as US approval.
The D3S bulb's integral ignitor distinguishes it from other HID types that require a separate external ignitor. This design is a fitment-critical detail, as D3S units are not interchangeable with discharge bulbs that rely on a remote ignitor, such as the D1S or D2S families.
The H15 and H9 bulbs both use PGJ19-series bases, but their specific base designations differ: PGJ23t-1 for the H15 and PGJ19-5 for the H9. These bases are not interchangeable, and the wattage difference between the two types (55W/15W dual-filament versus 65W single-filament) further distinguishes their respective roles in the headlamp system.
For the 2015-2018 model years, the Golf R was available with either HID or halogen capsule headlamps, and the two configurations require entirely different bulb types. The HID variant uses the D3S for both high and low beam functions, while the halogen variant uses the H15 for high beam and the H7 for low beam.